England is the highest ranked and most well-resourced rugby team in Europe. Ireland is on an eight-test winning run including knocking over the All Blacks.
France also has a recent victory over New Zealand and is improving quicker than any test nation ahead of hosting next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Wales won the 2021 championship out of nowhere and has pedigree with four titles in the last 10 years.Good luck picking a winner in the upcoming Six Nations, reports AP.
The northern hemisphere rugby tournament that rarely fails to deliver is rolling around again — this time with fans and less certainty than ever about where the trophy will be heading.
Of course, there are some cast-iron guarantees around the Six Nations: Fiercely sung national anthems, press conference jibes from Eddie Jones, post-match chaos at railway stations outside Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium. Oh, and it’s fairly likely Italy will be limping to the final weekend already sure of the wooden spoon.
But almost everything else seems up in the air, especially given what transpired over the autumn internationals, which ended with European rugby sticking out its chest with pride.
For the first time since 2002, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia were all beaten on the same weekend — by France, England and Wales, respectively. Ireland also devoured Argentina on that statement weekend for the northern hemisphere that provided the perfect set-up for the Six Nations.
The French are the favorites this year. They have the world player of the year in scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, a mighty pack, a sense of togetherness, a coach with a plan in Fabian Galthie.
Les Tricolores have had back-to-back second-place finishes, losing out last year after a final-round loss at home to Scotland when a 21-point win was needed to overhaul Wales.
With Italy, now under the stewardship of New Zealander Kieran Crowley, almost a lock for last place these days — after all, the Azzurri haven’t won a game in the Six Nations since February 2015 — the last question to ponder is where Scotland fits in.
For the last few years, it has been from third to fifth — and a class above Italy after an 11-year period from 2004 where they mostly vied for the wooden spoon.
The Scots have the ability to compete with the favorites, though, and don’t be surprised if they give old enemy England a bloody nose in round one in the oldest international fixture of them all.
For that’s the weekend that will see full capacity crowds back for Six Nations matches for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak. As it stands, only Italy — where attendance is capped at 50% — is expected to have limits on the number of spectators.
The tournament loses so much of its luster without fans in stadiums, even if the drama hasn’t abated during the pandemic, with the last two editions settled in the final round. Expect more of the same this year.
Source: Bahrain News Agency