S2 Ep 21 - Six Nations One Podcast

A shock retirement, a tournament on edge, and three games that could rewrite the pecking order—this Six Nations kickoff special goes deep where the headlines meet the hard questions. We start by reflecting on Uini Atonio’s sudden exit and what he changed about front-row play: mass with skill, power with evolution. From there, we chart the tournament’s pressure points: England’s shift from blunt force to clean edges, France’s selection theatre and the tantalising promise of a Dupont–Jalibert–Ramos axis, and Ireland’s tightrope walk between an aging core and the grind of a five-week campaign with only one rest window.

We break down Scotland’s choice to stay the course—talent in the XV but a thin 23—while Italy’s rise looks real, built on a solid scrum, sharper kicking, and a backline that can turn territory into panic. Wales carry undeniable strike threats out wide, yet the off-field storm risks drowning momentum unless they forge a tight bond with supporters and find parity up front. Along the way, we spotlight players to watch: mobile locks who stabilise line-outs, back-row terriers who tilt breakdowns, and wings who need early ball rather than endless kick-chase. Expect bold predictions, honest assessments, and a clear view of how set-piece pressure, aerial control, and bench impact can decide tight contests.

We also share fantasy rugby tips—value picks, super-sub strategy, and a new scoring wrinkle that rewards smart kicking—plus a quick tour of the U20s pipeline where France’s academy minutes and England’s pack depth hint at a fierce future. If you want a guide to what truly matters this round—matchups, momentum, and the moments that flip a table—this is your map. Enjoy the ride, share it with a rugby friend, and if it hits the spot, subscribe and leave a review to help more fans find the show.

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Transcript

Banter, Birthdays And Club Rugby Wins

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Rux and hello. That's right. It's the fans favourite rugby podcast brought to you by the fans favourite rugby podcast host. That's right. It's me, Dave, back again for some more rugby podcasting with Rory. Rory, say hello to the listener. Hello, hello listeners. Hello, David. How are you? I'm very good, thank you. I'm very good. How are you, Rory? How are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:31

I'm in it. I'm in the wars. In the wars this weekend, David.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Story time. Story time.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

Story time. Well, the good news out of the way first. Another big W for the Lions. We're in the cup final. Oh, what a day. We went away to East London. Yeah. Play East London rugby club. We had a bit of a mixed squad, bit of a mixture in twos and threes. So going up with a little bit of trepidation, thinking this could be a tough even tough afternoon for us.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Coming away, the big 34-7 win.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

Oh, fantastic, fantastic news. I did see uh Westcliff were able to put out a picture of uh your handsome face with the score result, which was very pleasing.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Uh yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I mean anything just to build the content around it.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Well, I I'm I imagine the views, likes, and retweets were through the roof for that particular bit of content for Westcliff Rugby Club.

SPEAKER_00 1:25

A real spike in engagement for West Cliff Rugby Club off the back of that, yeah. Absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

Uh, how about your own performance? And why are you in the wars? What's happened?

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Well, performance-wise, absolutely fine. Back up to Tighthead this weekend. So back in my uh rather large Lu said, not tall, just a South African fellow who was six foot wide, six foot deep, and six foot circumference thighs. So a lot of um a lot of extra extra pushing and pulling for me at scrum time.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Uh but no, come away with a couple of um couple of injuries, David. So my ankle's gone, and uh I uh at the line out I went I attempted to um jump and tip a ball across uh from us from the floor, and their their jumper fell on top of my head and pressed my neck. So Right, okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Is this gonna is this gonna keep you out of action for any length of time or are you just gonna nurse nurse your way through the street?

SPEAKER_00 2:19

I just feel nurse as I think once the neck relaxes I'll be alright, but I'm a bit um I'm a bit wooden today uh in my movements.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Oh dear. Well, obviously uh myself and all the listeners wish you a speedy recovery from your uh your ailments.

SPEAKER_00 2:33

Much appreciated, much appreciated. And yourself, any news, any activity? It was uh someone's big uh 35th birthday last week, am I remember?

SPEAKER_01 2:43

It was my 35th birthday on Friday, and um yeah, there's certain ages you get to where birthdays become less significant, Rory, let's say. Uh there's no wild party at your 35th birthday party.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Um maybe your 35th birthday party, I fully intend mine to be raucous.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Okay, there's no wild party uh when your partner is nine months pregnant. Yeah, that's a that's a better excuse. Yeah. Uh plus I'm not massive. I'm not massive in the party scene these days, Rory. Those uh those shoes are well well hung up.

SPEAKER_00 3:21

Unless I was I was there when David was wearing his dancing shoes, and uh you've all missed out on a trait the fact these hung those up.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Maybe maybe they'll be dust off again one day. We'll see. Uh but yeah, um yeah, nothing significant of note really to report. Uh uh the the baby is still in situ, uh yet yet to be evicted, but uh more on that in uh the days and weeks to come, I suspect.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Um I mean, how um how upset with your uh soon-to-be child are you gonna be if they decide to arrive right in the middle of a uh an England Six Stations game?

SPEAKER_01 3:55

Uh I'm confident that will not be an issue. I'm confident that will not be an issue.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

I would worry that would be a bad sign for uh future um future endeavours to turn them into a world-class prop.

