Six Nations in talks over dramatic 'Super Saturday' revamp... as rugby's power-brokers agonise over Qatar's £800million Nations Championship offer

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Six Nations unions are in talks about a dramatic revamp of the championship – by adopting the popular ‘Super Saturday’ format for every round of future tournaments.

The system of staging three matches on the same day has become the traditional climax to the annual tournament, with kick-offs staggered through the afternoon and evening. Famously, the 2015 Six Nations went down to the wire with three teams in title contention on the final day and England agonisingly missing out despite thrashing France in a raucous atmosphere at Twickenham. Ireland snatched the prize due to a narrow points-difference advantage over their English and Welsh rivals.

Officials are weighing up the possibility of Super Saturdays every match weekend, which would mean doing away with Friday night and Sunday fixtures which often prove logistically challenging and unpopular for travelling fans and the unions themselves. Part of the recognised appeal of the Six Nations is the way it attracts vast away support and Saturday games are understandably the most accessible – without the need to take time off work.

The views of broadcasters will always be carefully considered as they provide significant investment through rights deals which financially under-pin the competition. They have expressed misgivings in the past about having to spread resources thinly by having all matches on the same day, but they also accept that having three games in a row provides a clear, joined-up narrative.

That is very much the thinking behind the creation of the new Nations Championship which will be launched in 2026, as a means of creating a league table of Test rugby on alternate years. The plan is for a finals weekend to crown a global champion each November and – as first reported by Mail Sport – Qatar have offered £800million to host the finals over an eight-year period.

Six Nations unions are considering adopting the 'Super Saturday' format throughout the whole tournament

Staging three matches on the same day has become the traditional climax to the Six Nations 

Six Nations bosses could scrap Friday night and Sunday fixtures which are unpopular with travelling fans

All the leading unions are now involved in a secretive process to consider the approach from the Middle East, which could have a transformative impact on the game’s financial outlook. It is understood that other interested parties have come forward since the Qatari bid was reported.

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However, rugby’s power-brokers are acutely aware of the dilemma they face, as the prospect of a massive income boost is set against the prospect of significant reputational damage. They know that there would be outrage about a sport which trumpets its so-called ‘core values’ overlooking human rights issues – and also that supposedly marquee Tests would take place in front of empty stands, in searing heat. Officials are agonising over the likely ramifications of such negative publicity.

There is believed to be an appetite to consider alternative scenarios, such as taking finals to new territories, as an expansion tool. There is an awareness of potential for rugby to take off in Spain and also a continuing desire to generate a surge in interest in the United States.

However, the deliberations also come at a time of lingering concern about preparations for the World Cup in the USA in 2031. Sources have indicated that informal talks have already taken place about contingency plans to move the showpiece event elsewhere, if necessary. It is understood that the unions in the UK and Ireland have said they could step in if required, while Japan have also expressed an interest in acting as hosts again – having done so successfully in 2019.

Rugby's power-brokers are weighing up Qatar's offer to host the Nations Championship finals

For now, World Rugby, the global governing body, are pushing ahead with the existing plan and talks about alternative options have ceased for the time being, but misgivings remain. There is a feeling that the tournament in 2031 won’t be what it was sold as; a chance to develop a grand new oval-ball market. Instead, there is a growing acceptance that it will have a narrower objective – to provide a suitable location to make strong revenue, if enough blue-chip sponsors are encouraged to sign up.

If a hosting change did have to be made, that would probably require a decision by next year, at the latest, to allow enough time for the unions asked to take over as hosts to prepare for such a major sporting occasion.

There are several critical issues at present for those charged with running the sport, at a time of heightened tensions in the corridors of power about the chronic need to enhance income while also finding ways to appeal to a younger audience. Innovations designed to broaden the sport’s demographic continue to be discussed by all unions.