The Six Nations is the jewel in the crown of European rugby, and the upcoming tournament looks as wide open as ever.
Ireland are coming off the back of one of their greatest-ever wins, a 2-1 series victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand. England are also heading into the tournament with an impressive series of their own under their belt after defeating Australia 2-1 down under. Oddschecker, which compares rugby odds and free offers, make France the favourites for the trophy. They have beaten both Australia and South Africa in recent weeks, and it's clear to see why they are expected to do well.
Les Bleus will also be inviting the world into their country next year when they host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. They have hosted the competition before back in 2007 and, despite beating tournament favourites New Zealand in the quarterfinals, were eliminated in the final four thanks to the left boot of Jonny Wilkinson. They will be hoping to go one better next autumn, reaching the showpiece in the Stade De France on October 28th.
But before that, there is the small matter of the upcoming Six Nations, a tournament that the French will enter as reigning champions. Last year they swept all before them on their way to the Grand Slam, becoming the first team to claim the honour since Wales back in 2019. And we expect them to do the same this year.
France to win the Grand Slam
When it comes to picking a winner for the Six Nations, it's hard to look past France. The French are the favourites for the World Cup next year and are also favourites for this winter’s six-team showdown. And it’s clear to see why. First and foremost, they boast the best player on the planet in their ranks.
Scrum Half Antoine Dupont was named the World Rugby Player of the Year in 2021, and the rise of Les Bleus back to being one of the world’s powerhouses has centred around his brilliance. He won the award for best player in the Six Nations in both 2020 and 2022, and has led his club side, Toulouse, to two Top 14 titles and the European Champions Cup.
The 26-year-old halfback is integral to France’s plans both in the upcoming tournament and at next year's World Cup, and keeping him fit and firing will be their number one priority. Providing they do that, then it’s hard to see past the French winning back-to-back Grand Slams for the first time since the turn of the millennium.
England to disappoint once again
Life under Eddie Jones has been strange for England. The former Japan head coach led the English to the 2019 World Cup final, even managing to shock the world by defeating two-time defending champions New Zealand in the semifinals. The trip to the final would end in disappointment, however. They were outmuscled and outclassed in the final by South Africa, just as they were 12 years prior. But England’s unexpected march to the final got Jones’ tenure off to a fine start.
And it was a start that he would back up a couple of months later by leading England to a first Six Nations success since 2017 and a first Grand Slam since the year before that. Many had expected the 2003 World Cup winners to go on and dominate European rugby, but it has hardly been plain sailing since.
England’s defence of their crown couldn’t have gone any worse in 2021. They won just twice that year, losing at home against Scotland, and away in Wales and Ireland as they slumped to fifth place in the table. They would win just twice again in 2022, although they did finish in third courtesy of Italy’s victory over Wales.
This year, despite defeating Australia down under, we expect England to disappoint once again. Admittedly, they may not finish as low as fifth, but we can see them losing to France and at least one more nation, which would hardly be ideal preparation for next year's World Cup.
