Why Wasps need a strong England

[Bloke in North Dorset]

One of my biggest criticisms of Eddie was that he didn't seem to take the 6N seriously, claiming it was all about the WC. I presume that's because his contract was biased towards winning the WC and incentives matter.

The 6N is the yearly showpiece and is on free to air TV and is the one chance that most sports fans get to watch rugby and get attracted to the game. General sports fans and children love a winning team and are more likely to get interested in a club and/or attend England games. A popular winning England team also drives up TV rights  receipts.

The attendance at Twickenham today was appalling, the whole top tier was empty and there were huge gaps elsewhere. I contend that if England had won or been very close with the last 2 or 3 6Ns there'd have been a lot more fans willing to pay the exorbitant ticket prices for a day out and that being the holiday season has much to do with the low turnout.

Yes, it was nice beating the ABs in the last WC semi final but the glory from that only lasted as long as the first dismal 6N performances.

The only way back for Wasps that I can now imagine is an England side that is generating cash for the RFU and the only way that can happen is a strong 6N showing, ideally the odd Grand Slam, irrespective of the WC cycle. Winning is a habit anyway so doing well in the 6N will lead to WC success.

Until and unless that happens there won't be the interest in the game and the RFU won't have any cash to strengthen the professional game and that is the only way Wasps come back.

Schadenfreude in England's dismal performances does not help Wasps.

[Shugs]

You?re absolutely right Bind. But England currently have a very shallow talent pool, poor selection policy and a style of play that is dull and unsuccessful. None of that is changing short term so your wish is a long way off.

[westwaleswasp]

The shame is England's, not Wasps fans. It isn't delighting in England losing, it is celebrating the demise of a truly hated entitled team infected with Sarries'  whooping disease playing a hated brand of rugby. The nation happens to be the one I support.
With every interview claiming persecution by media they become more unloved. We need a cricket style reset, top down. Every embarrassing loss brings that closer.
Fiji were a joy to watch.
If Wasps' fortunes are so linked to England, then the sooner we get top down reform the better.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Wasps are gone. Anything we may get in the future will be a completely different team in every way but name. So all we have is England. And in fairness I am so fed up of being heartbroken by rugby that I'm not willing to put up with the crap they are currently serving out.

I'll start enthusiastically supporting them again when they start playing the game I actually want to watch with the values I care about. And with players I consider worthy of the shirt.