Six Nations Preview

The 6 Nations tournament is here once again, and with a World Cup looming, this year’s competition holds added importance. We take a quick look at all six teams and how they are likely to fare out over the tournament.

Wales and England both have new coaches after underwhelming results, but the main problem remains – an average player pool. England’s new coach, Borthwick, was successful at Leicester, but the Premiership is generally considered to have a lower standard than other European leagues. While Borthwick may be a good coach, it’s hard to ignore the average quality of England’s players.

Wales’s previous coach, Gatland, left the team knowing he had taken them as far as he could, but with no new talent emerging, he stepped down. After failing to secure a job in New Zealand, Gatland returned to Wales, but the team is still regressing. On the other hand, Italy are on the rise, with a number of players now playing for top European clubs. They could cause an upset against Wales once again this year, building on a strong Autumn performance.

Scotland have the potential to challenge the top teams, but it is unlikely they will win the tournament. With both Glasgow and Edinburgh in good form, a top 3 finish is within reach for Scotland. Last year’s champions, France, have a difficult schedule this year with away fixtures against Ireland and England. Additionally, a number of key players are either injured or out of form, making it a potentially disappointing tournament for the French. They are also likely to have one eye on the World Cup later this year, which they host.

By process of elimination, the most likely winner this year is Ireland, with the majority of their team made up of Leinster players who have been in outstanding form. With favourable fixtures and a well-rested, in-form squad, it is no surprise that Ireland are the short-priced favourites. The Irish team looks unstoppable this year, and with the quality of players at their disposal, they could prove to be a force to be reckoned with.

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