6 Nations 2011 - Will England do better in the Calcutta Cup than they did in Bangalore? And it's going to be epic at the Millennium for Wales and Ireland

The Calcutta Cup

RBS Six Nations


Saturday , March 12

Italy vs France 14:30

Wales vs Ireland 17:00

Sunday , March 13

England vs Scotland 15:00

Italy vs France

France have never really got in gear this tournament. They started with a big win over Scotland – at this stage, conventional wisdom was that the French were a good team, the Scots having beaten the Boks last year were in good nick too, so a very good team beating a good team - result! Since then, Scotland have not lived up the ‘good’ tag, about adequate is the most enthusiastic description you’re going to get of them. So France beat an about adequate Scotland, staggered past Ireland by the hair of their chinny chinny chins, lurched into England and turned over the 6 Nations favourites title to the English. I’d say they peaked mid tournament last 6 Nations, and have declined ever since, at an erratic pace well suited to their temperament. Will they suck enough to lose to the Azzuri? Nick Mallet, the Italian coach, must look on in despair as the French lavishly waste their riches of players, while he tries to make up a team out of scraps. All he needs are a decent scrum half and a fly half... There’s no justice though, so France will beat the Italians with their hands tied behind their backs.

Wales vs Ireland

The match of the weekend sees the Welsh welcoming Ireland to the Millennium Stadium. They've even laid on a train strike to add to the fun of getting there. Now I wouldn’t like to put thoughts into the oppositions head, but if you were Welsh, with half of the team moving to France next year(Hook, Byrne,King), and the other half having a good think about it, wouldn’t the final weekend loom large in your mind as the weekend to shine, in front of an audience of future and potentially future employers? You wouldn’t want to miss your chance to shine by getting injured playing Ireland, the nouveaux pauvres of Europe, would you? Of course, you wouldn’t want to play too well and actually beat the French either – but then playing too well hasn’t really been an issue for Wales this season. So what I’m hoping for from the Welsh, is a sensible, long term, career orientated approach to the Ireland match.

What am I hoping for from the Irish team? Well, if I can ask them to throw their minds back a few weeks to the last match, do you remember the chap with the whistle, short shouty Welsh chap, Nigel whotisname, who kept on blowing his whistle and spoiling the game? The one you asked, ‘Do you not know who I am, like’? The one you mentioned your 50 caps to, and no offense, but you didn’t need any tips on playing the game? Well if they can remember anything he said, (highly unlikely), and actually listen to what Jonathan Kaplan has to say this weekend, and follow his advice, that would be a fantastic start. I want the team that scored three tries last outing to pitch up, not the one that gave away 15 penalties.

Ireland are unchanged for the match, which is good, they have the players capable of doing the job, they just need to hold their discipline and play to their potential. Wales have Hook back at fly half, which is good for them and should make for an open flowing game. I’m going with Ireland, but not by much, in what I hope is going to be an epic match, befitting the magnificent Millenium Stadium.

England vs Scotland

The last match of the weekend sees the Scots take on the Sassenach at Twickenham for the Calcutta Cup

( The 110-year-old trophy was famously kicked down Edinburgh's Princes Street by ‘over-refreshed’ Scotland's John Jeffrey and England's Dean Richards in 1988, as pictured above).

Ideally for Ireland, the Scots need to triumph, a tall order against an English team bursting with both talent and confidence. Whatever I said about Scotland being about adequate, let’s not forget you scored three good tries against last season’s Grand Slam champions France. And while not to put too fine a point on it, you sucked against Wales, every team has an off day. Then against Ireland, all those penalties you got, even nearly beating them in the end - that wasn’t bonehead Irish forwards, that was your good play forcing them to give away penalties(well it was bonehead Irish forwards, but it was still your pressure that got you the penalties). I somehow don’t think Scotland really need any motivation for this match anyway, playing the English is motivation in itself.

And as for England – these winning streaks are great, but they can end up as a monkey on your back, you’d hate to break your winning streak in the World Cup final for instance. So just take the match as it comes, don’t you have a history of looking out for the underdog as well? Anyway, don’t overestimate the Scots, sure look at their record in the 6 Nations so far. And the trip to Dublin is going to be the big match, keep your powder dry for that.

But any attempt to talk up Scotland or get the English overconfident can’t hide the fact that it’s been 28 years since Scotland won in England – it’ll be 29 this weekend.

Shark Bite

The Sharks take on the Melbourne Rebels - should be men aginst boys. The Rebels did beat the Brumbies - but I think that just means the Brumbies aren't very good. Could be 4 from 4 for the Sharks.

Leinster

Leinster get a crack at the Dragons in Wales. Their squad is starting to stand up, and value of having qulaity players like Boss on their books is paying - so more Blue Magic in store.