Winter’s almost done and spring’s on the way. We can tell because the Six Nations is about to muscle into view – with the battle of the world’s best national anthems as Wales meet France at the Stade de France on Friday evening. This year’s tournament could be even better than last year’s, but we always say that – and if France live up to some of the rhapsodic predictions the whole thing could go flat as a wet weekend in Calais as Les Bleus romp to a runaway victory. Some pundits have been advising the other five nations to send out for white flags ready to run up the flagpoles. If the French don’t win the Championship at a canter, there’ll be some pursed lips around the pastis.
The whole thing could go flat as a wet weekend in Calais if Les Bleus romp to a runaway victory
With the rugby royalty of the astonishing Toulouse side – from backs Thomas Ramos, Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont, still the best player in the world, to Thibaud Flament in the scrum – making up the bulk of the French national team, it is hard to see anyone stopping them. Toulouse put 80 points past Leicester Tigers the other day in a mesmerising performance that made poor Julian Montoya, the doughty Leicester captain, apologise to Tigers fans. Wales may well win the national anthem pre-match contest by a short head, simply because they know that from then on it’s almost certainly going to be a tin-hat job manning the trenches. As things stand, Wales’s best shot looks like being able to finish fifth in the table ahead of Italy.
England have a tricky opening trio of matches, against Ireland, France and the endlessly enterprising Scotland XV, in that order. Clean-living Maro Itoje has at last been appointed captain. About time. A wonderful player and a hugely impressive character, we now learn – thanks to Courtney Lawes – that Itoje doesn’t swear. Which deserves a four-letter reaction if anything does. But he plays the full 80 minutes, unlike Jamie George who plays 55 or so, and England constantly squander winning positions in the last quarter. He is an honourable and highly articulate figure, though, and he may be too articulate for the RFU. If he gets asked what he thinks about the bonus scandal shimmering around rugby’s executive class, he might well decide to let rip.
England could easily lose their first three games, but win in Dublin and anything could happen. England might surprise us, especially with Marcus Smith at 10 and Alex Mitchell back at scrum half. Ireland have won the last two Six Nations but are not quite what they were. They need to work out who is their best no. 10. The Leinster stand-off, Sam Prendergast, is built in the image of Johnny Sexton, but is still a way off from being that iconic figure.
We are still getting to know Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim and it’s not a particularly easy task. Take his infelicitous remarks slagging off his team in general as the worst in history, and Marcus Rashford in particular as being a player he wouldn’t pick even if the only alternative was a 63-year-old. Is this a carefully considered way of geeing up the lads? Or is he just shooting from the lip? My guess is that it is probably the latter, in which case Ruben may be playing a dangerous game. Or he may be an improbable reincarnation of Brian Clough who gets away with saying what he likes and before long starts filling the Old Trafford trophy cabinet with Asprey’s finest. Personally I doubt that. At all events, Amorim must be wondering why he gave up his enviable life in Lisbon, with its perfect climate and superb restaurants, idolised by Sporting’s fans and players, for a life with a moderate team, engulfed by wind and rain, booed by supporters, and always in the background the beady-eyed countenance of Jim Ratcliffe.
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