No doubt you’ve heard the one about a camel being a horse designed by committee.

It’s a bit harsh on the humpy ones – if you had initiated the committee for a desert trip, you’d be laughing – but it’s a phrase that often comes to mind when looking at how GAA democracy operates.

Last October, a special Congress called especially to examine alternative formats for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship ended with neither of the new options able to reach the 60% threshold needed to effect change.

It meant that, after the straight-knockout championships of 2020 and 2021 necessitated by COVID-19, the system would revert to that last employed in 2017 – one which was accepted as being imperfect as the infamous ‘Super 8s’ were trialled as a potential improvement in 2018 and 2019.

There is at least an acceptance that something must be done and so, after considering two options prior to Christmas, Central Council has put forward a motion for this Saturday’s annual Congress, taking place at the new Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan, Co Mayo.

Rather than the revolutionary proposal to run the provincial championships in the spring and then transpose the Allianz Football League to the summer as the championship – the ‘red’ option in discussions – they have gone for the ‘green’ format. This sees the league and provincial competitions run as normal before two 16-team championships, with the Sam Maguire contested by the provincial winners, runners-up and the next eight highest-ranked teams based on the league.

Does it please everyone? Absolutely not, but then again, nothing ever will

The remaining counties will take part in the new second-tier Tailteann Cup.

Does it please everyone? Absolutely not, but then again, nothing ever will. Is it an improvement on what will be there this year? Almost certainly. There will naturally be misgivings from the counties ‘locked out’ of trying to win the Sam Maguire but, realistically, there are only about five who are viable champions at the outset of any year. With the right promotion and treated with the respect that its forebear, the Tommy Murphy Cup, never got, the Tailteann Cup can be a success.

The new format may not solve all problems, but it should at least provide a better platform to work from

And yet, there’s no guarantee that it will pass – with a secret ballot still in operation (a proposal to implement open voting was defeated in October), there is a chance that conservatism will win out. If that were to happen, then it would be hard to see what the next steps would be, but we will hope that progress wins out.

The new format may not solve all problems, but it should at least provide a better platform to work from.

Tagging Italy out for SA: a potential logistical and political nightmare

February 2021: Garry Ringrose of Ireland is tackled by Carlo Canna and David Sisi of Italy during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Italy and Ireland at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. \ Roberto Bregani/Sportsfile

It’s not exactly sticking the neck on the block to mark down Sunday’s Six Nations Championship clash at home to Italy as a victory.

Not since a 22-19 win over Scotland in 2015 have Italy won a game in the competition, but that came just two years after they had finished fourth following wins at home to France and Ireland (a year where they also only lost 18-11 at Twickenham).

Since then, however, it has been a long slog of defeat after defeat.

Last year, their narrowest losing margin was 23 points to England, while the two losses this year against France and England don’t point towards a change in the pattern.

Still, the Italian governing body, the FIR, is part-owner of the competition and any attempt to ditch Italy and replace them with South Africa – as was floated last week, though later refuted by the Six Nations – would not be a good move.

First of all, it’s worth remembering that, in the 1990s, Ireland won eight Five Nations matches out of a total of 40. Three defeats in a row to Italy between 1995 and 1997 were a factor in the extension of the competition from five countries to six and Italy made a winning start in 2000, beating Scotland. Luckily for Ireland, that was also the year that the country’s fortunes began to turn but success is not something that can be relied upon to just happen.

A more competitive Six Nations would benefit all rather than trips to Rome serving as a jolly and a guaranteed five points

Italy are in a perilous state but there’s no reason why they cannot improve – and be helped in that by the other five countries. A more competitive Six Nations would benefit all rather than trips to Rome serving as a jolly and a guaranteed five points.

One can sympathise with South Africa, who are lumped together with fellow Southern Hemisphere sides Australia and New Zealand despite being around 10,000km away. Given that South African sides are now competing in the United Rugby Championship, there is a certain logic to having them in the Six Nations too – especially as the time zones match up a lot better – but the travel involved would be mind-boggling. On top of that, it would reduce the summer tour options for Northern Hemisphere sides as well as limiting the autumn international possibilities – playing the teams from the other side of the world should remain something of a novelty.

Tradition is never an argument against change in and of itself – as a great friend of mine says: “The most dangerous phrase in the English language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’” However, the flaws in the Six Nations can be worked on without taking the nuclear option of jettisoning Italy and horsing in South Africa.

And, who knows, perhaps there’ll be a completely unexpected away victory at Aviva Stadium at the weekend and we’ll all appreciate the need for it in terms of the bigger picture…