Rugby’s new global calendar will start in 2020 and we are starting to hear what those games will be. The mid-year internationals will be in July rather than June and news out of Wales is that the New Zealand All Blacks will be hosting them.

The news is that Wales will have a three-test tour to the land of the long white cloud in 2020. This has come as a surprise as when World Rugby announced the new global calendar one of the key points was, the “July window to take place in the first three weeks of the month, comprising three tests (with the exception of the year after Rugby World Cup when SANZAAR unions will host two-test series).”

Wales is one of the countries that play test matches outside of the designated windows to raise money to fund the game. So perhaps it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that they have taken this opportunity to add in an extra game. New Zealand also said during the world calendar discussions that they would like more test matches, not less.

The second reason that this is surprising is that it was only 2016 when Wales last toured New Zealand. You might think that a four-year gap isn’t a short period but in the current global calendar, there are no mid-year tours in Rugby World Cup years. Also, the sides that make up the British & Irish Lions (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) don’t take on three-test tours of Tier 1 nations during British & Irish Lions years. That means there are only two opportunities every four years to tour New Zealand.

As you can see from the table above, England last had a three-test tour to New Zealand in 2014 and Ireland in 2012. Scotland hasn’t had a three-test tour this century and last toured in 2000.

What is it about Scotland that New Zealand doesn’t like? Could it be the bagpipes? Not likely, as there is a lot of Scottish heritage in the South Island. The Dunedin based Super Rugby franchise is called the Highlanders, for example.

At the end of the day, it comes down to money and who will sell test tickets. If we look at the sides that have had the most games, you’ll see what I mean:

Games 2000-2018 France 12 Ireland 9 England 8 Wales 6 Italy 2 Canada 1 Scotland 1

France will always sell tickets in New Zealand due to some special games:

2009 New Zealand 22-27 France in Christchurch

2007 New Zealand 18-20 France in Cardiff at the Rugby World Cup

In addition to those “recent” special games, France is the third most successful team against the All Blacks with 12 wins. The only sides with more are South Africa with 36 and Australia with 43.

Ireland is a side that has been on the rise over this century, their last wooden spoon in the Six Nations was in 1998 (also collecting it in 1996 & 1997). However, this century, they have only finished below Scotland once. Also, let’s be honest, Ireland as a nation has marketed its self as a party nation, so how could anyone miss a party involving them? If you’re thinking of the two recent Irish victories over the All Blacks, those both happened since they have toured New Zealand.

England is always box office hit as everybody’s favorite team to dislike. Also, they are the only northern hemisphere team to have won a Rugby World Cup.

Wales also has a romanticism about them, even if it does date back to the sides of the 1950s. At least they have beaten the All Blacks three times and having a New Zealand coach over the last few years also helps to sell tickets.

Scotland’s best result against New Zealand has been a couple of draws back in 1983 (25-25) and 1964 (0-0). Also, as Scotland hasn’t often played extra games outside the test windows, they haven’t built up the relationship with the administration that teams like Wales have.

It might not be fair that Scotland doesn’t get the big tours. The problem is that there are only four Tier 1 nations in the southern hemisphere with six Tier 1 nations looking to come visit in the middle of the year. England and France have bigger TV markets to sell rights to. Wales and Ireland have historically been ranked higher than Scotland and also offer extra end of year test matches. That simply leaves Scotland and Italy out in the cold.

Edit: Since this article was written it has come out that Ireland will have a 3 test tour to New Zealand in 2022.