Why South Africans should watch the Six Nations
- Anything as important as the Rugby Championship is to countries in the south, the annual Six Nations tournament kicks off this weekend with the very best of the Northern Hemisphere on display.
- It’s like a sudden-death matchup as all teams have to show exactly what they’ve got in all the matches.
The annual Six Nations tournament is anything as important to the people from the north as the Rugby Champions is to people from the south.
Just like the Rugby Championship is an indicator of the strength of southern hemisphere teams, the Six Nations puts the rugby from the north on display.
Tournaments around the world seem to be getting longer and longer as organisers are always looking for other opportunities for yet another payday, but the Six Nations has not fallen into the trap. Likewise, talk of South Africa participating in the Six Nations, for the moment at least, is not on the cards.
The tournament is played over five weekends, with teams playing each other only once, leaving the teams with a sudden-death play-off every time they play.
South Africans will be glued to their TV sets as the six teams meet in three matches this weekend and three questions remain to be answered during the tournament.
➤ Is a grand slam victory on the cards for the winning team?
There are only two teams who can realistically expect to win the tournament. France and Ireland are the favourites, and their test match in round six will be the decider. The game could go either way, but it will be played in Dublin, giving the Irish a massive advantage.
The winner of this match will possibly be the grand slam winner but winning all five matches is tough.
France, however, is known to be erratic when it really matters, which explains in part why they’ve never won the World Cup, but this year, under the leadership of Antoine Dupont, things may be different.
Ireland will be focused on the British and Irish Lions tour which starts just after the Six Nations, which may distract somewhat from their focus on the local tournament.
It seems unlikely that a grand slam winner will emerge.
➤ Who will be the whipping boys of the Six Nations?
It’s very likely that Wales or Italy will go without a win this year, their only chance of a victory is when they play each other. Italy, under Argentinian coach Gonzalo Quesada, is improving. Sadly, Wales, under Warren Gatland, seems to be going backwards.
By the look of it, Italy will edge Wales particularly as they’re playing in Rome, leaving Wales to “celebrate” the wooden spoon.
➤ Can Scotland or England upset the apple cart?
If England beats Ireland this weekend, everything changes. The truth is, it will be a rugby miracle, but coach, Steve Borthwick with Marcus Smith at flyhalf may just get the job done. They play France a week later at home and they may even win that one. It’d unlikely but possible.
Scotland are stronger than they have been for years. Their best chance is against Ireland at Murrayfield. They have less of a chance against France in Paris. Gregor Townsend, with Finn Russell at flyhalf and a host of top Scottish players, will be looking to perform a miracle.
Pictured above: Finn Russell.
Source: Scotland Rugby/X