It’s here once again, six of Europe’s top national rugby teams are set to fight it out for the revered Six Nations title.
With the excitement building for this tournament, one can only imagine what might happen. Can France build on a strong fall showing with tight encounters with the visiting All Blacks and Wallabies? Can England continue their impressive winning streak and be the side that ends New Zealand’s reign at the top of the world table? Will Ireland have a bounce-back Six Nations after a lacklustre performance last year? Will Wales recover from a demolition on their home pitch provided by the Wallabies, and a closer than expected encounter with Japan? Will Scotland continue paving the road back to the top? And will Italy finally show they belong?
France is the dark horse of this year’s Six Nations. They, much like Scotland, have much to prove. It has seemed since their appearance in the 2011 World Cup final they have been on a steady decline. One could only wonder why. France had always seen as a top team until then.
Of course, the climax of this decline showed in the 2015 World Cup. France lost their last match of the pool stage at the hands of Ireland, pitting themselves against New Zealand. That match may well have never happened. France were embarrassed, and just four years from losing the final of the World Cup 8-7 to New Zealand, they lose a quarter-final 62-13, a true showing of how far they had fallen.
However, thankfully for the French, it seems they have begun their emergence from this dark age. They took their revenge on Ireland in last year’s tournament and nearly defeated the world champion All Blacks just one year after that embarrassing defeat.
All things are looking up for this French squad… will they take their next step in this rebuild? Time will tell.
England… are they invincible? It has been proven constantly that anything is possible with Eddie Jones at the helm.
Jones was the mastermind behind Japan’s stunning defeat of South Africa in the 2015 World Cup, and now he’s taken an England team that seemed to be veering off the tracks and made them an undefeated 2016 side, and currently the best team in the northern hemisphere.
So is a 2017 English Grand Slam inevitable? Or does this team have an Achilles heel? It’s hard to tell, and a claim that England won’t win this year is almost absurd as saying pigs can fly, they are that good.
There is just one game I’d like to mention as maybe, just maybe the end of their winning streak. The final round in Dublin against an Irish team who, after a terrible Six Nations by their standards, they, just as England did, had a historic year of their own in 2016.
So can the Irish win the Six Nations? I would definitely call it a possibility. There is no reason for them to not be bursting with confidence after their victories over the All Blacks and Wallabies in their fall internationals.
Ireland’s squad is one hundred per cent healthy going into this year’s tournament, a luxury for this team and its fan-base.
However, there is the one question that will continue to surround Ireland for many years to come. Can Jonathan Sexton, their number one fly-half and 2013 Lions selection, stay healthy?
Sexton is a game-changer and is as good a kicker and ball distributor in the back line as they come. Despite Ireland’s remarkable depth at the fly-half position, Sexton is one of their major components to a successful Six Nations campaign this year.
Wales had me impressed going into the fall this year, but now I’m no longer convinced. They looked slow in their fall internationals and good teams like England, Ireland, France, and even Scotland will exploit that just as Australia did by demolishing them in Cardiff.
Beyond being slow, Wales just seemed to be uncomfortable as a unit. They were making too many mistakes and a game against Japan that should have been a routine win became an entertaining match-up.
However, in their final match-up in the fall they were able to best South Africa in a game where we finally saw them play with confidence. The question is, will they put their best foot forward in the Six Nations, and will they be consistent in all five of their games?
The Scottish should be coming into the Six Nations with confidence after winning an important game for the 2019 World Cup draw against Argentina. However, what I and many others have seen from Scotland in recent years is incomplete games with flashes of brilliance.
Talent, though, is not in question. With backs like Finn Russell, Greg Laidlaw, Stuart Hogg and Hugh Jones, they have the try scoring ability to cause havoc. The only question is can they finish out a win under pressure and play a complete 80 minutes?
Finally, you have the Italians. This is a team that is hard to get excited about because they can’t gain any traction. In 2015, they finally won a Six Nations game against Scotland. A year later, they finished with an all too familiar winless Six Nations campaign.
In this past fall, they scored a historic victory against South Africa, only to lose to Tonga a week later. This year, Italy’s goal should be to just prove they deserve to be there.
There has been much talk, especially after last year, about a new relegation system involving the second-tier European championship to give sides like Georgia a shot at top-tier competition.
Of course, another option that is a distinct possibility if Italy can’t prove themselves is bringing back the Five Nations. Can Sergio Parisse lead an Italian side lacking confidence on a successful campaign by their standards, and silence their doubters?
So there you have it, Roarers. Which of these six sides will lift the Six Nations trophy in two months? And will there be a Grand Slam? This year’s tournament will have those answers and many more as this is shaping up to be the most competitive and exciting Six Nations tournaments in years.
Kane
Guest
Whoah are you telling me that there are injuries in a game of rugby? You forget Australia also started with Deam Mumm.. You mention that Zebo is generally a starter well he came on at the end making the Irish team even stronger. Play the ball not the man. Hello Everyone has said about four first choice players missing, you've mentioned he knows nothing and the number is 5. But Zebo wasn't missing he was there he doesn't count. So Hello Everyone is right 4 players it is.
