2022 Six Nations Preview

England… Point to prove

England seem to be a polarising team and will no doubt come out of the blocks faster than a commentator’s one liner, with the added fuel to their fire of having finished fifth with a negative points difference in the 2021 edition. Eddie Jones seems to have finally started introducing players to the squad that have been lauded by the pundits but have missed out on selection previously. They may also have the most exciting fly half prospect in Marcus Smith, who many think simply has to start.

France… World Cup 2023

With France now “warmed up” after several years of disappointing results and with a home victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup firmly in their sights, we think they are going to attempt to take a strangle hold on this year’s matchups. A resounding win recently against New Zealand will have boosted their confidence and belief. Add into the equation a game in Paris against England as the final weekend’s last fixture which will most likely be the decider of the entire tournament as well as an absolute treat for all neutral fans.

Scotland… Converting potential to podium finishes

Scotland are without a doubt fully capable of finishing in the top three, and dare we say it, winning the entire thing. However, with England out with a point to prove and France seemingly showing up in their three Autumn Internationals, Scotland need to bring the most important thing of all to the table (and what every Scotsman would associate with a good bowl of porridge) – the right consistency.

Ireland… Old dogs, new tricks

Ireland are in an interesting place; Andy Farrell is most certainly a very talented head coach and is bringing younger blood into the squad. Will they find their groove quickly? Would they be ready to pass on the number ten position to a young pretender if required? Ireland are always a strong side and you would be foolish to count them out of being title contenders, but then you could say the same about practically all of the other sides in this tournament.

Wales… The defending champions

Wales are the defending champions after an excellent showing in 2021, coming through several very tight games. But in a competition where nearly every game could (at least on paper) go either way, Wales will need to bring out some very strong performances to tackle the likes of France and England and still retain their crown. Definitely maybe.

Italy… Sanding down the wooden spoon

Some audiences, perhaps unfairly, suggest that Italy or the lowest performing team should be replaced by the likes of Georgia or the team who finishes at the top of the Rugby Europe Championship. It is a controversial opinion, and we would love to see Italy string together a couple of victories. This improvement will doubtless not happen overnight, but we silently root for Italy to pick things up and to get some points on the board.