Sir Clive Woodward has reignited one of rugby’s most contentious debates by calling for promotion and relegation to be introduced into the Six Nations, arguing that the historic tournament urgently needs greater jeopardy.
The World Cup-winning former England head coach believes the competition’s closed-shop format no longer serves the wider game and has proposed a two-legged play-off between the bottom-placed Six Nations side and the winner of the Rugby Europe Championship.
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“This is not a new debate. But I’m all in favour of promotion and relegation in the Six Nations,” Woodward wrote.
“Whoever finishes bottom in each year’s Championship should face a two-legged play-off (home and away) against the winner of Rugby Europe. It’s a no-brainer and would bring some welcome jeopardy to the tournament.”
With Wales currently propping up the table, Woodward accepts they would be most at risk under such a system — but insists the pressure could be beneficial rather than damaging.
“Wales are currently the Championship’s strugglers and wouldn’t welcome a play-off. But such a scenario would actually benefit them,” he said.
“Countries like Georgia, Portugal and Spain deserve a chance.”
Although Georgia have regressed since the 2023 World Cup and recently parted ways with head coach Richard Cockerill, Woodward argues that form fluctuations should not deny ambitious nations access to the top table.
“It is a shame that Georgia have gone backwards, but that doesn’t mean they, or any of their rivals, should be denied a shot at the highest level.”
Warburton: ‘No One Has a God-Given Right’
Woodward’s stance has found strong backing from Sam Warburton, the former Wales and British & Irish Lions captain, who has long supported the idea of a relegation play-off — even when Wales are the team under threat.
Speaking on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Warburton addressed accusations of changing his tune now that Wales are struggling.
“I bet there’s some people listening thinking, ‘I bet you don’t want a relegation battle now, Sam, do you?’” Warburton said.
“But I said this when Italy were losing every year — there should be a play-off.”
Warburton rejected the idea that Six Nations status should be protected by tradition alone.
“I’m not sat on my perch saying Wales are untouchable,” he added.
“I do not think any home nation has a God-given right to have the cash cow of the Six Nations without any jeopardy.”
He also highlighted the spectacle and opportunity such a contest would bring.
“If Wales had to play Georgia in a play-off, that would be brilliant TV,” Warburton said.
“The opportunity for Georgia would be amazing rugby.”
Jonathan Davies: ‘Georgia Deserve a Pop’
Former Wales centre Jonathan Davies has echoed Warburton’s views, arguing that fairness demands consistency — regardless of which nation is finishing bottom.
“Back when Italy were always finishing last I felt a play-off was the right thing to do, so I can’t change my mind now because Wales are bottom,” Davies said.
“I agree with Sam. Georgia deserve to have a pop at this.”
Davies believes a structured pathway between Tier One and Tier Two would strengthen European rugby as a whole.
“If the top of Tier Two goes to whoever finishes bottom of the Six Nations and wins, they should get in,” he said.
“That’s only fair.”
EDITORS PICKS:
The Six Nations stadiums ranked from best atmosphere to worst:
Some grounds crackle with passion from first whistle to last, while others struggle to lift. Here, we rank the Six Nations stadiums from worst to best based purely on atmosphere.
6 Aviva Stadium (Ireland)
Despite being one of the most modern venues in the Six Nations, the Aviva Stadium often struggles to generate a consistent atmosphere. Over the past decade, this issue has become increasingly noticeable, largely due to the growing number of corporate tickets. As a result, the once-passionate partisan edge has softened, with noise coming from isolated pockets rather than the stadium as a whole.
Iconic chants such as Fields of Athenry are now rarely sustained, and the all-seater design has removed the raw energy once provided by terraces. Ireland’s recent success, built on an efficient and pragmatic playing style, may also play a role — effective, but not always electrifying. Combined with a shift towards a more family-oriented crowd, the Aviva’s atmosphere often feels subdued compared to its Six Nations counterparts.
5 Stadio Olimpico (Italy)
Originally built for athletics and football, the Stadio Olimpico was never designed with rugby in mind. Since Italy’s inclusion in the Six Nations in 2000, however, it has served as the Azzurri’s home, offering a unique setting beneath Rome’s iconic skyline.
Italian fans are loyal and passionate, but frequent defeats mean they often have limited moments to fully unleash their support. This lack of sustained success keeps the atmosphere from reaching higher levels. That said, the backing is unquestionably partisan, and with signs of improvement in the Italian squad, the volume may well increase in the years to come.
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