The Countdown Begins…
It seems like only yesterday that the curtain closed on the World Cup, and already the buzz has begun for this year’s 6 Nations. Questions are afloat, and we wait with baited breath for the answers to unfold:
“Will England find a centre partnership that works – and stick to it?”
“Will Sexton be back to his blistering best?”
“Will Scotland bring some World Cup passion and shock us all?”
“Will Italy’s scrum stand firm?”
“Will ‘the Biggarena’ be enough to weather the Irish storm?”
With less than a month to go, this year’s 6 Nations is perhaps one of the most difficult to predict as far back as I can remember. There is no doubt in my mind, though, that all eyes will be on Eddie Jones’s England. After a disappointing World Cup, the pressure is on the men wearing the rose as they go up against a galvanised Scotland on their opening weekend. The Calcutta Cup match is set to be incredibly competitive, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Scotland manage to cause a real upset and stun England on Saturday 7th.
Another huge fixture on opening weekend is Ireland v Wales. This weekend gave us a taste of what the match will have to offer when the Scarlets hosted Connacht at Parc Y Scarlets and the Ospreys went up against Leinster in a wet and somewhat subdued Liberty Stadium.
Leinster beat the Ospreys quite comprehensively after cranking it up a notch in the second half; and the real standout performer was Jonathan Sexton who ruled the roost against his opposite number, Dan Biggar, with impressive support from Dave Kearney who managed two tries to secure the victory.
The Scarlets’ match was a hugely physical affair. Whilst Connacht will have felt a little hard done by at times, they were lucky not to have seen a yellow card sooner after some questionable work in the contact area. I’m not sure if somebody forgot to mention to the population of South West Wales, but this just so happened to be an enormous fixture for both teams who were nestled in the top four of the table. The 5,888 fans scattered throughout the stands were in huge voice and their support was invaluable, but it was such a shame to see the stadium only a third full as the Scarlets completed another hard fought victory after a tough Christmas campaign which saw them reclaim the top spot in the PRO12.
So, what are the predictions before Warren Gatland announces his squad at 12 noon on Tuesday 17th January?
We could potentially see a return for Liam Williams – hopefully not a premature one. He has barely played any club rugby over the last 18 months, and it is a concern that such a physical player is now dipping in and out of injury. Dan Biggar has, without a shadow of a doubt, cemented himself as first choice outside half for Wales. James Hook is a possible contender for a place on the bench, as is Rhys Priestland after a reverse-decision on his ‘international sabbatical’. Owen Williams might have been in the mix, but is injured again and will be out for eight weeks with a fractured jaw.
The pack poses difficult decisions for Gatland too. Ken Owens has been on fire for the Scarlets of late and deserves a place in the starting lineup, and whilst Talupe Faletau is the natural choice at Number 8, Gloucester back-rower Ross Moriarty showed his raw power in his brief appearances in a Wales jersey earlier in the season.
One thing is for certain: this year’s 6 Nations is wide open, and I for one can’t wait for it to get underway. Keep your eye out for next week’s edition of The Welsh Connection, when I’ll be bringing you the full low-down and analysis of Gatland’s 6 Nations squad.
The Grassroots
This weekend sees the return of the British and Irish Cup. With all Welsh teams having struggled so far in the competition, it’s a case of ‘all or nothing’ as the squads play for pride, and in places, for the slim hope of making it through to the next round.
Tweet of the week:
This montage from @SkySportsRugby is enough to get anybody excited for the opening weekend of the 6 Nations!
Watch Dan Biggar go head to head with Johnny Sexton as @ospreys face @leinsterrugby @Pro12Rugby on SS1 at 7.30pm. https://t.co/ObZAp0fpHj
— Sky Sports Rugby (@SkySportsRugby) January 8, 2016
Moment of the week: When Dan Biggar scored an early drop goal against Leinster last Friday. A couple of them wouldn’t go amiss in the 6 Nations, where three points can make or break it!
The rumour mill: It’s all gone quiet on Leigh Halfpenny’s potential return to Wales. A move to Coventry is off the cards, and French press have reported that he’s staying in Toulon; the plot thickens!
By Daniel Jenkins
Follow Daniel on Twitter: @DanWJenkins
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