WARREN-BALLED
Warren Gatland tells rugby’s suits to sort out the global calendar NOW – or just forget about it
WARREN GATLAND urged rugby's suits to sort out the shambolic global calendar NOW - or forget about ever doing it.
Ex-Wales and current Lions boss Gatland coaches his New Zealand Super Rugby outfit The Chiefs in the first game of rugby for three months tomorrow.
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Then 48 hours later on Monday, there is one of the most important meetings in the history of the game as the likes of England, Lions, Kiwi, Six Nations bosses and co come together to hammer out a new blueprint for the game.
The idea is to align the seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres - with summer tours in June and July shifted to October and November - and the Six Nations possibly starting a month later in March.
The Lions tour to South Africa in 2021 will kick-off in August, a month later than planned, and Gatland said: ";A lot of of this has been talked about for a long time.
"If they can't get a consensus now when they have a blank sheet of paper to start from then there is never going to be an agreement.
"We have a serious global crisis, but sometimes that gives an opportunity to put things right in certain areas for the future.
"If we are going to do it now, it is the time to do it, if we don't do it now, we never will.
"It won't be perfect for everyone and people will have to make compromise and there has to be give and take.
"Some people might have to concede on a few things. But hopefully we can get some consensus so there is some alignment.
The New Zealand government did a great job to eliminate the virus. It's brilliant for the players to go out there and experience the usual game.
Warren Gatland
"Clubs and international teams are struggling from a financial aspect and people need to smart to restructure for a better model and brand - not just for sport but the whole business.
"What we are hearing is that there are potentially four or five scenarios where there could be a shift for the Six Nations - and summer tours to October and November - changes to the starting date of the season.
"For us, as the Lions, we are flexible and if it means going back a month or so we can cope with that if it is the best decision for World Rugby and the global season."
Gatland is back in charge of his boyhood club The Chiefs and on Saturday they kick-off the Super Rugby Aotearoa in Dunedin in front of a packed-out crowd at the Forsyth Barr Stadium (8.05am UK time).
And the Kiwi boss added to BBC 5Live: "People are pretty buzzed and excited about going to watch live sport and we are expecting a pretty big crowd.
"We thought we would have to be chartering planes and playing in front of empty stadiums - the New Zealand government did a great job to eliminate the virus. It's brilliant.
"We were thinking that we would have to charter planes, fly in and out on the day, play in front of empty stadiums.
"New Zealand have done such a great job and it is brilliant for the players to go out there and experience the usual game.
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"The competition has created an enormous amount of excitement and we are ready to go with record crowds. It is great for the fans to get back and for us to give some people some sport.
"I think everyone has been itching for live sport and can't wait - so we are really excited about that. We are back to 100 per cent normal, except for some quarantining on the borders.
"So everyone is pretty buzzed and excited about going to watch some live sport and we are expecting a big crowd."
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