It all kicks off with Wales v. France at 19:45 this Friday!
Here's how they finished last year:
France
Ireland
England
Wales
Scotland
Italy
France were lucky to get a Grand Slam last year and they were squished by Australia in the autumn so I don't think they'll win the Championship this year. I think England will win, with Ireland and France competing for second place. Italy for the wooden spoon.
Last big chance for coaches to try out their sides ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand in the autumn. Here's hoping that Lievremont picks a settled side and stops messing about with the 9 & 10 positions. No more Damien Traille!
What are your hopes and predictions?
Comments
Oops!
Ahem...
Wales v. England at 19:45!
*bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce*
I somehow managed to miss most of the Autumn internationals and as I don't subscribe to satellite TV I'm woefully out of the loop- that said it seems to have been a steady tale of woe from the Wales camp in terms of injuries.
It will be interesting to see if there is any improvement in the scrummaging:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bendirs/2011/01/on_tuesday_the_my_dad.html
... and I also hope to see a further improvement in the Italian team, it seems every year they are that bit closer to being contenders rather than the whipping boys of the tournament.
England to start with the advantage due to Wales missing Jones and Jenkins in the front row.
This may be the tightest six nation for a while.....no stand out team and as you say a world cup around the corner..
Someone I know at work has tickets for the game on Friday.
I'm SO jealous!
I'd like to see Italy improve a bit more, maybe having a couple of teams in the Magners League will have made a difference?
Surely the World Cup is going to be won by New Zealand, BRT! They can't crack again
Can't wait!!! At a surprise 40th on friday, already said i'll be in the corner watching the game (OH and his mates are all about football)
I'm not so keen on Friday games so I'm glad this is going to be the last one, at least for the next few years.
Not enough time for me to get home and sort dinner out before the match starts - may have to have a takeaway and a beer
The Welsh are certainly getting the excuses in regarding injury well in advance.
Couple of people from the office are going & they have even been giving it'yeah,you should hammer us' etc etc,not often the Welsh are that honest
WALES! WALES!
Amazing how it's descended from Calon Lan to simply repeating the country name, isn't it, like, boyo?
Well, I'll be supporting my boys in red, but don't expect them to beat England, and my prediction is England for the 6 nations when France slip up against whoever's at the bottom of the table at the time. Can't see France beating England in twickers, either. England might lose in Ireland denying anyone a Slam.
Can't believe the trains on Friday...!!!
Nothing wrong with a takeaway and a beer on a Friday night!
My OH is keener than me, but I do find it way more entertaining than wendyball, which I wouldn't watch at any price!
Chokers! <snigger>
Too close to call this year. No Grand Slam, No Triple Crown, but a toss up between Ireland and England at the top of the heap. France third, Wales forth, Scotland, who appear to be improving under Robinson (What's all that about?) with the lamentable Italiens bringing up the rear yet again!
'Swing low sweet chariot...'
England don't have a first place finish in them!
Like the first post, I think it'll go:
France
Ireland
England
Wales
Scotland
Italy.
*bounce bounce bounce bounce*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9386391.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/bigwelshchallenge/anthem.shtml
*bounce bounce*
Good work on the anthem, FF
I have a Waitrose ready-meal (and a lager!) in the fridge so I'm all set for this evening!
My brother bought me a new French jersey* when he was in Paris so I'm not sure whether I should christen it tonight or wait until the French game tomorrow.
* thankfully not one of those skintight lycra ones
Any more predictions for this weekend's matches?
I'm going for a narrow England win over Wales, Ireland to thump Italy and France to eventually wake up and sneak past Scotland.
ALLEZ LES BLEUES!
Wales, France, Ireland to win this weekend.
If Wales play like they did for part of the game against the all blacks they will win the 6N. England played some good stuff but also some average stuff in the autumn - think they will have a mixed campaign. Ireland will need to magic up a front row from somewhere in order to compete with the big boys.