Atonio’s Sudden Retirement And Legacy

SPEAKER_01 4:07

No, no, no. Uh all measures are being put in place to avoid that. And uh no stone left unturned. But uh yes, w without without being too direct to the line, uh the the date is known when he is arriving. Excellent. So we all look forward to that. Me particularly. But you know, less about us, Rory. That's a that's enough jibber-jabber about us. Let's get into what these people came for. Yeah, these people, I'm surprised they're still listening. Thank you if you still are listening. We're here to talk rugby. True for what is our Six Nations kickoff pod. Uh, we're gonna be talking all things six nations. We know the Praing Rugby Cup was this last weekend. We don't care. Yes, the Northampton Saints youngsters actually beat a decent first ring Leicester Tigers, but no, we're not gonna dig into that because it's Six Nations time. Uh so we're predominantly gonna be talking that. But first of all, we're gonna start off uh with a single solitary piece of huge rugby news, which is uh well, it's not good news in any way, shape, or form. Uh it's the news uh around uh Uini Atonio, um, who's had to make a kind of shock retirement call for the back of well what sounded like a pretty horrific cardiac attack of some sort. Uh how how how did you take that news, Rory? Because obviously he's he's a player that you and I both would look up to as a prop. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Um yeah, it's it's it's a s it's a tough one to take, really, because you know, obviously we're not we're not French and we're not you know we're not La Rochelle fans, but you know, there's a we're still human, Rory. We're we we're human, but there's you know, in particular there's a there's an affinity with a player that I think you and I can both um look at and go, well that's who I could have been.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Yeah, I get I get what you mean, yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

You know, that's that's that's that that was a player I could have aspired to have emulated if um circumstances yeah, if if if we were ever to have been in a world where we somehow did make it professionally, it would have been as a similar sort of player as Uili Atonio because we are of certain statures and uh we fit the mould of Uini Atonio rather than Harry Randall.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Yeah, yeah, precisely, precisely. And as well as anything else, I mean it's just been such a fixture of international and European rugby for I mean, what the last decade really, I suppose. Yeah, he's um he's and you know he's such a giant of the game in in every sense of the word. You know, it's such a big hole for France and Arochelle to fill from a playing perspective. But from the way you've heard his teammates and Ron Ogara speak about him, I mean it sounds like he's leaving a giant hole just from the force of his personality and and you know the way everyone thought of him, which is obviously the the bigger, bigger thing here, you know. It's this is but for someone who's a a professional athlete to the standard of being a mainstay of a French scrum, you know, that is that holds that sort of thing holds a certain weight culturally. But that for that person to just suddenly have to disappear and and um and leave the sport because of something so unforeseen, it's um it's obviously very jarring as fans, but I can't imagine what it must be for obviously for him and his family, and then just for his teammates as well, because he he must just leave such a big hole there, and you know, this is this is a bloke who's he's so good, they've they've talked they talked him out of go of retiring internationally because they just knew how hard it would be to replace him. Um, and what a player, you know. I mean just there's there's something primal about rugby where you just have to admire the physics of it, and Winnie Otonio is one of those kind of players that he applies the laws of physics in the way he plays the game, you know, forced forced because mass times acceleration sort of thing. It's it's you know, those kind of players are are breathtaking because of their size, you know. You you think of the likes of Ben Tamafuna, uh Will Skelton, even Andrew Sheridan back in the day when we were growing up, you know, these just kind of behemoth-sized players are so um iconic in the sport, and it you know, he's always fun to watch.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

I mean, you know, there's the the excitement you get it as a fan in a crowd watching a game when you see someone like Winnie Otonio has lined up someone like say Harry Randall, yeah, and there's a fizz of excitement because you know you're about to watch physics applied, and it you know, it's those kind of players create that excitement, you know. Uh you know, we're obviously great lovers of the scrum because I genuinely believe, and I believe they've done telemetric testing on this. The physical excitement levels raise when a scrum hits. There's something about that battle that's very that speaks to people on a very primal level, yes, and someone like Wini Antonio who absolutely epitomizes it. You know, you just you've got to have a sense of respect and love for players like that, and to lose in so suddenly to the sport is is such tragedy. I mean, obviously we we wish him well and we you know hope he makes the full recovery, you know. Can't speculate what the um the cause of of any of this is, but just the fact that it's such a well, a major event to someone who's playing professional sport is just so jarring.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Yeah, yeah. Just uh it's it's the nature of it where you it's like you an immediate retirement, you just you your thoughts do go out to kind of him and his family. I always look back at uh Uidi Antonio, so I kind of feel like he was at the forefront of this movement of you can still you can be an absolute man mountain, but you can still have good skills and you can still be kind of functional as a rugby player and not just a kind of anchor in a scrum. And I think he he was kind of one of the first like forerunners in that mold, I'd say.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

And I think also he he was, but he also he got better at it. You know, he actually got he became a more effective ball carrier, yeah, he became a more effective ball player throughout his career. You know, he didn't like rest on his laurels, he didn't rest on his size, he evolved and developed as a player to become, you know, someone more than what you know he maybe started out as. You know, and those kind of characters in a team environment are massive because they set such a big example. So it's you know, it it it leaves a hole in so many different ways for the people who know it. And then for for us as fans, it leaves it it leaves just a massive hole on the pitch. And obviously, you know, it it creates questions about you know how France's gonna go, but that's you know, that's obviously immaterial to the bigger question of you know, just let's just hope that Winnio Tonio recovers and you know and is is able to get back to some level of normality because it's just it's such a jarring thing for him to just have to disappear from the sport, yeah. Um yeah, but yeah, I mean it's just awful, awful news for him, and just uh you know, a tragic event for him.

Six Nations Scope And England’s Game Plan

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Yeah, it always does feel a little bit trivial when we're gonna be going on talking about a rugby competition that is just you know a sport being played by people uh after talking about someone whose life is having an an altering moment and his health is not at the best. So uh it is always a bit trivial when you think of it that way. And like in the grand scheme of things, the most important thing is that his health does get better and he does manage to um yeah, make a full recovery and back either back in the sport in another fashion or whatever he does choose to go on and do. Uh but we will do that trivial thing, and we are gonna go on and talk about rugby. Uh yes. What a lovely segue. Uh so we're gonna dig into the Six Nations, we're gonna talk about each each nation, we're gonna talk about how we think the tournament's gonna start unfolding after week one. Uh maybe a few players to look out for, maybe some predictions on who may be having a breakout, Six Nations this year. Uh we'll talk about our fantasy Six Nation teams and things like that. And at the end, maybe I'll give you some little under-twenties sneak peeks. We'll see. But we'll get into it, Rory, and we'll just we'll go through team by team, because obviously all the squads have been announced. Uh and this is the Six Nations special, and we need to give people the context about what we're talking about. And that context are the squads that have been announced. So let's start off like real quick run through England wise. I know we spoke about a little bit last week. What what are the headlines for the lister to be thinking and focusing on when they're thinking about England's squad, this Six Nations?

