The Six Nations Power Rankings with a Warren Buffett stockmarket spin on England and Wales

Warren Buffett has more cash than Jeff Bezos, more street cred than Mark Zuckerberg, not as many kids as Elon Musk, but at 92 years young, he’s worth studying.

By now you have hopefully had a chance to read Warren Buffett’s 2022 investment letter. Perhaps you had a look at the fund that Buffett runs and realized that Berkshire is the most expensive stock on the New York exchange?

Fair warning: this is not meant as financial advice, just a bit of fun (if you like stocks).

If you missed the first installment, check out how Scotland and Italy stack up here.

Now it’s time to tackle the bigger four of the six and see which ones may be similar to companies that Berkshire Hathaway invests in on the NYSE.

We may as well do this in a power ranking format from worst to best.

Buffet says: “Capitalism has two sides: The system creates an ever-growing pile of losers while concurrently delivering a gusher of improved goods and services”

Tempting to read that and see the French revival; which largely is a story of money + belief = Success. More on that later.

No, this relates to the Welsh.

We know the Welsh are lagging, they’ve narrowly avoided a player strike and like the Russian army, they look outdated and in need of new equipment. The backroom staff must have an industrial size can of WD40 to spray on at half-time. Ken Owens is amazing, but long in the tooth. We won’t discuss Alun Wyn Jones or the somnambulistic but classy Taulupe Faletau.

Owen Farrell talks to Alun Wyn Jones following the Six Nations match at Cardiff. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Ge

If the Welsh rugby team were an investment, they’d be a former blue chip that cant live up to expectations, while their supporters keep trying to claim its a seasonal dip.

Much like this stock, Wales is down 40 odd percent across the past 12 months, with interest coming back after the player strike was called off.

This share price comparison may be a little contentious but… Wales is a team that should be good, they should be well coached, they should be able to create momentum.

Well run, well managed, well coached with some power players but falling apart.

Its dire in Wales, just like the share price of Taiwan Semiconductor – ticker: TSM.

This price has slipped when everyone thought it would peak, yes, its come back a little but the value has dived enough for Buffett to decrease his stake, much like belief in the Welsh rugby scene.

Warren sold down most of his shares recently but we all know the Welsh supporters will hold on strong, maybe there is a resurgence to come? Maybe, but just like the jersey, their ticker is red … Like many of us, I held TSM hard and paid for the ride down, but it cant get worse – or can it?

Wales should make it through the pool stage at RWC 2023, but Georgia could run them hard and who knows which Fijan side will show up? Tense times in Red.

Next up in the power rankings? England. Has to be.

Could it be a Disney? Tempting to find a comparison in a company that has recently changed its CEO recently and Eddiegate 2022! Unfortunately Buffett famously sold down his DIS shares twice in what he commonly speaks about as a mistake.

Mistakes happen, like England’s seasons in 2021 and 2022. Tempting as it is to make that comparison, that would be a cop-out.

If you put a three-year lens on England, you see a steady decline even though there is a huge amount of cash in the bank, a heap of new products being turned out, a big following, great coaches, the list goes on.

But Borthwick basics are back. It looks like a approach to make the plan simpler, and executable, using tried and tested formula’s to win, not be the best, but win.

Ollie Chessum. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Gone is the exciting Marcus Smith, back is Anthony Watson and Owen Farrell at 10. It’s not going to win a RWC (bets on) but it will work in the near term as winning is a habit, and this team needs to re-learn that habit.

What do we have? We know they have cash, products that are a mix of exciting and tested; a rabid fan base and a back to basics approach.

It looks a bit like an Amazon, ticker: AMZN.

Why? Because AMZN is a market leader that sometimes lags behind expectations: England 2021 and 2022 …

There has been a steady decline in share price over the last 12 months of 40 odd percent. But most smart money would bet on the long term here, Amazon is too big to fail and probably a new CEO/Coach. England should be getting through the pool stages in this year’s RWC barring some luck from the Argies and Brave Blossoms, and should power up to RWC 2027.

Four down, two to go.

Let me know if you agree/disagree with my stock comparisons in the comments below.