The A teams used to provide supporting roles to the main event but also offered valuable international experience to fringe players looking to make the step up
All the best Six Nations championships start with a bang and, encouragingly, this one has been no exception. Duck beneath the headlines, though, and something we all used to take for granted each season is missing. Nobody has made a fuss – the majority have not even noticed – but the longer-term ramifications may yet prove significant.
The absent friend? The traditional ’A’ team fixtures which once played supporting roles to the main events on international weekends. It was commonplace, for example, for the Irish Wolfhounds to play on a Friday night in Donnybrook or Cork. More recently the England Saxons have provided a platform for those just below senior level. And now? Suddenly, without fanfare, they have disappeared off the radar.
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