SPEAKER_00 12:57

For me, the headlines are does does the game plan evolve on again from where it was in the autumn? Do we start to see England applying more attacking now? You know, do we start to see Lee Blackett's fingerprints more so on the on the attacking uh blueprint of the of this team? You know, will we start to see Manu Fewa Boso be utilized better um and more frequently than than maybe he has been uh or was in the in the autumn where he was used a bit but maybe arguably not enough? Are we gonna start to see the likes of uh Tommy Freeman, who we've obviously we're we're recording this on a Monday, so we have seen the England team is starting at centre with Fraser Dingwall. You know, how are we gonna see that applied? How does he um how does that affect things like chasing the highball? You know, how are they gonna set up with that? And then I think the the question the question for me, big question for me with England on this this year, look, they've got as good a chance as they'll they've had for some time to go all the way and hit a grand slam this year. That's not to say they will. There's a massive challenge, particularly at the end of the tournament, away at France. Yeah. What I think will be a decider. But the question for me is how well can they dispatch the other teams? You know, can they dispatch Ireland at Twickenham convincingly? Yeah, can they go to Murrayfield and put a real show on uh and beat that Scotland team convincingly in a fixture that they have really struggled in in recent years? How convincing can they be against Wales this week in the opening fixture? How convincing can they be against a rapidly improving Italy that have got some real players in their team? For me, this is now you have to accept that England are at this top table of team international teams at the moment, but if you want to stay at the top table, you have to keep making statement wins like they did against New Zealand. Yeah, so they now have to make real statements going into that final France game and be on a uh a trajectory to go and dominate France in Paris if they want to if they want to achieve the things that they're talking about in terms of nations championships, world cups.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

Now, this is now we're what 18 months out from the next World Cup. England have to be putting in statement performances week on week, and yeah, you know, this is a good chance that they'll have to do that.

SPEAKER_01 15:24

Yeah, this definitely feels like the best chance to really put a marker down to say what this this group's about. Um I th I think for me the thing I'm really looking forward to seeing is how this pack evolves because we've always talked about how the the back row depth in England is incredibly rich. Uh I think we're starting to see the second row depth being incredibly rich, the front row debate. We are carrying a few injuries in that space. But there's a lot of talent. I'm I'm reasonably comfortable with the players we've still got. I'm I'm not worried. I don't think that's going to be something that's a weakness for us still.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

So I'm I still think that their scrum will hold up very well. I reckon there's a there are question marks to me about Bevan Ron and Trevor Davidson coming on against France in the final game, depending on who on how the French scrum actually picks up in this tournament, which is obviously a big bigger question now with with uh Weenie's retirement.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

But if you look across the tournament, there aren't actually a plethora of very strong scrums in the Six Nations this year. No probably make the argument that Wales have some of the stronger props with the likes of Nicky Smith, Thomas Francis, I think it's coming back into the team. So Wales could well have actually a surprisingly strong scrum this weekend. Italy will probably have the one of the strongest scrums of this this tournament.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Scotland may have one of the strongest scrums, but it's never you're never quite sure how the Scotland Scrum's going to perform. It probably depends on how well Xander Fagason goes. Um Ireland are down three loose heads, and France are obviously down with the Otonio at this moment in time. So it's a big question mark. There's an opportunity for Trevor Davis and Beverrod to really lay down a mark at this tournament.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I I for me that feels like something really worth uh honing in on. Uh but that but that's England, Roy. Let's switch over to probably their biggest uh rivals in the Grand Slam slash title question. Yeah, that'd be France. And uh is it safe to say the selection policy's been particularly French this season?

France: Selection Drama And 9-10-15 Puzzle

SPEAKER_00 17:32

Yeah, I mean the French psycho drama's sort of ramped up pretty pretty early this this year. I mean, drop in Damien Panault, Gregory Aldrie, and um Fiku. Yeah, I mean you firstly you have got to have some serious confidence of the players you're picking to drop those three. Yeah. Um and you know, there's there's speculation as to why they've been dropped. Uh I think it sounds attitudinal with with Aldrich didn't want to go to the New Zealand tour last year and thinks it feels like he's been um frozen out by Gaultier. Fiku, I don't really know the reason there because for me, Fiku, if Fiku's fit, you pick Fiku because he is a phenom. But there's they you know they have got some incredible centres coming through that we'll obviously talk more about. Yeah, Damian Penot is the head scratcher for me. Um there's speculation, is it is it the kick chase, is it the high ball? For me, I reckon it's Henry Henry Pollock, just to uh put the nail in the coffin, I reckon. I look that genuinely it could be something along those kind of lines, but for me, you you revamp your tactics to to wear that when you've got someone that good. Yeah, yeah. Maybe it's a case that they think we can't cover Ramos and Penno and BRBRA in the backfield against the kicking tactics of everyone we're gonna play against, which is potentially valid, right? Possibly, yeah. And maybe, I mean, the again the speculation that Penno hasn't done the work that someone like BRBRA has done to improve in that area and approving his defensive positioning. Again, you know, it's all kind of speculation because no one else can really fathom dropping Damian Penno because he's just that good. Yeah, that being said, you look at the players that have come in and are coming in. Um Dreana Toulon, Atisogby from Poe, you know, it's they are not shorter talent back there.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

No, I I'm I'm fairly confident they're not gonna be lacking much skill in the wing back department. They've still picked an incredibly, incredibly strong squad, which I think really resonates how strong the top 14 is at the moment because you just go through that that squad list and it is it is a an embarrassment of riches, really, in every position. Obviously, the headline being DuPont's back, yeah. And it seems like we might be seeing uh a bit of a U-turn from Gaultier. Uh he might be trying out a DuPont Jalibert 9-10 combo.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

So this is for me, France's tournament hinges on, and they square the circle of getting DuPont and Jalibert both on the pitch at the same time performing at their absolute best.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

