England lack the hulking power of old, but their head coach has made bold choices for the Six Nations opener against ScotlandAll coaches insist they never read the newspapers until the day comes when they wish to send a specific message. Thus it is that Eddie Jones spent a large chunk of his pre-Six Nations address insisting Scotland are the nailed-on favourites who will have to cope with the pressure of their lofty status. Say it often enough and maybe a few seeds of doubt can be quietly sown.The flip side, of course, is what that implies about his own team and a tournament buildup which has been on the grisly side of horrible. No Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes or...
The quality may never have been higher and revenues dwarf those of the World Cup – no wonder South Africa wants to joinHuman beings have a troublesome relationship with statistics. Them and damned lies. The wise treat them with caution, but only a fool, alas, dismisses these numbers as worthless. The hysterical, meanwhile, react extravagantly to whatever they find at the end of their nose and co-opt whichever statistics support their hysteria.This Six Nations has been hailed already as the most competitive and deliciously anticipated in the history of the world, ever. “It says behind me: ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship,’” said Eddie Jones last week, in front of the mandatory branding, “and I think it is that now by a country...
They begin the Six Nations as favourites after some scintillating performances but winning silverware can be the hardest stepThere is an old story about Fabien Galthié that is worth telling again now, a week out from the start of the Six Nations. It is from 2003, when France’s head coach was captaining the team in the World Cup. It was his fourth, he had been in teams that lost in the quarters in 1991, semis in ’95, and final in ’99. Understandably, he was hell-bent on finishing his career by winning the thing.But France were beaten in the semi-finals again, 24-7 by England. That left them one game to play, the third-place play-off against New Zealand four days later. By...
Captains and coaches agree a strong start is vital in what looks like a wonderfully poised and evenly matched tournamentThe annual Guinness Six Nations launch, much like the first daffodil, is one of the traditional harbingers of spring. The world’s oldest annual rugby championship rarely disappoints and lends instant colour to winter’s grey canvas. This year its imminent arrival is more welcome than ever, with the widespread return of full stadia and travelling supporters already raising the spirits of players, punters and publicans alike.Was an extra frisson discernible as the 2022 coaches and captains laid out their respective ambitions? It was hard to tell via the various video linkups but there was absolute agreement in one respect. Everyone involved is...
With Ireland strong, Scotland inconsistent and Wales hit by injuries, it feels as if the top five teams can all beat each otherTwickenham Stadium has a particular smell on a game day. It’s the fug of sweat and condensed breath when you’re pressed up close, sizzling sausages and onions, spilled beer, mud, waxed jackets and, when it’s raining, of wet wool. You used to catch gusts of cigar smoke, too, until they banned smoking. I never thought I would miss it particularly, but round about now anything that offers a hint of spring is welcome. After the past two years, when the Six Nations lost so much of its colour and fun while it was being played in empty stadiums,...