Sam Warburton wants a relegation match introduced to the Six Nations (Image: Getty Images)
Former Wales captain Sam Warburton has suggested that a relegation match should be introduced to the Six Nations if Wales end up with the Wooden Spoon again this year.
Following a crushing 43-0 defeat to France in their opening game, Wales’ upcoming clash with Italy in Rome could determine whether they secure any victories in this tournament.
Speaking on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Warburton revisited his previous proposal for regular Rugby Europe Championship winners Georgia to have a shot at competing in the top tier.
This idea was floated when the Welsh team was performing better and the prospect of them finishing last seemed remote.
However, even as Wales are tipped for another Wooden Spoon, Warburton stands by his stance, despite the financial implications relegation would have for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
“Elephant in the room. I bet there’s some people listening this podcast going – ‘I bet you don’t want a relegation battle now, Sam, do you?’ – Because I said this when Italy had lost however many in a row – ‘There should be a relegation play-off’.
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“If you asked me now – ‘What do you reckon now, Sam?’ – absolutely (yes). I’m not sat on my perch here saying that Wales are untouchable. It would be brilliant TV.
“I know what people are saying now – ‘You can’t do that because it would ruin the game financially, if Wales go in to the second tier they’d have to go and play Portugal, , Spain.’ Yes, of course the financial drop-off is going to be massive.
“There might need to be some sort of balloon payment to help the big drop in earnings the next year. That would be catastrophic for regional rugby, I’m involved for regional rugby, the funding – it would be a disaster.
“But all I’m saying is that the drama and the opportunity for Georgia – because they’ve won it so many times – would be amazing. It would be amazing rugby. If Wales played Georgia in a play-off this summer, would you watch it?”
“Yes of course I would,” answered host Ugo Monye. “Massive game, massive game,” continued Warburton. “I reckon that would get as many viewing figures as Wales v England – which, historically, on the gets 8-10 million.
“English fans are going to be like – ‘What’s going to happen here? Are Wales going to do down?’ – it would be a massive game. I just wanted to say that, in case there are people in their cars driving down, going – ‘What do you think now, Warburton!?'”
There have been many changes suggested for the Six Nations – such as the addition of a seventh team (Image: Getty)
Back in 2021, following Wales’ last Six Nations victory, Warburton made headlines when he proposed a relegation play-off for the tournament after watching Italy suffer a 50-10 defeat at the hands of France.
Italy hadn’t secured a Six Nations win since their 2015 triumph over Scotland, leading Warburton to voice his concerns on the . “There’s got to be a change,” he said four years ago.
“It’s not just throwing your toys out of the pram off one game. For quite a few years now Italy haven’t really been competitive.
“I personally think there’s got to be promotion and relegation in the Six Nations. Say if it was last year, Georgia, who won the second tier competition… We can’t keep putting a glass ceiling on these teams in Europe because otherwise how do we know what the growth in Europe is going to be like?
Warburton could hardly have predicted that shortly thereafter, Italy would clinch a crucial win against Wales at the Principality Stadium. In the 2024 series, they won two matches and drew another, demonstrating marked progress.
By the end of last year’s Six Nations, Warburton suggested in his column for The Times that it might be time to incorporate Georgia into the tournament, thus forming a ‘Seven Nations’, while rethinking the practicality of relegation.
Wales rugby legend has made a bold statement about the future of the Six Nations, admitting that while he’s been a staunch advocate for introducing a relegation play-off to the tournament, he now believes it’s an unlikely prospect.
Speaking in 2024, the former captain shared his thoughts: “I have long argued for a relegation play-off from the Six Nations and I still love the idea of that sort of jeopardy, but…
“And this is quite a big ‘but’ for which I know I will get a lot of stick: it is not going to happen.” Warburton elaborated on the issue, pointing out that the potential absence of England from the competition would be a commercial disaster due to their substantial contribution to viewership figures.
“England provides such a massive proportion of the viewing figures that, if they were to miss out on the Six Nations for a season, it would be catastrophic commercially.
“But the reality is that, even if broadcasters were in favour, no home nation is going to agree to a relegation play-off.” He suggested that expanding the tournament to include seven teams might be a more feasible solution.
This comes after Wales suffered a historic defeat at the hands of Georgia in 2022, with current head coach Richard Cockerill repeatedly calling for Georgia’s inclusion in the Six Nations.
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