You can't fathom a world where players that good can't figure it out together. You know, again, people are speculating whether it's a personality thing, whatever it is. I for me, I think the best players in the world are able to adapt and succeed with the best players around them. There's no reason why they can't do that. If they if they're not doing that, you you actually have to take a much wider look at the the environment there. Is it actually down to those two players? Is it down to a bigger problem in you know starting from Gaultier or any other environmental factors that you know because there's an element of it's a dereliction of duty not to pick both those players, particularly right at the moment, the way they're both playing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know if you've seen some of Dupont's highlights from the weekend. He actually played Fly Harford to lose. Of course he did. I mean, on rail, on rail. Um, and you've still got Ramos at the back doing Ramos things and obviously kicking every every goal. You know, that nine, ten, fifteen access for France, if it clicks, is uh scary. It could could be by some distance the best in the world. Oh, for sure. I mean, genuinely, I mean, and I I'd say I'd say I'm gonna say that confidently, no one else has on paper a better 9, 10, 15 access at the moment. And you know, I include South Africa in that, I include New Zealand in that, I include England in that. Yeah, it but it is it is purely a case with the French is can they square the circle of getting these players on the pitch at the same time performing to the best of their ability? Yeah, if they do that, there's a potential chance that they are unstoppable.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yes, I think that's that's the scary proposition. Because I think if they do do that and they do get those those players to really gel and for whatever reason it's not worked in the past, and they can get over that and it does start clicking. England's grand slam hopes do get a little bit slimmer, I think, because if on form and if they're clicking, like France could become almost unstoppable, uh, at least certainly in the northern hemisphere.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

The other the other question is whether you can punish them at at set piece. Now that is a that is a p that is a a question that's not often said of French teams, but actually the reason they wanted Otonio back out of retirement was because they are not confident in their depth at tight head at the moment. They've got no Fontan, I think Cormier, I think it's in there. These aren't players that have set the world alight um in that position yet. But you know, you've still got Marshawn Malvaca, you've still got Cyril Bay, you know, they may they may go back to someone like an Al Diguery and just pick an out and out scrummage in tight head. You know, you've still got Miafu and Flamon, uh obviously not Flamon this week, but who Beckham you'd imagine for the second week, Guyard in the you know, you've still got strong tight five options, yeah, but if there's a weakness at tight head, someone like Alice Genge in the form that he's in, if you can get him right for that game, you you could well be able to pressure them there, and you may be able to pressure them at the line out. You know, we'll see someone like Alex Cole's only Chesham, the guys can do that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

So that's either going to be a real positive or a real negative of England playing France last and twelve, because either it would have been exposed by them that that is their weakness, or it's given France enough time to figure out how to get around that weakness. So I think so. I think that that's the bit to watch with France, I'd say.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

Um for me, those are the two questions. Can they get the 9, 10, 15 axis working, and how does their set piece hold up? If those if they answer those two questions positively, it'd be very difficult to look past them as as winners of the tournament.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

That that final game against England is going to be one Humdinger. Uh, I agree. I I I feel that's gonna be the decider. And I already can't wait. Uh moving on to probably historically the main rivals for this competition, but as we have uh publicly stated, not too distant past, that we feel this nation may be on the decline. Uh Ireland um already having, let's say, not the best start to their Six Nations campaign. Uh I think that the headline being Bundiaki getting kicked out for some bizarre behaviour. Uh, and as you mentioned before, their their loose head propping challenges. What what do you make of the the the proposition of Ireland this year in the Six Nations?

Ireland’s Aging Core And Set-Piece Doubts

SPEAKER_00 24:28

Well, there's sort of two aspects to it. I mean, the first part I think is you've got to say that the um the lack of future planning is potentially coming back to bite them here. They have been holding on to a squad that's been aging really since the last World Cup, if if we're being honest. You know, the likes of Bundiaki phenomenal player, right? Well classed on his day, but he is 35, you know, Robbie Henshaw's in his 30s, uh Connor Murray's only just really coming out of the squad now, you know, Glenn's in his 30s, you know, Type Burns in his 30s, Erlon's in his 30s. Um James Lowe. You know, James Lowe in his 30s now. Not this isn't, you know, we're in our 30s, you know, you're not dead in your 30s, but I know what it feels like to be 35. Yeah, yeah. A big part of managing a squad is knowing when to refresh it and when to um filter in the new names. And the we'll talk about some of the kind of ones to watch, and I've got a few with Ireland. They have got some very exciting youngsters who could really freshen up this squad and get genuine talent. They do, just yeah. They left it too late. Have you left it? Have they left it too late to to get that those test match minutes into them? And are they now already at a risk of having to throw too many in too early to cover who's missing now? You know, I I think that there's there's two ways it goes for Ireland, and it's and unfortunately, I think it's quite a binary choice between unmitigated disaster and absolute phenomenon. And it's very hard to because that you know, there's no doubt they've still got a lot of superb players, yeah. You know, you still got Kaylin Doris, Josh Van der Fleer, Dan Sheehan, you know, Tad Bone is still you know, he's a bit older, but he's still phenomenal, you know. There's obviously the fly half question, you know, if they go for Harry Byrne, who's bit by all accounts smashing it for Leinster at the moment, you know, you still got someone like Gary Ringrose knocking around. Yeah, there's a lot of really, really talented players there. Can they gel enough new players in that squad, refresh it, bring a bit of fresh impetus, and implement the this kind of famous blueprint that Ireland always put in? If they do that, they're they're still contenders for this tournament. Yeah, yeah. My my thing is I think too much of this is now enforced. There's too much enforced change because of injuries and suspensions and you know, form fault charts. And they're in to some extent victims of their own success, where they've doubled down on the same squad because it kept winning. Yeah. And they've may I think they may still have reached that tipping point where you know the you don't you can't reach the same levels week in, week out. And bear in mind there's one there's one less rest week in this tournament. You know, this is a slog of a tournament for international teams. Yeah, there's only one rest week between five fierce matches you're gonna have to play. Do Ireland have the depth and experience to wear that across five weeks? I I have my doubts if I'm honest.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

