The new age of the nation state is finally dawning – headmaster Nigel Farage and his senior prefect, the Prime Minister, both say this is the case, so it must be true – and the message is percolating through the rugby world.
Even the Australians, devout believers in the supremacy of international union for the simple reason that they have never had a domestic game worth a light, are scratching around for ways of creating a sustainable 15-a-side business within their own borders.
Loud voices are demanding that the Test touring programme butts out for as long as it takes clu...