Early 6 Nations Predictions Post AI’s

[Half Pint]

I also can't think of any 6n where England won 4/5 and lost to Scotland.

..yet.

 

[Brown Bottle]

I also can't think of any 6n where England won 4/5 and lost to Scotland.

2000. Lost at Murrayfield in the final match.

 

[wombles]

1: England (heavily caveated & with great caution here)!
2: France
3: Ireland
4: Italy
5: Scotland
6: Wales

TBH I can see any of the top 3 winning the 6N, Ireland are not the force they once were, but they are not far off, and it would not take much to get back there. France are simply quality, especially with Dupont marshalling the team. England....well they have a team that can get the title and the slam, and it has been many a year since we have said that. But Ireland are a tough nut to crack, Scotland at Murrayfield is one heck of a task, its the Calcutta cup after all! (and one I still desperately want to win every year). France on a Saturday evening in Paris is just what the French Doctor ordered for our neighbours from across the channel, and although underwhelming in the AIs les blues still are a world class team!

This year though, I do think it will be a tournament of 2 divisions. Italy are continuing to impress and improve, and will push Scotland hard. Scotland, after the AIs are in a darker place, and it will take a lot to push into the top 3, i'm just not sure they have the depth of player to do this at present, with the bench not having much of an impact in the AIs. Wales are a slight mystery, but I think as the tournament progresses their lack of player depth, lack of power and set piece will be exposed, especially by the top 3, but Scotland and Italy have teams that can expose this as well. I also think their attacking threats will be more and more combated as other teams work them out. For Wales, just as the AIs were about beating Japan, I think this 6N's is about getting a win against Italy or Scotland. Both of them would be a good tournament return.

It will be a fascinating Championship!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

2000. Lost at Murrayfield in the final match.

To make it even worse we were 4/4 and they were 0/4.

Fair play to the Scots for employing their tactical trump card though. ️

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I also can't think of any 6n where England won 4/5 and lost to Scotland.

Massively want to forget Murrayfield 1990 when both were going for a 5N GS, but the scars run too deep.

 

[OllyM97]

Also on sporting merit, where you want to beat teams both home and away.
England are low on grandslams - not because the fixture list always hates us, but because the Scots, Welsh and Irish always hate us - and always raise their game against us, and the only thing they like better than stopping us winning a slam is to win one of their own (and plenty would actually prefer to prevent England winning one).

I've no problem with mixing up the fixture list - but A] it needs to be done well in advance so that tickets can be sold, B] basing it on seedings is just favouritism (but is completely inappropriate for a competition that isn't knock-out), and C] won't solve the problem you're complaining about (IMO)

In fairness, I think Ireland have long gone past that sort of mentality. They still want to beat England, of course they do, but it no longer completely defines a season for them. They beat us this year but nobody involved in Irish rugby classed it as a great campaign. It’s the Scots that get on my nerves - giving it Billy big b******s when they win the Calcutta Cup only to then be awful in most of the other games. You’d think they’d be embarrassed at no GS or Triple Crown since 1990 and no Championship since 1999. They’ve literally got nothing to crow about, just a bunch of perennial chokers and losers. The Welsh are similar to the Scots in some ways but I find it easier to cop it from them because they have a had a lot of success in the 6N era with multiple Slams and Championships - not to mention going very close to making 2 RWC finals.

So each home nation’s greatest rugby achievement in the 6N era:
England - 2003 RWC
Ireland - 2022 Series win in NZ
Wales - 2 RWC semi-finals + multiple 6N titles.
Scotland - Winning a few Calcutta Cups (whilst still having a comfortably inferior H2H record in the 6N era).