Analysis of the Six Nations Rugby Championship, focusing on the potential for France to win a third consecutive title and Ireland's chances of achieving a historic grand slam. The article also examines the performance of England and the rising threat of Italy.
Few experiences are more exhilarating these days than watching the Premiership. Occasionally, it can be quite enjoyable even watching England . But far harder to come away from the English clubs’ recent experience in the Champions Cup, say, with much other than a powerful sense of dread. To watch teams at the top of the Premiership, replete with England internationals, get schooled by opponents, mainly from France and Ireland , but also Scotland and South Africa, does not inspire confidence.
Even Benetton from Italy have weighed in, beating top-of-the-table Bath. Then there is the England team. There is evidence of some progress since Borthwick was chucked the hot potato before the last World Cup, but the old warhorse cannot seem to take so much as a step forward without being forced back again by some conspiracy of events. A World Cup semi-final was flattering, but the jewel in his crown is Alex Mitchell. The common denominator in Northampton’s good performances (as opposed to the bad), he is expected to shake off a minor injury to line up in Dublin.Experience cautions against talking up France when they are expected to do well, but there does seem to be a hardness, even a reliability, to this vintage. That said, they blew their big chance at their own World Cup, but that in the opener to last year’s championship, but they were without talisman Dupont – so a bit more again there. Dupont is back and France do look the pick. They are without Gaël Fickou for at least the first two rounds and Charles Ollivon will not play at all, but they are stuffed to the gunwales with those playing the rugby of the gods for their clubs, particularly Toulouse and Bordeaux. On the debit side, it is their turn to play three out of five on the road and they have them in a row, culminating in a trip to Dublin in round four. But away games may mean we expect less – no bad thing for France.Thomas Ramos, Dupont, Penaud, Ntamack et al steal the limelight, but what France have now, which they never really did, is the metronome of that ball between the sticks. Again. And. Again.A third title in a row? Unheard of. Even in the Four/Five Nations eras, no one won three in a row outright (there were a few runs of that length that included one or more shared titles). So a little added motivation for Ireland there. The great imponderable for them is how they cope now that Andy Farrell has joined Johnny Sexton in absentia. Farrell’s is more of a hiatus – and he is probably on the end of a phone, as he plots the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia this summer – but that is two fixed points of reference undone. They seemed to handle the loss of Sexton OK when they retained their title last season, albeit without the consecutive grand slam they so cherished. Jack Crowley stepped up with composure, but this lad Sam Prendergast is almost Sexton incarnate. No side has won a grand slam when facing Italy in the final round, which Ireland do this year. But these days Italy are not the soft touch anyway (we hope). Ireland’s first two games are key – aren’t they always. Their trip to Murrayfield in round two feels important, before France roll into town in round four.Sam Prendergast. Looks the future for Ireland. He is surrounded by other key players but could not look more comfortable walking among them. It’s as if Sexton were back.Not quite as on it as France. Chances are they will lose one of their first four matches to finish second.Two wins and a draw last season, two of those results secured away, and the whispers about Italy’s gathering prowess grow louder. True, those whispers are not fresh and they have been drowned out all too often by the next humiliation. A 50-point defeat by Argentina in November – along with a narrow win over Georgia and a comprehensive loss to the All Blacks – are but the latest reasons for pause. Despite their heroics last time round, Italy finished fifth.This time they are still rated sixth by the bookies, which is a simple function of history, but not favourites for the wooden spoon, mainly because they are at home to Wales. For only the second time, they start thenot the bottom-ranked team (2013, if you’re asking, when Scotland were). A core from confident Benetton, leavened by a handful of players at major clubs in France and England. The whispers grow louder …Tommaso Menoncello. Won player of the tournament last season, with good reaso
SIX NATIONS FRANCE IRELAND ENGLAND ITALY RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND SLAM THREE-PEAT
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