Six Nations blog: Stephen Ferris predicts wins for Ireland & Italy
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In his latest Six Nations blog with Ladbrokes, Stephen Ferris previews England v Scotland, Italy v France and Ireland v Wales.
Stephen Ferris’ Six Nations blog
Ireland v Wales
In a compelling showdown between Ireland and Wales, the statistics favour the Irish, who have triumphed in six of their last seven test matches against the Welsh. Their dominance is underscored by three consecutive victories, each with a commanding margin of over 20 points. With an impressive 17-game winning streak at home, Irish fans anticipate another triumph.
Wales faces an uphill battle, having lost nine of their last ten Six Nations matches. The contrasting fortunes continue as Ireland boasts a perfect record in their last ten outings, setting the stage for what many people think will be one way traffic. No wonder the bookmakers have the margin at 22 points, however I did think it would be more due to how poor Wales have been of late.
Warren Gatland named his team on Tuesday to the press. Showing his hand very early will give the players he has selected confidence and clarity during the week, and I’m sure he is hoping that they deliver a performance that might rattle a few Irish cages during the 80 minutes of ferocious test match rugby.
Fly half Sam Costelow, reinstated after being dropped in the previous game, shoulders the responsibility of leading the Welsh attack. The youthful and dynamic Welsh team harbours threats around the breakdown and wide channels, leaving fans wondering if they’ll embrace the underdog role or if they will fold like an old Irish roadmap…
The Saturday afternoon clash in Dublin at 2.15 pm promises heightened drama. The Irish players have called for the fans to be more vocal and to help pump up the atmosphere after the flat affair against Italy a couple of weeks ago. Ireland, known for their ruthless mentality, aims for accuracy in their attack to potentially surpass the 22-point handicap and secure another resounding victory.
In a matchup poised to steal the spotlight this weekend, Scotland and England are set for a closely contested battle, separated by a mere three points in the handicap, with Scotland holding the edge as slight favourites. After a disappointing home loss to France, Scotland faces a critical juncture, and another defeat could spell the end of their Six Nations aspirations and leave a talented squad feeling unfulfilled.
Scotland has recently held the upper hand against England, winning each of their last three Six Nations encounters. England have won their opening two games of the Six Nations for the first time since 2019, and the last time they won three in a row, they went on to win the Championship in 2017.
While both teams share a penchant for aggressive kicking, there’s hope for an exciting, high-scoring encounter, provided individual errors don’t become the decisive factor.
The spotlight is on England’s defence, a focal point in recent games under newly appointed Felix Jones. With an aggressive defensive strategy, England aims to dominate collisions and build their team around huge energy and work rate without the ball. However, questions arise about the entertainment value for English fans, as the focus on defending takes precedence over attacking prowess.
Finn Russell, Scotland’s new captain, emerges as a key figure, leading the championship in kicks out of hand among the fly halves. Yet, he struggles to inject width into Scotland’s game which has been a massive negative compared to their Six Nations Campaign last season. With their previous emphasis on moving the ball to the wide channels, the fans hope for a resurgence of the dynamic game plan that showcased Scotland’s fast and powerful wingers, steering away from the monotony of excessive kicking.
In the looming clash between France and Italy, the historical narrative heavily favours the French, who have triumphed in 45 out of 48 test matches against Italy. A disheartening reality for Azzurri fans, compounded by France’s staggering 12 consecutive victories, including a record-breaking 60-7 drubbing in their last encounter at the Rugby World Cup. Hopes linger that Italy can avoid a replication of this embarrassing defeat.
While Italy managed victories over France in the Six Nations in 2011 and 2013, winning away from home remains an elusive feat. France’s formidable home record, having not lost three consecutive matches since 1998, further compounds the challenge, making an Italian triumph seem nothing short of miraculous.
I think everyone watching this Six Nations game just wants it to be competitive. Italy in Round 2 against Ireland didn’t even manage to get the scoreboard ticking, and if they suffer another demoralising defeat then the bandwagon for dumping them out of the Six Nations will start circling again. Despite Italy’s potential for future growth, the prevailing sentiment suggests that this season, and particularly Sunday’s 3pm showdown in Paris, may not mark the start of their ascent.
With France still without their best player in Antoine Dupont, it feels like the rest of the team are almost mourning his absence. Following a close-call victory in Scotland, reclaiming their mojo is imperative for the French to revive belief among home supporters and reaffirm their status as one of the world’s top teams. The ever-present French flair remains a looming concern for any team facing them, especially a vulnerable Italy.
