The 2015 Six Nations kicks off in just over a week’s time and defending champions Ireland are heading into the competition as favourites.
Ireland won the tournament last year in comprehensive fashion, losing just one match. This loss to England would become their only loss of the year.
Reaffirming Ireland’s position of favourites is their relatively easier itinerary this year, as they face both England and France, their two biggest rivals, at home.
Of course, the focus for every side this year will be the World Cup, which takes place in England in September and October. While the tradition and importance of the Six Nations shouldn’t be ignored, each country has a chance to look at the tournament as a trial run for the more important competition to come.
Last year proved to be a great year for the Irish rugby team. They won four of their five matches in the Six Nations, convincingly defeating Scotland and Wales before falling narrowly to the English and bouncing back with a big win over Italy and a hard fought victory over France, their first since 2009.
In the Northern Hemisphere summer, Ireland travelled to Argentina with a depleted side and won both internationals they played against the Pumas. Despite facing a depleted Argentinian side, this was still a monumental Test series for the Irish as it was the first time they had won a Test on Argentinian soil.
Ireland then finished off the year in promising fashion, reaffirming their position as number three in the world. They defeated both Australia and South Africa in impressive fashion and completely overwhelmed Georgia.
It is fair to say that 2014 was a highly successful year for the national side, with some terrific performances from all players. Unfortunately, the Irish provinces haven’t been doing as well in recent months. Both Munster and Ulster were unceremoniously knocked out of the European Champions Cup in the pool stages, with several players putting in lacklustre performances. Paul O’Connell, in particular, was a shell of his former self at times.
Leinster were Ireland’s one saving grace. They managed to top their pool, providing them with automatic qualification into the quarter-final. Leinster also had the luck of the draw, with fate conspiring to deliver them a home quarter-final. The players should know, though, that it was luck more than anything, that got them this coveted position. They will need to play much better if they want to advance any further in the Champions Cup.
Ireland also have some injury concerns heading into the Six Nations tournament. The biggest of which is at out-half, where both Jonny Sexton and Paddy Jackson will be unavailable for selection for at least the first two games against Italy and France. Sexton is a big loss, as on his day he is the top out-half in the world.
Adding to the problem is the fact that Ian Madigan, the next out-half in line hasn’t been playing much rugby at five-eigth this season, even for his province Leinster. Leinster coach, Matt O’Connor has been picking Madigan at inside centre, with Jimmy Goepperth at out-half. To combat this, Madigan will probably play at out-half for the Irish Wolfhounds (Ireland A) against the English Saxons, on Friday January 30th, to get some much needed game practice..
Conor Murray, Andrew Trimble, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien and Jaimie Heaslip are also struggling to return from injury. Dan Touhy and Luke Marshall are both battling injury as well, with both players set to miss the entirety of the Six Nations.
Ireland also have a problem at outside centre, where they have yet to find a permanent replacement for Brian O’Driscoll and are still to decide on a Test centre combination.
Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw combined well, in the win against South Africa, though more so in defence than attack. Henshaw also linked well with Gordon D’Arcy, when Ireland overcame Australia. There is also the possibility of using Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe or Keith Earls at 13, who all have experience there.
Ireland’s first game of the tournament is against Italy on Saturday February seventh. No insult to Italy, but Ireland should win the game quite comfortably. An upset is possible though, as Ireland did lose the last time the teams played in Rome. It was Ireland’s first loss against Italy since the Italians joined the Six Nations, in 2000.
Ireland next face France, on Saturday February 14th. This should be a much tougher test for Ireland. France have been poor in recent years, but I predict that they will come around this year. The French clubs have being playing very well in the ERCC, granted with overseas players filling out their teams.
Ireland then have a break, before facing England on Sunday May first. England won the Triple Crown last year, and will want to go one better this time around. They’re also hosting the World Cup later in the year so they’ll want to be at their best in their final competition before the big one.
Unfortunately, talented English five-eighth, Owen Farrell, has been ruled out of the Six Nations. While inconsistent, he’s still a player of some class and will be missed. Hopefully, he’ll be fit in time for the World Cup.
Ireland have another break, before facing Wales on March 14th. Wales have fallen off the wagon somewhat in the past year after winning back-to-back Six Nations’ titles in 2012 and 2013. Still, they have a developing team, with a number of young players who are starting to develop into genuine stars.
Ireland and Wales are two of the most evenly matched sides in rugby. In the 59 matches they’ve played, Ireland have won 28 to Wales’ 27, with 4 drawn! Also, it is possible that Wales could be playing for a Triple Crown in this match, as they’ll have already played England and Scotland by the time they face Ireland.
lastly, Ireland face Scotland on March 21st. Scotland have been the weakest of the Celtic sides in recent years. Professionalism hit them hard and they’ve never being able to recover the great form they had in the ’90s, where they bookended the decade with Championship titles in what was then known as the Five Nations.
Ireland will be favourites to lift the Six Nations trophy again this year, but nothing is ever certain in the competition, which is what makes it so thrilling. I believe that they’ll do well, though I think that a Grand Slam is out of their reach, in fact I believe that the Grand Slam will be unclaimed this year.
Ireland showed great things in 2014 and will want to retain that form and improve on it this year. Hopefully we can achieve something great in the Championship and go on to bigger things in the World Cup. A first-ever semi-final, perhaps? Or even better?
Derm
Roar Guru
Under Cotter??
Derm
Roar Guru
with a pint in one hand and a bird in the other......obviously
Not Bothered
Guest
Yep.
