A few short weeks ago, Ireland was primed to attack the 6 Nations again with gusto, looking for three in a row titles…now the only thing we’re in contention for is the wooden spoon! You know that really exciting day last year when a team in each of the three matches had a chance of winning the title? We’ll be there, grimly trying to hang on to 5th spot! The excitement!
In theory though, we now have our two easiest matches at home, Italy on Saturday and then Scotland next weekend, so potentially some sorely needed reward may be on our way for all the hard work we’ve put in so far. Every year Italy don’t get the wooden spoon is a good one for them, so it should be straightforward win – we haven’t been playing badly, we just haven’t been winning, and this should be an opportunity to get the show back on the road. But Italy aren’t terrible either, they just don’t often put in an 80 minute performance. We should start to wear them down around the 60 minute mark, then finally start to put a bit of gloss on our season.
Match of the weekend features the two unbeaten teams, an unbeaten resurgent England at home taking on an unbeaten Wales who haven’t hit their straps just yet. It’s probably the championship decider, although France may still have a say in that. Nothing subtle about these teams, it’s going to be a whole lot of big guys smashing each other all night. Wales have the slight edge, England couldn’t close the deal in the World Cup, and the longer it stay close the more likely that the English nerves will start to surface. Too close to call though.
Finally, France travel to take on Scotland who have their first win in two years in the 6 Nations. You have to have a grudging admiration for the way bloody minded way France approach the game – the coach is going to play it his way or not bother at all, common sense is a precious commodity, and they’re either going to smash you or collapse in derisory fashion. It should really be France, but you can see Scotland pinching it.
Saturday, March 12
Ireland v Italy 1:30 PM
England v Wales 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 13
Scotland v France 3:00 PM
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