Yeah, no, I I I'm definitely with you there, and I I do I I foresee them being a little bit exposed by the better teams. Uh I think I I think definitely the set piece is a massive concern for me if I was an Irish fan. I think we could see that getting targeted by each nation, and they're gonna have to come up with a game plan to try and avoid that being used against them in every single game. Because I I can see the likes of Wales, Italy, Scotland, uh as well as England and France really targeting that and trying to put the screw on. Um we saw what South Africa did to them. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Scotland Stasis And Depth Concerns

SPEAKER_00 28:05

And you know, that that is a so that the South African scrum and everyone else's scrum are not the same thing. I'm not saying that, but you know, the scrum the scrum is a weapon for a reason. If you can put the screws on them there, and then if you look at the likes of England and France in particular, the physicality and the athleticism they have in the rest of the pack, and they can that Irish pack stand up to it and keep standing up to it week on week, again, I've got my doubts at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yeah, and I think for me it's historically Ireland have all always had quite a strong 23. I think now these question marks come in. I I don't see an Irish bench coming off and having the same impact as an English or French bench will do this tournament. Yeah. Uh and I think that that could be where we start to see the real difference. I think that's where I think that's certainly where England and France will set themselves apart from everyone else this tournament, I suspect. Uh, but that's Ireland. Um let's move on to Scotland. Uh in their sixth or seventh year of being in their golden generation. Um I think I think that the headline for this squad that I've picked out is that there's not a single uncapped player, so they're really rolling the same dice. Uh what's the definition of insanity, Rory?

SPEAKER_00 29:16

Um being Gregor Townsend. Um, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I I don't want to be negative about Scotland because it we have suffered enough at the hands of Scotland in recent years to know how good this team is when it's when it wants to be there. Yes. The question is, can this team get up for it week in, week out? Their record against Ireland shows they can't. Um their record basically suggests they can get up for one game or one game alone, and that's when they play England. Precisely. Um, do I think they can deliver this tournament? No, if I'm honest. Um, and that's that's not to denigrate the the quality of the players that are there. Um history just suggests that they they don't have it in them to to deliver, you know, five games uh in a row. Um I I think there's a case whereby you could implement much of a Glasgow game plan with the added stardust of the likes of Finn Russell and get a real tune out of this team. For whatever reason, they just haven't really been able to do that. There's lots of talented players coming through. I think you know Freddie Douglas, I've talked about him plenty of times already on this year. I'm really impressed by what by him and where he's going. I think McConnell on the other side of Enderborough as are also they're both um real talents for the future, but it looks like they're being dropped from this week.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

Um also from a propping perspective, I again I don't think he's going to be involved, but Oli Bly of Lafferty, he's been a bit dropped in the twenties. Yeah. He's well, I th I think they're really I think they're at risk of doing an Island Mark II because you've named some seriously talented youngsters who I would be blooding now.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

Um there's the the stakes are such that Scotland need to develop a 23, which they just haven't had. And they it's been their Achilles here this whole time throughout this entire golden generation Malarkey. They've got a 15, they've had a strong 15, we've seen that, but they haven't had a 23 realistically, yeah. And my my gut says that they don't have the 23 to do it this year either.

Italy’s Rise, Scrum Steel And Playmakers

SPEAKER_01 31:27

No, no, um I I I can't see it, and I don't I don't look at a Scotland team now and think, oh, that's as much of a banana skin as it used to be. And I think some of their really kind of pivotal players, like you look at Dohan Van der Merva now, he doesn't really dropped yeah, but who's behind him? Their wings, like is Darcy Graham like are they in great rich form at the moment? Are they I I think the way modern rugby's changed, like the way wingers play, I don't think the way rugby is being played by the likes of England and France, Darcy Graham's that's not his strength in the air and stuff like that, and that's where the game's going. I don't and I don't I I question whether Scotland's moved with the times with this golden generation.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Well, they they haven't maximised it while they've added. That's the you know, that is the long and short of it. This this golden generation has other than Calcutta Cups, has basically not achieved anything. So um look I I don't rule them out entirely because there there is a team in there that could click and cause damage to anyone, but recent recent history just tells me that they're not gonna do it this year.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

No, uh maybe their biggest rivals for you know potentially fourth of the table, Rory. Italy. Different trajectory, I'd say. Um yeah. What do you make of this Italy squad this season?

SPEAKER_00 32:50

Look, I'd have been a lot more excited if Todorow hadn't got injured last week because I think he brings something to the back three and thirteen options that they kind of need.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

I think he would have been a great super sub for them, especially because they're missing Capuzzo as well, aren't they?

SPEAKER_00 33:04

They're missing Capuzzo. I think he'll be back by the end of the tournament, but he's gonna be out for at least the first game. I think it's a broken finger he's got. So um he's yeah, but there is still a huge amount to like about this Italian side. If you look at the squad, there's a couple uh we'll talk again, we'll talk about some ones to watch, but there's some lads who have come into the pack in the um who could add some real bolster to it. Yeah, um, obviously, you still got Men and Cello, you know, Brex and Cello as as you said a partnership is still world class, yeah. And the thing that they haven't really had really for actually decades, probably since Troncom, is in form top class or world class scrum halves, and in Pajarello and Stephen Varney, yeah, you've got two players there who are at the moment playing the rugby of their lives. Pajarello's obviously covering for Luku for Bordeaux. Now he's got the benefit of being in a Bordeaux side, but that does help every game I watched him play over the last few weeks in Europe, he looked phenomenal. Stephen Varney's been sensation at Exeter. Yeah. If Garbisi has his head on and plays well, with as a and they get that halfback partnership going, they could be a real, real handful. Because if they end up with a a quality kicking game, the set piece stays solid, there is enough talent in that team to frighten a few others. So um, you know, I don't think it's Italy's year to I don't think they'll beat England, I don't think this is the year they'll beat England, but I think that's coming. Um but is Italy's year to take more than one scalp, you know, their record points all was 11 two years ago. Yeah. I think Wales, Italy, the final game that is as a defor Wales that could well be the their final. But I also think Scotland will have to be on their metal. I think Ireland will have to be on their metal. I mean, I think everyone will be, but I s I suspect Italy will be in line to take a couple of extra scalps this year, and they and you know we've we've been here before, but I genuinely think this squad is in a position to take advantage of the hype.

