England is the highest ranked and most well-resourced rugby team in Europe.
Ireland is on an eight-test winning run including knocking over the All Blacks.
France also has a recent victory over New Zealand and is improving quicker than any test nation ahead of hosting next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Wales won the 2021 championship out of nowhere and has pedigree with four titles in the last 10 years.
Good luck picking a winner in the upcoming Six Nations.
The northern hemisphere rugby tournament that rarely fails to deliver is rolling around again — this time with fans and less certainty than ever about where the trophy will be heading.
Of course, there are some cast-iron guarantees around the Six Nations: Fiercely sung national anthems, press conference jibes from Eddie Jones, post-match chaos at railway stations outside Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium. Oh, and it’s fairly likely Italy will be limping to the final weekend already sure of the wooden spoon.
But almost everything else seems up in the air, especially given what transpired over the autumn internationals, which ended with European rugby sticking out its chest with pride.
For the first time since 2002, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia were all beaten on the same weekend — by France, England and Wales, respectively. Ireland also devoured Argentina on that statement weekend for the northern hemisphere that provided the perfect set-up for the Six Nations.
The French are the favorites this year. They have the world player of the year in scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, a mighty pack, a sense of togetherness, a coach with a plan in Fabian Galthie, and momentum from a first home win over the All Blacks since 2000.
Galthie called the Nov. 20 victory a “moment of truth” and now is the time to break a drought that feels almost as long. Not since 2010 has France won the Six Nations, a travesty for a country with so much rugby talent.
Les Tricolores have had back-to-back second-place finishes, losing out last year after a final-round loss at home to Scotland when a 21-point win was needed to overhaul Wales.
As for the Welsh, retaining the title just got that much harder with stalwart lock Alun Wyn Jones likely to miss the whole tournament because of a shoulder injury sustained in the autumn tests. Jones is just one of a number of key injury absentees for coach Wayne Pivac, who is also without George North, Ken Owens and what could have been the starting back row of Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau.
The fact the Welsh are starting out at Ireland and also have to visit Twickenham makes their title defense even tougher.
England can never be discounted but this tournament might be filed in the drawer marked “transitional” with Eddie Jones still rebuilding a team for the 2023 World Cup. The absence of Owen Farrell for the whole Six Nations because of injury denies England leadership in the back division and an ice-cool goalkicker, while putting more focus on the rising star of English rugby, flyhalf Marcus Smith. Jonny May, the team’s most likely try-scorer, will also likely miss the whole tournament.
Jones survived a fifth-place finish last year, despite it being arguably England’s worst ever display in the championship after losing to all three Triple Crown rivals — Scotland, Wales and Ireland — for the first time since 1976 and having their most points conceded in a campaign.
Then again, beating Australia and South Africa in November highlighted the strength in depth available to England, which is something the Irish can also boast. STEVE DOUGLAS , MDT/AP
