The Six Nations is finally here, and this year’s competition could be one of the most exciting yet.
With Ireland in flying form and England looking to set out a marker before their World Cup campaign, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will top the table in March. One thing we do know, however, is that there’s some incredible talent in each of the nation’s squads.
Whether it’s an experienced pro with a point to prove or a rising talent staking a claim for a place in the World Cup squad, there’s a few players that you’ll want to keep an eye on. So, keep an eye out for these names in the matchday squad. They should be worth watching.
At 10/11, Ireland's Six Nations odds puts them as favourites, and it's hardly surprising. The reigning Six Nations’ champions have had a great year beating the All Black on home turf and climbing to their highest ever position in the world rankings. All eyes will be on Conor Murray, Jordan Lamour, and Jacob Stockdale, but we’re going out on a limb here to say that Sexton is the man to watch.
After a stellar year that saw him crowned the world player of the year, Schmidt is banking on Sexton to be available for the entire campaign. Sexton is a man on a mission. At 33, this is his last chance for World Cup glory, and he’ll want a solid Six Nations campaign to start the year off.
He’s the man sacrificed by Exeter Chiefs who now plays at centre for Wasps, and—although he has 35 caps to his name—he has a point to prove. Campagnaro has always been one of the most successful outlets for Italian offensive play, but this year could see him step up once more and become the awesome player that we know he is. Yes, Italy don’t have much in the way of squad depth, and a lot of their scores tend to come from opposition mistakes, but this means that Campagnaro is often the most likely player to be in a position to hurt opponents. If Italy win any games this year, it will be with this man on the pitch.
Curry is the workhorse that should help limit England’s propensity to offer up penalties at the breakdown. Indiscipline in this area has been England’s greatest downfall ever since the triumph in 2003, so Jones will look to Curry to stamp out the unnecessary errors. Maintaining ball security when they attack could give England their best chance, and Curry will be key to this.
For the casual fan, he might not be the most exciting player to watch, but for those of us who know the game, his tackle turnover rating of 85 on the Rugby Pass Index is pretty impressive. As we said, the breakdown has been a source of pain for England for a long time now, and with new defence coach John Mitchell on board, it will be interesting to see how Curry plays. There’s potential “man of the match” material here.
McInally has had an incredible season for Edinburgh that will see him play an important role in the European quarterfinal against Munster. And while the eyes of Scotland will be understandably focused on both Stuart Hogg and Sean Maitland, it’s McInally’s lineout work that will be well worth watching. This set-piece play could be the final link that Scotland are in search of as they look to regain some pride at international level.
He’s one of the most exciting centres in Welsh history, and if he can beat his man or find an inch of space, he has the ability to destroy opponents. It’s no secret that he is one of the side’s most potent attacking options, and that means you should watch him. Sometimes the answer to a solution is the most glaringly obvious, and as far as solutions go, Davies is the go-to man for Wales.
While many will watch Guilhem Guirado take control of French games, it’s his replacement that could be the man to watch. Yes, Julien Marchand’s blistering form for Toulouse could see him be the man to manage the game in the last twenty minutes or so. It’s a problem that France have had in recent years, and at Toulouse Marchand has shown maturity beyond his years captaining the side this season.
There are plenty of other players to watch, but these six look to us to be the standout players who could make a telling contribution to their sides’ Six Nations campaigns. And regardless of whom you follow, you have to admit that the excitement around this year’s tournament is palpable. It’s anyone’s tournament!