Birdy
Guest
I watched and thought it was a fairly awful game. Not sure the Irish need to be particularly hard on themselves, Pot Hale. It was a typical 'A' team game. New combinations and, as JimmyB says, lots of substitutions meant a stop start affair. Add in that the conditions weren't great and each side managed to disrupt the other at set-piece and breakdown and you have a recipe for a slugfest. Game confirmed that Burgess is some way away from international standard yet.
cathal
Guest
we have henderson to fill in on the bench i guess but i agree were very low on second rows, donnacha ryan may be back for the 3rd round but he won't have enough game time under his belt so it might now even make a difference.
cathal
Guest
i don't think the weather can be an excuse, it was cold and windy but that shouldn't have been enough of a factor, there were very few from the irish team that put there hands up, SOB was decent, conan was alright, earls was probably the best in the back line, the best imo was mckeon and he doesn't really have a chance of being selected, but for england there were loads of positives but overall its very hard to take anything from the match, i don't think either team deserved it as they were both bad but england gelled together better as you could see form there attacks, basically every time ireland attacked they made a stupid error, england on the other hand where very decent on the attack.
JimmyB
Guest
How did you watch it Pot?
Derm
Roar Guru
Disjointed is kind. Ireland were woeful in the extreme. Nothing for Schmidt to be pleased, and a couple more injuries to boot, notably Mike McCarthy - second row stocks are dropping with Dave Foley out as well for the Championship.
JimmyB
Guest
These matches always tend to be like that don't they? With coaches wanting to see enough of certain players then hooking them in order to protect them. I'm not sure what the conditions were like, but Cork in January isn't normally conducive to free flowing rugby.
cathal
Guest
and avery disjointed irish performance
JimmyB
Guest
Irish Wolfhounds 9 - England Saxons 18. Tries from Slade and Wade. Tough night for Burgess apparently, although hardly surprising up against a veteran like D'arcy. Good win for England because it was a very strong Wolfhounds team.
ben
Guest
Think your a bit muddled in your post with cotter and scotland and schmit and ireland.
cathal
Guest
ahem they beat france...only second win there in 40 odd years, and we narrowly lost to england which is nothing to be ashamed of.
cathal
Guest
you have to remember at club level the irish teams had incredibly difficult groups, munster for example this season had clermont and saracens who both like musnter got to the semis of the previous european cup, where last season munster had Perpignan,Edinburgh,Gloucester, you cannot compare the two, plus this was minsters coach first season in charge of munster. ulster similarly had a really hard group.
Rupert O'Snear
Guest
G'roar Blimey! I totally agree with Not Brothered and I too am predicting that Scotland will be the giant killers this season under Vern Cotter. Vern used to play rugby for Te Kauwhata and they had an attitude 'we're not going to win against some of these major rugby clubs that have ten players lined up on their bench but lets go down fighting. Don't kick away possession. Run it!' And although these country kids would invariably lose they played attractive running rugby that bred confidence. If I remember right former All Black Lachie Cameron was their player-coach. One could never really understand how a player of Vern Cotters ability never advanced as highly as others. Admittedly Counties centurion and All Black reserve Alan Dawson was still on the scene. But I can also recall in one match against Canterbury, Cotter came on as a reserve and scored a try but it would be yonks later that he was reselected. Which in someways gives a coach an insight into looking and selecting deeper rather than at surface value. I think with former Counties team-mate Sean Lineen in the development side of Scottish rugby, Scotland could exceed expectations in the near future. Incidentally while on coaches I seem to remember a unique occasion with Australian Assis-Manager Alan Roper refereeing a curtain-raiser on Eden Park prior to a test match . 1964? or 62? The good old amateur daze of rugby still being a hobby and milking the cows was the next day.
Not Bothered
Guest
Under Cotter Ire have lost 1 from 5 away and they lost by 3 to Eng at Twickers. Cotter has taken a team that always had potential and ability and helped give them the right tools to play above the sum of their parts, beating Aus, beating SA, beating Fra, winning a 6 nats and going very close to beating NZ. In the 3 years leading up to Schmidt taking over as head coach Ire won 37%. Since then the team, with pretty much the same players, has won 80% and is now ranked 3rd in the world. Ire are a serious threat for the WC if they have a near full strength team. They may not win the 6 nats but Ire and Sco under Schmidt and Cotter are a real threat to any team.
neil
Guest
top article for a rookie
neil
Guest
As a Kiwi I love the Irish and always cheer for them except when they face you know who. My one issue is their ability to win away from home. The Pumas aside they have struggled to put away top class opposition when the game is not played in Ireland. Will this be a major factor in this years RWC. Time will tell.
nickoldschool
Guest
Agree re england having been quite unlucky injury wise for quite some time. I guess its karma ;) More seriously I would really like to see them at full strength to see what they can do. On paper with everyone available I actually rate this side higher than the 2003 one. The confidence bookies have in them despite being depleted really shows that ppl feel those guys have what it takes to get to the top and the 2012 win against the blacks wasn't solelydue to the norovirus or whatever is was called.
ben
Guest
love watching the irish...actually love the irish people. 2007 ireland v england croke park... will never forget the way they just smashed everything in white that day. extremely emotional occasion that day after the controversial events some 100 years previous at that park. nobody wouldve beaten them that day and the rage in the irish eyes that day meant they were never going to lose. conversely the look of fear in the english eyes prior to and during the game....they had no chance. if only they could rouse themselves to the same levels against the abs. i have a book that talks about the irish migrants to nz. of all the migrants they assimilated into maori culture the most of any migrant community outside of polynesia. they seem to be a popular race in nz and i note a massive influx in christchurch for the rebuild with nearly all applying to stay.