England’s challenge in the Six Nations that begins this Thursday with a France-Ireland
A great game at the Stade de France in Paris (9:10 p.m., Movistar) between the two teams that have monopolized the title for four years, France (current champion) and Ireland, opens this Thursday an edition of the Six Nations tournament, the summit of European rugby, which points to a fight for the title between these two teams and England, the team that has played the best since the previous Six Nations closed a year ago.
England’s last victory in the tournament dates back to 2020, but since then it had to settle for a secondary role that it was about to cut in the last edition, when it said goodbye to the title by a single point, in favor of France, despite winning four of the five games. This year the XV de la Rosa will be even more ambitious, launched by its excellent results since then: undefeated, 11 consecutive victories and a spectacular test match tour in November, including a victory against New Zealand. It must be the confirmation of George Ford as an opener that makes us forget the void left by Owen Farrell, waiting for Henry Pollock (21 years old), the youngest English scorer of a try in the Six Nations, to continue taking steps forward within a team that is possibly one step ahead of its rivals on a physical level. England’s biggest challenge, however, seems to be the calendar: the title will possibly be played on the last day in Paris.
France defends the title, but its feelings are not so good after a tough November in which it accumulated four consecutive defeats against the giants of the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand and South Africa. Today’s debut at home against Ireland will give the true measure of the possibilities of a Gallo XV in which the big news is the return of its star and captain, Antoine Dupont, after nine months out.
Ireland won the Six Nations in 2023 and 2024, but failed last year to make it three in a row. It is in an era of generational change since the retirement of Johnny Sexton, and will also be without one of its best men, center Bundee Aki, for three games due to suspension.
One step below is Scotland, which has not won the tournament since the 20th century but has one of the best fly-halfs, Finn Russell, and will enjoy the best schedule, hosting England and France at home. Italy, which defeated Australia by surprise in November, aspires again to avoid the wooden spoon of the bottom, which seems reserved for Wales, the weakest team in recent years. He did not beat anyone in the last edition and aims to repeat it.
