Most unpredictable 6 Nations ever

Results so far make this probably the most unpredictable women’s Six Nations ever.

Take the first round of results. While some may have predicted a home win for France against England, given the recent formbook only a one-eyed French patriot would have dared to predict the eventual and very comfortable 12 point winning margin and few would have foreseen Italy overcoming an improving Wales, in Wales, albeit be a single point.

Indeed, it is an unfortunate reflection of the current state of Scottish rugby that their 59 point, 11 try drubbing at the hands of Ireland was probably the least surprising result of all in that opening weekend.

And of course things did not get any better for Scotland in week two.  If one 11 try defeat is unfortunate, then two, in the space of two Six Nations weekends, starts to look like carelessness (0-63 at home to England in the second round).

Jules Maxton really has her work cut out to raise the precision in Scotland’s game before they take on Italy this weekend.   Not to crank up the pressure on the Scots, but it is also worth bearing in mind that this is a match that is likely to go a long way to deciding the destination of this year’s wooden spoon.

Wales, of course, are the other side still in contention for the wooden spoon.  While their combined losing margin of only nine points in the first two weekends (to first Italy and then Ireland) illustrates how tight those games were, a loss is a loss, and losing can all too easily become a habit.

A defeat to France this weekend would make three from three going into a fourth round tie away to England and, however unpredictable this year’s tournament is, England are cast iron favourites for that game.

All of which makes this France tie huge for Rhys Edwards’ team: no points here and they are almost certain to go into the final weekend still searching for their first points and desperately battling to avoid that wooden spoon.  But there is hope.

While it is true that France must be favourites against Wales, by dint of the form they have shown so far against England and Italy, it is also true that the draw has been kind to them, geographically speaking.  Those two early victories were both at home and they have often struggled to repeat their home Six Nations form on their travels.

To win, Wales will need to fight the French fire with fire, to knock those big French ball-carriers back over the gain-line and, most importantly, to find a way to stop that 12-woman driving maul – something that both England and Italy singularly failed to do in the opening rounds.

And so to the most mouth-watering tie of the round:  England versus Ireland.

Fittingly this one is at Twickenham.  In this most unpredictable of all Six Nations tournaments I will stick my neck on the line and predict an England victory.  Why?  Well firstly because I am English and there is a patriot in all of us somewhere.  And secondly because England are at home (for the first time this Six Nations) and have a front five with much to prove.

Against Ireland this time last year and against France this time three weeks ago the English front five came off second best.  That is not something that is said very often about an England front five and Graham Smith (the England forwards coach) will not like it and nor will his hardened, knarled, experienced old bunch of forwards (I’m sure they will love me for describing them that way).  I think they are better than they showed in those games and I expect the backlash this weekend.

That, coupled with the extra power of Twickenham’s sweet chariot, should be enough to carry them home.