Six Nations: France start with win but there’s room for growth February 7, 2022 France’s opening round victory over Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday wasn’t dripping with a special je ne sais quoi, but it was a hard earned result to get their promising quest for a Grand Slam underway. Flying wing Gabin Villiere had three career tries prior to kick-off in Paris but doubled that tally [...]
Marco Bortolami: ‘Italy and Six Nations need each other but we must win more’ February 3, 2022 It’s been said before but I really think Italy are building for the future. New head coach Kieran Crowley has picked a squad with some exciting young players – my Benetton side are providing 23 members of Crowley’s party for this Six Nations. The main goal for Italy is to stay competitive in each match [...]
Gavin Hastings: ‘Improving Scotland ready for next step’ February 3, 2022 There’s no doubt that in the last three or four years Scotland have been much more competitive and that’s what fans north of the border want to see. Whoever identifies the players potentially available for Scotland should be paid a healthy sum because they’ve unearthed some great characters, including prop Pierre Schoeman and wing Duhan [...]
Mako Vunipola interview: ‘England can win the Grand Slam’ February 3, 2022 He may currently not be part of Eddie Jones’s Six Nations squad, but Mako Vunipola still thinks England will go undefeated this year. The experienced loosehead prop concedes that France “look strong” but believes key absences will make it hard for Wales to defend their title. “England can get the Grand Slam, yes,” Vunipola told [...]
Six Nations 2021 recap: Covid-19, Grand Slam hopes and fierce rivalries February 3, 2022 The 2021 Six Nations was fought in front of empty seats and in silent stadiums. But it was still a tournament full of passion, intensity and edge-of-your-seat finishes – and we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. So before we immerse ourselves in the historic rivalries once more, we’d be foolish not to look [...]
Mike Phillips: Future Lion Basham can emerge as new star of Welsh pack February 3, 2022 On the eve of this Six Nations it feels like everybody has already written Wales off. It reminds me of 2008: it was all doom and gloom then too, until we beat England at Twickenham on the opening weekend. A lot of the Wales players will be coming into this tournament looking for a fresh [...]
Benjamin Kayser: ‘It’s coming together – but don’t call France favourites’ February 3, 2022 The planets have begun to align for French rugby. From the player pool to the coaches, the government to the league structure – everything is in place to achieve the goal of a victorious home World Cup in 2023. There’s clearly a common goal for the sport in France at the moment and that is [...]
Rob Henderson: ‘Strong spine and squad depth make Ireland team to beat’ February 3, 2022 Ireland are my pick for this year’s Six Nations, naturally. There’s a resurgent French side, a rebuilding Welsh team and strong representation elsewhere but I think the Irish have the depth to win the tournament. I am not at all worried about the absence of players like Chris Farrell and James Lowe, for example, when [...]
Zinzan Brooke: ‘Why I’m backing Les Bleus for the Six Nations’ February 3, 2022 The Six Nations is fantastic. It’s great for rugby and a thoroughly enjoyable set-up every year but I have a funny feeling that the 2022 tournament in particular will be one to watch because of how strong some of these teams were in the autumn. The November internationals saw European sides perform especially well, resulting [...]
Ollie Phillips: Absent internationals will help and hinder Premiership clubs January 28, 2022 I’m in Seville for the World Sevens Series, whetting my appetite for the festival of international rugby that is the Six Nations. It’s the best championship on the planet, and what will be interesting this year is how the Premiership clubs cope with losing internationals. Only Worcester failed to get a player in the England [...]