Ben Earl calls for Nations Championship format rethink

Ben Earl has called for a rethink of the Nations Championship schedule after England completed a demanding July tour involving three Tests on three continents across successive weekends.

Ben Earl Questions Nations Championship Format

England ended their July campaign with victory over Argentina in Santiago del Estero, adding to their earlier win over Fiji after opening with defeat against South Africa.

The results have kept Steve Borthwick’s side in contention for a place in the inaugural Nations Championship final at Allianz Stadium on November 29. However, Earl said the travel demands placed on England were extremely difficult.

He said the itinerary had affected recovery and preparation, with players dealing with long-haul flights, time-zone changes and reduced training schedules.

"It's been brutal, there's no two ways about it.

"We've been speaking about it - why would we not all be playing in one country? So you just don't travel, you go to one nation and have that festival feel.

"You come to Australia, South Africa, wherever, and there's so much rugby going on. How cool would that be?

"I'm not paid to make those decisions but it has been tough. It's been tough coming at the end of what's been quite a long season anyway for most of us.

"It's been back and forth, coming back to England, seeing your families and then going away again.

"It has seemed a bit weird but it's just something we're going to have to get used to because I think it's just the beginning."

England Face Brutal July Rugby Itinerary

England’s schedule took them from South Africa to England and then to Argentina, creating a 25,000-mile travel burden in less than a month.

He described the travel as brutal and said it had been especially challenging at the end of a long club and international season.

England’s British and Irish Lions players, including Earl, Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum, faced an especially heavy workload after last summer’s Australia tour.

The Nations Championship is still in its early stages, but England’s experience has already raised questions about player welfare, scheduling and the long-term shape of the competition.