Wales’ Talent Amid Off-Field Turmoil

SPEAKER_01 35:13

Yeah, yeah, I I I agree. They have they have some uh some serious players coming through, and like we took we've talked about depth that they are building a 23 rather than a 15. Uh, and I I do like what they're doing over at Italian rugby. So it'll be interesting to see how this tournament goes. I I agree, I don't think this is the one they all of a sudden surprise everyone and they go and get a grand slam. Like that's not on the cards, I don't think, but I do think two, maybe three scalps is very doable for them. Uh, so it is exciting, it's exciting. It does make um the Six Nations is more than just England versus France people, is what I'm saying. Uh do we talk uh a little bit about our depleted friends over over the bridge in Wales?

SPEAKER_00 35:54

Uh yeah, well we we we need to because I saw Griff at the weekend. So cousin Griff was super blind about things, yeah. Um I think for me, right? Here's here's what I'm gonna say that's I I I think there is the green shoots of optimism for Wales. If you look at their first 15, at least on paper, I look at that team and I think, okay, Jack Morgan not being there aside, which is obviously a massive loss. Yeah, I still look at that and I think that's pretty good. There's a lot of very good players in that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Well, if if I was to say to you a back back three of Lewis Re-Samet, Blair Murray, and Gabriel Hamer Webb, that's dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 36:34

I mean, I'd I'd make the case of going Elliot Mee, Lewis Re-Samet, Tom Rogers. Well, there you go. Tom Rogers got a hat-trick against New Zealand. You know, okay. So there's depth, there's options there, right? There are genuine good players, and we know that Wales historically you can almost it in it sometimes discount the form of the regions because they're often the greater greater than some of their parts when it comes to the national team. That is that is the historical nature of Wales. Now, that being said, can they block out the noise? Can they block out the negativity? Can they Yeah, how much how much is that going to be coming into camp with them? There is so much drama in the background of Welsh rugby at the moment with the regions and um and the toxic relationship between the WRU and the fans at the moment. The fans will always support the players on the pitch, but if they're if the results are bad, how quickly does it become a toxic spiral in this tournament? Yeah, you know, this if they go to Twickenham this weekend and put on a showing, you know, I think asking for a result is probably a bit of a stretch, but put on a showing, then the the fans will probably stick with them. Yeah. If it's as bad this weekend as it was last year in Cardiff or worse, and they don't then pick up any results of the Principality, you could see a real toxic spiral very quickly, yeah. Which I really hope doesn't happen because I think Welsh rugby adds to this tournament so much. But the the question the question for me isn't the quality of the players, really, at the moment, because I think the quality is actually there, yeah, yeah, I agree. Um, but the question is entirely can they create an environment and a feeling and an emotional connection with the fans to build something, take something out of this tournament? It's a big question, it's a big if at the moment because it's so bad.

SPEAKER_01 38:27

It is. Um it's a real shame that all this is going on in Welsh rugby because I I feel like they're they're not necessarily on the precipice of another really good generation, but there's there's certainly enough really exciting youngsters either who have just broken through or on the the the edge of breaking through, yeah, where you could start to see reasons to be excited to be watching the Welsh national team again. But all this noise in the background and all this stuff that's going on that gives that by for no like I don't blame the players for being distracted with what's going on. So it really doesn't create an environment that where they're going to be able to give their best each each week, week in, week out. Um and it's been going on for so long now. I think I think that is causing almost the reputation and well, we're probably guilty of it ourselves of just kind of writing off whales. It it'll probably get into their own heads because the media writes them off, everyone writes them off. And I it was it two, three years ago, they were going into the first round of six nations, and we didn't know that the Welsh players were gonna come out because they're gonna be on strike. Like this isn't this isn't new territory for Welsh rugby that they've kind of been in turmoil for so long. You do wonder what what is that impact to Welsh rugby that is gonna be a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 39:39

The problem is every time every time you think they've hit bedrock, it gets worse. Um and I don't say I don't say that with any glee. No, it it but they they continually and I I put this squarely at the figure, right? I don't put I don't put this on the players, I don't put it on the coaches, you know, I don't I don't put it on the fans. I put this squarely at the figure. At the moment, every time you think they've hit the bedrock of how bad it can be, it gets worse.

SPEAKER_02 40:08

Yeah.

Week One Stakes And Atmosphere

SPEAKER_00 40:09

And you know, as I say, all all I think you can hope for is that they are able to build something through this tournament that can create at least that kind of emotional connection between the team and the fans. Yeah, I think that's no way. That can carry Welsh rugby a long way. Yeah, it won't fix all the fundamental problems, they've still got to address all that, and you know, even if they came away with a much better show in this tournament than than anyone's expecting, it that doesn't paper over the cracks. Yeah, they always they need to deliver in spite of the WRU, not because of. And do you know what? Deliver in spite of the W, and then every opportunity you've got, stick it in, stick it up 'em, you know, and tell and tell them we're doing this despite you, not because of you. And that will probably build in the relationship with the fans. But at the moment, um I think the worry is that the kind of internal turmoil, the emotional toll it's going to take on the players, the worries they've got about jobs and families and careers and all that kind of stuff, it is going to be very, very difficult to build a uh an environment that that can create results. And I think Steve Tandy's a good bloke, and by all accounts, you know, really good at getting getting people on side and you know, not just good tactically but good emotionally. But he has got a real uphill battle. And I'm sorry to say, I just I worry quite deeply about what what this tournament could look like if it if if things start badly.

