Richard Cockerill, the head coach of the Georgia rugby team, has made headlines by advocating for his side to play Wales for the right to participate in the 2026 Guinness Six Nations. Following Georgia's impressive victory over Spain with a score of 46-28, which secured them their eighth consecutive Rugby Europe Championship title, Cockerill highlighted the stark contrasts between the two teams' fortunes.
Wales finds itself at the opposite end of the spectrum, currently entrenched in a disastrous sequence of 17 consecutive Test losses. Their streak culminated on March 15, 2025, with a devastating 68-14 defeat to England, finishing at the bottom of the Six Nations table for the second year running. To add to their woes, Wales last secured victory against Georgia during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Georgia claiming their first historic win against Wales back in 2022.
Cockerill argues it is only fair for Georgia, having built such momentum, to earn the chance to compete with Wales for their place. "If you are finishing bottom of the Six Nations, why do you just get free rein to turn up next year and play?" he expressed during his interview with BBC Radio Wales. This sentiment echoes the frustrations of many rugby fans who feel the current structure needs challenging.
He believes engaging in this proposed playoff between Georgia and Wales would not only serve justice to the competitive nature of rugby but could also represent "the richest game in world rugby." This framing encapsulates the stakes surrounding such a matchup, highlighting its potential appeal and financial significance.
Under Cockerill's leadership, Georgia has shown remarkable improvement, having climbed to 11th place in the world rankings, surpassing Wales. Their success underlines Cockerill's assertion, seen by many as spot-on: "We feel we’re probably too strong for this tournament [Rugby Europe Championship]. For us to improve, we need to play at a higher level. We need to lose games, as Italy did in the early 2000s. That would give us the challenge necessary to develop our edge."
Georgia's upcoming match against the world champions, the Springboks, set for July 2025, promises to be another test of their prowess and readiness for top-tier rugby. Cockerill is clear about the need for his squad to be tested against tougher competition to truly gauge their abilities.
While his enthusiasm for the playoff concept shines through, Cockerill recognizes the uphill battle such proposals face. He candidly admitted, "If you’re in the Six Nations, why would you vote for it? It might be you next. The financial and rugby ramifications would be huge." This reality check serves as both caution and insight, expressing the reluctance of other teams to entertain changes to the established order.
The head coach also touched upon the situation facing Welsh rugby, arguing for patience as they rebuild their team. His observations about the current squad's quality resonate with many observers. "I think you look at the moment at players available for Wales, are they really good enough to be competing and being competitive in the Six Nations?" Cockerill posits. "I just think they haven’t quite got the quality at this point. They may grow [into being competitive] with many young players, but they’re not quite good enough at the moment."
The road to recovery for Wales will demand time, dedication, and strategic changes. Cockerill acknowledges the difficulty of achieving this type of progressive development, stating, "Whoever [the next coach] is going to need time – and we know in professional sport the one thing you don’t get is the opportunity to build a squad and settle it from the ground up, which at the moment is probably where Wales is at."
The rugby community eagerly watches these narratives unravel as Georgia seeks higher stakes competition and Wales works their way back to form. Cockerill’s passionate plea for Georgia to face Wales epitomizes the spirit of competition and the changing dynamics within international rugby.