Daire Thornton
Guest
Sorry Hello Everyone but you are wrong, I was also at the game. This is the starting side: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Andrew Trimble 13 Jared Payne 12 Garry Ringrose 11 Keith Earls 10 Paddy Jackson 9 Conor Murray 1 Jack McGrath 2 Rory Best (c) 3 Tadhg Furlong 4 Iain Henderson 5 Devin Toner 6 CJ Stander 7 Josh van der Flier 8 Jamie Heaslip Ringrose, Earls, Henderson, Jackson and Van Der Flier all starters and none are normally first choice players. Henshaw, Zebo, Ryan, Sexton and Sean O'Brien would normally start ahead of them. 5 players missing at the start. As the game progressed due to injuries throughout the game all 8 subs were used. Due to injuries Ireland started the second half with Carbery, an out half at full back, Marmion a scrum half on the wing and earls a winger in the centre in place of Payne. So yes not only did Ireland play most of the game with a significant amount of first choice players missing they played the second half with three players playing out of position. You dont seem to have a clue what you are talking about.
mzilikazi
Guest
Yes, agree with you there...and good to see Ireland rising after the the retirement of O'Connell and O'Driscoll....and I am very biased here, being born in the North....an Ulster captain. Good luck to the Men in Green.
mzilikazi
Guest
Daire...have you considered Australia could be "sleeping giants"
Taylorman
Guest
I think England are the exception there, as they went on to improve their form, did it with many players out, and have a strong base of youth coming through, not that others don't. There's 'substance' to this side at the top level, and they are pushing players through that look to have World best quality with Vunipola, Itoje etc. Difference this year is the mental side of things, the pressure, being favourites, marked etc.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
OMG it just got worse!
Hello Everybody.
Guest
Are Aus better than Wales, Scotland, France? I would say yes. I would say that they were the 4th best team in the world last year. I would also say the Ireland were not missing half their team. They were missing about 4 players from the 23 You are using wishfull thinking instead of logic. The truth is that England will be missing 3 first choice players but the players that replace them are fantastic players like Wood or Hughes.
Daire Thornton
Guest
@ Hello Everyone. Ireland also beat Australia with half their team missing and half of the subs playing out of position. Maybe Australia arent that good?
Hello Everybody.
Guest
For game 2. Marler back Haskell back Kruis back All 3 could possibly play in game 1.
adastra32
Guest
Yes the old joke about which France will turn up still applies.
adastra32
Guest
...and bonus points being in the mix may affect some games in the schedule positively.
adastra32
Guest
Erm...I think England are at home for France - away to Wales and Ireland.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
I enjoy the 6 nats and this year its going to be even better. Besides, all the teams except Italy play pretty entertaining rugby right now. Im looking forward to it.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
It was a new combo against Aus and it went very well. If he wants a 6 and 7 that play together he has Harrison and Wood but Im guessing that in game or 3 it will be the club combo of Haskell and Hughes with Wood at 7. In game 1 he may chose to put Itoje at 6, Wood at 7 and Hughes at 8. This is a strength of Englands, not a weakness despite the injury toll. I would be more concerned about Mullan, Genge and Catt filling the loosehead role but then again England has fantastic depth and guys like Genge are banging on the door anyway. Honestly, England is in a pretty good place imo and the injuries they have are in places that dont really cause a great deal of concern imo.
Rugby Fan
Roar Guru
You make a fair case, but if it all goes pear-shaped, then we'll be looking at the overall player balance. Haskell was out in autumn, but at least Robshaw & Vunipola had played together often. Any back row combination Jones chooses now will likely be new to each other at Test level. Haskell & Hughes play for Wasps, so that might help if both are selected to start. Similarly, if England field two new matchday looseheads, then that changes the dynamic too. England's scrum has been adequate, rather than dominant, so any slip in standards could be exposed against France in our first match.
Derm
Roar Guru
It should an interesting Championship for NH fans to watch. Down south they'll be fast asleep safe in the knowledge that there's nothing to worry about as usual. There'll be the usual half dozen fans down under who'll claim to have actually watched matches, but in reality fallen asleep,with boredom as the umpteenth penalty sails over the bar. A number of teams will win matches, others are likely to lose 2 or 3, but it's clear that once again, one team will emerge victorious to claim the honours. Stay glued to you screens, Roarers or staple your eyelids open at least. Six Nations - the original Rugby Championship. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Will you dare to stay up and watch it?
Hello Everybody.
Guest
In Nov vs Aus. Eng win by 16. No Itoje. No Clifford. No Haskell. No Nowell. No Launchbury. No Daly. No Tuilagi. No Watson. No B.Vunipola. I dont think Eng will struggle due to injury. I think Eng has good depth. For example, Lawes is in fantastic form so Kruis may not be missed. Hughes replaces Vunipola. Wood is in outstanding form to replace Robshaw or Haskell. Tuilagi...remember him? He was in the team before their winning run. Sure the team would be better off without injury but I dont see much of a concern at all.
Daire Thornton
Guest
Schmidt, Gatland and Jones all won the six nations in their first year. It seems that once teams figure out how the champs play its much harder to back it up. England will be right up there but Im guessing they will lose at least one game. Probably in Dublin.
ukkiwi
Guest
Go les blues
Daire Thornton
Guest
Hartley will have been missing for 6 weeks too. Not great prep for a bruising first match against a rabid French side.