SPEAKER_01 41:36

Yeah, which it it very well could do. And I think that feels like a good segue into uh what what do we see week one looking like? Uh obviously it kicks off Thursday night. Um kind of on a Thursday, but you know, I'm fine with that. Uh how how do you see week one playing out?

SPEAKER_00 41:55

Um well, interestingly enough, I'm actually gonna be in France uh on Thursday. I'm I'm travelling to France with work, so I'm gonna be in Cannes Thursday night. So I'm gonna try and find a local establishment to watch it with with some of the locals around there. Um and it'll be I'll be really interested to see how uh how they're feeling about it, you know, because I would love to know how confident the French fans are in their national team at the moment. I don't really have a sense of that. No, um it could be obviously so it's on Thursday because there's a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, and effectively French TV has said put this on a Thursday. Yeah, yeah. So I I mean I don't care, to be honest. I'm it works for you, it works for me, and it's it just means that I get to watch Six Nations a day early. Right, I'm more than happy with that. Um, this the open being France Ireland, the way that kind of rivalry's been in the last few years, for all I've said about the question about surrounds of the Irish squad, this could really set the tone for the tournament. Um, so we'll do kind of score predictions a bit later on, but I think this game could really set the tone for the tournament. I'm really looking forward to it because the French evening game, curtain raiser, the fact that the fact that you've got in France the curtain raiser and the curtain closer in evening games, the French do night games so well, yeah, yeah. They make they they're so good at the spectacle of it. Yeah, I I think it could really um really set this tournament alight, set the pulses racing. So I'm really looking forward to that. You know, it's it's can the French will the French turn up on the night? Can Ireland hit the levels to compete? There's a load of great questions about it, but um Thursday night can't come quickly enough for me because I genuinely think it's it's it's gonna be a spine tingling.

SPEAKER_01 43:41

Yeah, just hurry up and then hurry up time.

SPEAKER_00 43:43

And then on Saturday you've got the opportunity for Italy to take a big scalp. Yeah. I think you know, I genuinely think they'll they'll target that game and then uh England to to lay down a marker for what they're gonna do in twenty twenty six. So it's potentially three really, really significant consequential games. um for for more than just this tournament but particularly in this tournament so I'm really I think week one is is potentially one to to build a real excitement for for the kind of the viewing public because I I genuinely think this could be um more than just significant.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

Yeah yeah I I'm hoping how this gets played I'm hoping it sets up for what should be a very compelling tournament in total and I'm hoping yeah round one sets that scene perfectly depending on critical games obviously I don't know how what the results are but I I feel like it could set the scene perfectly for what the tournament could potentially be.

Players To Watch: France And Ireland

SPEAKER_00 44:40

I'm gonna swap around the order a little bit Rory I'm gonna go into players to watch to start off with yeah obviously going into going into week one who are the players that you have your eyes on specifically going into week one yeah so I was doing this before a lot of the teams have been announced this is this is subject to election obviously obviously the only team that's been announced so far is England. Yeah um for France the names people should have uh should be looking out for this week I think Guyard who can play lock and eight yeah uh really big rangy skillful um you know if they put him at lock with flamon missing the that extra athleticism could be really significant um atasolkby who I my bet is who they're gonna bring in for Penot absolute wheels yeah um Gorges there's a big question mark over who France are going to pick in the centres I'm betting they're gonna pick Gorghese from uh Toulouse who looks class I mean class real class he's he is one to watch this tournament if you've not seen him before assuming he gets picked and I think he probably will because he's that good he is qualité yeah and then finally for France Oscar Jagu um the LaRochelle back rower comes centre again at the forefront of this kind of hybrid hybrid player um throwing ahead slightly could well be a great option at super sub in the fantasy game yes if you can't if you haven't got the money for for Pollock Shigou's not that option yeah well keep the powder dry keep the powder dry dry yeah I I agree uh I I wonder with uh Gorges uh part of the reason for Fiku being dropped is because they see him as the heir apparent and they just want to get him in there.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

Uh but they have got some other feelings like so I think uh Fabian Broberet uh it's another centre which be a commentator's nightmare with Brobrier passing to Bielberay and then Bielberay back to Broberet. This is where this is where you miss Eddie Butler because he does that so beautifully he would have done it so beautifully uh but I yeah I I I think Gorges will probably be their pick at 30 and for me it is just a case of do they go Du Pont Jalibert all the speculation is is that what they are that's that isn't the thing my eyes are firmly on on that team selection I'm assuming at this the point of listening uh you may or may not know uh so hopefully we'll have the answers by then uh and I'll I was going to pick out Michael Guillard as well personally uh not only in this section but also you know I just said keep powder dry but if you're doing Fantasy Six Nations this year if you don't have him in your team give your head a give your head a wobble um if you were to look on the other side of that pitch Rory are there any players that you're thinking uh people should be keeping an eye on in the Emerald Green of Ireland yeah I mean again this is this is really subject to selection because there are some really talented players in that wider squad that I'm hoping um will get a look in at least throughout the tournament I don't think all of these will get a look in this week but here are some the names that I'm looking at beyond the regulars that I'm really excited to see.

SPEAKER_00 47:55

Nathan Doe got Ulster by all accounts in really good form. From Munster unit absolute unit they'd be mad not to pick him because I watched him for Munster against Gloucester and in a crap game he stood out as proper talent. Posselfway centre at Ulster again another one getting a big right up at the moment potentially a the option with Bundiakimis him and is a chukwa from Ulster as well lock come back row and I don't expect all four of those to be playing this week but I don't see all four of them across the tournament.

SPEAKER_01 48:31

Obviously they're not going to play this week because you know they they don't play for Leinster and they can only have so many non-Linster players in that section I specifically chose non-Ledster players in in this section but um those four I think could uh could light up the tournament if they're given the option to I think this does highlight the Irish dilemma because all those players you've listed there who for good reasons are ones to watch how many caps have they got amongst them a handful.

