Six Nations justifies sport's buzzword ahead of huge year for global rugby

Some think the mere use of the word confers upon their competition a sense of nail-biting trepidation

The recent round of Investec Champions Cup fixtures was promoted as being: “All to play for as [the] pool stage reaches climax with jeopardy in every game”.

For those who had to sit through some of the earlier mismatches in what is supposed to be European club rugby’s blue riband, the response was probably a shrugged “about time”.

Many clubs - Edinburgh included - selected understrength teams for some games in the knowledge that they could probably get away with it. Based on events of previous seasons, they had calculated they could afford to lose a couple of matches and still qualify for the round of 16. Indeed, Leicester Tigers and Vodacom Bulls both made it to the knockout stage despite winning only one of their four group games.

A 24-team pool stage from which 16 teams qualify and another four drop down to the Challenge Cup is hardly laced with jeopardy. Only four teams were eliminated and it’s no real surprise that Prem Rugby is reportedly pursuing a streamlined revamp of the European competitions, and has the backing of the URC and Top 14.

The same criticisms could be applied equally to football’s bloated Champions League.

Jeopardy was mentioned again this week in the unlikely setting of the former meeting hall of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The ministers have long gone and the Hub, as it’s now known, is the HQ for the Edinburgh International Festival.

With their own eye for drama, rugby administrators chose the neo-Gothic venue to launch this season’s Guinness Six Nations. It was a lively affair, with captains and coaches from the six competing nations converging in Scotland’s capital for a round of interviews with journalists, broadcasters and content creators.

No rest for the Six Nations squads

When Tom Harrison, CEO of the Six Nations, addressed the media throng and promised this year’s tournament would deliver “jeopardy” he was speaking with the certainty of a man who knows that no-one will be resting players for this one.

“Every year the championship comes back stronger, creating unforgettable moments and experiences for players and fans,” he said.

This will be the 143rd edition and its longevity suggests that Harrison is not wrong. The Six Nations remains a bedrock in an ever-shifting sports landscape, a tournament you can rely on to deliver three generous slices of hair-raising entertainment across five weekends as winter turns to spring.

Not that it stands still. There have been refinements and modifications and even fundamental change, most notably with the admission in 2000 of Italy. The increase from five to six nations has only enhanced the championship and while they may not have come close to winning the title, Italy are improving as Scotland found to their cost in Rome two years ago. The sides will meet again next Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico on the opening weekend, a potentially hazardous starter for Gregor Townsend’s squad.

The most immediate change to this year’s tournament is that it will start on a Thursday and the opening game should be a firecracker as champions France take on Ireland in Paris.

Recent seasons have seen the championship kick-off on a Friday evening but this year it has been switched to Thursday to avoid a clash with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan. Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli will be singing at the San Siro but there will be more noise at the Stade de France where Antoine Dupont will return to the Six Nations stage for the first time since rupturing knee ligaments against the Irish in Dublin last year.

Dupont’s comeback is something to be savoured and the hope is the best player in the world will sprinkle stardust across the next six weeks.

France are odds on to retain their title but there is a pressure on them to go one better than last year and win every match. Grand Slam or bust is the message in certain sections of the French rugby media, reflecting a growing frustration with near misses under Fabien Galthie. The France coach failed to deliver at a home Rugby World Cup in 2023 and Les Bleus were then pipped for the Six Nations title by Ireland the following year after being held to a draw by Italy.

Last season’s success was greeted with frenzied celebrations but more is expected, particularly when three of France’s games are at home, including matches against England and Ireland, widely seen as their most difficult opponents. The Lions tour has also been cited as a factor which could work in France’s favour as it is likely to have left some of their rivals jaded.

There is no denying the quality in Galthie’s squad and any coach who feels he can leave out Grégory Alldritt, Damian Penaud and Gaël Fickou clearly has an abundance of talent.

The loss to the squad last week of Uini Atonio was a shocking event with the La Rochelle prop forced to announce his retirement with immediate effect following a heart attack.

Can England upset the French applecart?

England’s problems pale next to Atonio’s but Steve Borthwick has injury issues to contend with, notably in the front row, as they seek their first title since 2020. Loosehead Fin Baxter is to undergo foot surgery and is unlikely to play any part; senior tighthead Will Stuart has already been ruled out because of a ruptured Achilles while a third prop, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, is also unavailable after shoulder surgery. Centre Ollie Lawrence (knee) and fly-half Fin Smith (calf) will miss the opener against Wales but should return mid-tournament.

For the first time since Borthwick took charge at the end of 2022, England are viewed as genuine contenders to win the Championship having risen to third in the world rankings on the back of 11 successive Test victories. They have climbed above Ireland and France and only South Africa and New Zealand are ahead of them on the global ladder.

England’s rise has coincided with an apparent Irish decline. Having won the title in 2023 and 2024, Ireland slipped to third last year and it was noticeable how downbeat Brian O’Driscoll was about the team’s chances when he spoke at an event in Edinburgh last weekend.

Ireland, too, have been blighted by front-row problems and Jack Boyle has joined fellow props Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy in the treatment room. There are major backline issues too. Full-back Hugo Keenan fractured his thumb this week and centre Robbie Henshaw will miss the start of the tournament. Also sidelined are Calvin Nash, Jimmy O’Brien, Ryan Baird, Shayne Bolton, Mack Hansen, Jordan Larmour and Tom Ahern.

The return of Andy Farrell from his Lions stint should soothe some if not all of O’Driscoll’s concerns.

Scotland’s Six Nations chances played down

In the Scotland camp, there seems to be a clear attempt to dampen down expectations. In the past, Gregor Townsend’s side were everyone’s favourite dark horses going into the tournament but the coach tried to shut down such chat.

“I wouldn't have thought people would have talked about us like that [as challengers] before either,” he said. “It wouldn't really be a factor.”

A disappointing autumn has created some despondency among the fanbase but Murrayfield is sold out for both home games, against England and France.

How Scotland start against Italy will set the tone while the Calcutta Cup clash in week two is likely to shape the campaign for both Scotland and England.

Italy and Wales are again likely to vie for the wooden spoon - no-one else has ‘won’ it for over a decade - and the two nations will meet in Cardiff on the final day.

Steve Tandy is in charge of the Welsh for the first time in the Six Nations and the former Scotland defence coach is working against a backdrop of domestic turmoil. The very future of the Ospreys - his former club - is in doubt as the WRU considers cutting the number of pro teams from four to three.

His Italian counterpart Gonzalo Quesada has had a smoother lead-up to the tournament and enjoyed a fruitful autumn which included a win over Australia in Udine. Italy are without Ange Capuozzo and Sebastian Negri but will still fancy their chances, particularly against Scotland and Wales.

There is one fewer rest week this year which will pose a challenge in particular to those teams with less strength in depth but it will help the tournament’s momentum to kick off with three consecutive rounds before the break on February 21-22.

There is also a new broadcaster in the mix, with subscription channel Premier Sports making their Six Nations debut. But all games will still be available free-to-air, with 10 on ITV and five on BBC.

It’s the start of a huge year of international rugby, with the inaugural Nations Championship taking place in the summer and autumn, pitting the northern hemisphere against the south. But the Six Nations remains the jewel in the crown, delivering drama, emotion, sporting excellence and, of course, jeopardy.