GEORGIA head coach Richard Cockerill has called for Wales to potentially be relegated from the Six Nations.
The Red Dragons were whitewashed in this year’s competition for the second time in a row.
Wales endured another brutal Six Nations[/caption]
Georgia have risen to 11th in the world rankings[/caption]
Wales axed head coach Warren Gatland two games into the tournament, with Matt Sherratt stepping in as interim.
Sherratt’s side concluded their dismal campaign by being beaten 68-14 by England in Cardiff last weekend.
The Red Dragons have not won a test match since 2023 and are on a 17-game losing streak – the longest of ANY professional team in rugby history.
Georgia head coach Cockerill believes that his side should be allowed a crack at dislodging Wales from the Six Nations.
The former England hooker, 53, told BBC Radio Wales: “If you are finishing bottom, why do you just get free rein to turn up next year and play?
“We want the opportunity to prove that we can compete, so surely that’s logical we get the opportunity to have a play-off.
“It would be the richest game in world rugby – Georgia vs Wales to see who plays in the Six Nations for the next tournament.
“That’s jeopardy. That would be a game people would want to watch.”
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Richard Cockerill is determined for his side to be given a chance at the top level[/caption]
Georgia have won the second-tier Rugby Europe Championships eight consecutive times.
In the most recent edition, Cockerill’s side comfortably beat Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain and Romania.
Such was the disparity in quality, Georgia defeated the Swiss 110-0.
Georgia’s exploits have seen them climb to 11th in the world rankings, a spot above struggling Wales.
And Cockerill feels that his side deserve the opportunity to compete with higher-calibre opponents.
While passionate about his proposal, the Georgia coach recognises that it is unlikely to come to fruition due to every nation currently involved in the Six Nations being required to agree to a rule change.
‘THE RICHEST GAME IN WORLD RUGBY’
The former Leicester Tigers star admitted: “If you’re in the Six Nations you wouldn’t want to be voting for that type of play-off, would you?
“Because it might be you, and the ramifications of not being in the Six Nations, from a rugby point of view but also from a financial point of view, would be very difficult.
“You know it would be the richest game in world rugby.
“That would be a game people would want to watch and the money involved and the profile involved for Georgian rugby would catapult us into a completely different sphere if we were good enough to beat whoever finishes bottom.
“And if we lose, well we re-group, we keep developing and we fight for the opportunity to do that again. I don’t see that as an unreasonable request.”
Wales’ last test win came against Georgia at the 2023 World Cup.
However, they did lose 13-12 to them in Cardiff three years ago.
Wales will next be in action against Japan in June, giving them three months to appoint a new head coach.