Players To Watch: Scotland And Italy

SPEAKER_00 49:01

I think there's maybe four or five caps between them. It is interesting uh moving into the second fixture players to watch in the Scotland Italy game Scotland the Scotland the Scotland game let's go with that yeah players yeah again so Scotland's I don't expect big changes in Scotland I suspect would the you there won't be any ones to watch that you haven't already seen there um I'm hoping they'll pick Hiddleston at least on the bench at Hooker because he's been so good for Glasgow just scoring a hatful of tries at the back of the mall you and Ashman should start he's been in very good form every time I've seen him but Hiddleston I think they should definitely have as their bench option um I'd I'd hope they'd have Douglas or McConnell in and around that squad but it it looks like they're not going to make it so ones to watch for Scotland look to see how they try to balance Russell Jordan Tupelotter Hugh Jones Kinghorn in that squad do they put Kinghorn to the wing and put Jordan at fullback to try and just shoot on everyone in do they try and have Tom Jordan on the bench to cover three or four spots go for a 6-2 those are probab those are probably the big questions for me there. They've also got Jamie Dobie who can cover the wing at nine as well you've forgotten about the great Rory Hutchinson as well well I mean I'm a big fan of Rory Hutchinson I suspect he won't make this squad this week but Kai's criminal criminal as I say every year because they're really missing a trick.

SPEAKER_01 50:28

But hey I'm not Gregor Townsend um yeah I agree yeah yeah this is the big dilemma of Scotland because they're not bringing anything new to the table it seems and you really shouldn't be expecting anything different as a result of that. Italy wise we we were probably geared up to be singing and shouting about Edo Todaro in this section.

SPEAKER_00 50:49

Unfortunately unfortunately we we can't no um but there are still players to look at so um the two Z Zamboni and Zuliani yeah they're they're they're two players particularly Zamboni who I think is going to be um he's just top class and then the two two other lads uh who've come in Odyasi back row six foot two hundred and twelve kilo uh is a core six foot five hundred and ten kilo yeah they got some athletes coming through yeah oomph they you know I I don't know who they will be in for because Lamarot and Negri I mean Lamaro is still in squad negri I think is not picked yeah um you know there's a genuinely it's a bit of a question mark as to what that back row looks like expect I would expect the two canoni brothers to start lock an eight yeah um they may well start Lamarot but not sure they'll start Lamaro and Zuliani but Audiasi and Azico expect to see them throughout this tournament because they are big.

SPEAKER_01 51:48

Yeah yeah yeah absolutely and Italy have always had a good strum for some reason Fischetti always seems to be really strong for them in the scrum despite maybe in a Northampton shirt we've not seen that a great deal for some reason the Italian scrum always holds up yeah uh and the set piece is usually a strength uh and well we alluded to in the past uh already uh that Italian back line with uh Brexton Melancello if they if they can get that back line purring uh with the likes of I'm guessing Monte I think Lewis liner um Pani Matt Gallagher yeah yeah they could really so it's teams like Scotland to the sword if Scotland aren't defending the way Glasgow defend which is goes back to your earlier point of do they just do what Glasgow do um it's what makes that fiction really really interesting because I I struggle and I'll get to this point where we get to the predictions but it's a really hard one to predict that one and then the final game England versus Wales obviously so we know the 23 for England so it's quite it's a bit easier to say who the ones to watch yeah I think the ones to watch I mean outside of the ones look we've talked about all these players multiple times um you know I think obviously Alex Coles I think has got a really good opportunity to to put a marker down um this week and in line with Oli Chesham I think you know I think that's an interesting second row partnership that could really shore up the line out is very mobile um I think this tournament you're gonna see Guy Pepper really impose himself um I'm really looking forward to seeing how he goes uh and then Arundel and Manifau Bosa on the wings if Lee Blackett has worked out the game plan to get both of those on the ball enough and in the game enough with Freeman at centre England could carve up particularly manifoboso who I think has been the victim of it's actually cool choices that England have had to make um particularly being out on the left wing where the ball just doesn't go as often as it does to the right wing he's I think he's probably on the right wing this week with Arundel on the left because I think that's how they tend to set up at the club level if they can get the ball in both their hands enough England could be electric. They could be I think the interesting thing for me is obviously both of those wingers aren't uh their staple isn't the kick chase which is what we've seen as a big part of the England game plan. Obviously we've still got Tommy Freeman in the 13 shirt where he's more than capable of doing it and obviously Freddie Stewart at fullback I imagine we're going to be seeing him doing a lot of kick chase um to get under the high high ball but I do wonder is this something for England fans to get excited about because I think perhaps a selection of Arundel and Fayo Boso it will be absolutely criminal if we don't have a game plan that gets the ball in either of their hands because that is their superpower and we talk about superpowers all the time with international rugby what is the point of picking those two players if you're not going to utilize them yeah and I think Lee Blackett will have will have been on top of that.

SPEAKER_00 54:41

So I expect to see them with ball in hand.

England’s Selections, Threats And Bench Power

SPEAKER_01 54:44

Yes and I think the only other thing to watch out is for um and another reason to be excited about England this season it's hard to remember a time where we've had a bench that just looks quite as scary when you've got a Lions captain and one of the most exciting young players in world rugby to come off the bench yeah and Tom Curry let's be honest arguably the best seven in the world yeah Tom Curry Ben Spencer arguably one of the most consistent players uh Marcus Smith one of the most exciting coming off the bench um is um is quite something and you know the most exciting player of all Trevor Davison yes yes of course so the Geordie baller for Geordie baller so like yeah I'm excited to watch all I I think what we've done there in the pick out players section for England Rory is we named every single player um yeah it's all 23 all 23 so yeah watch all of them and from a whales perspective obviously we don't know the 23 I think the return of Reese is that something to be excited about maybe I think it is I I would like to see them pick a back three of uh LS me tom Rogers and Liz Resumit because I think that gives them a great option on kick chase me and Tom Rogers are really good at that both for Scarlet I think they both finish really well um and then if you've got Dan Edwards at 10 I really like the look of him I think I would go personally with with who they've got available I'd be looking at Dan Edwards Joe Hawkins and Mason Grady as your three quarters I think that's a that's a three quarters that could cause anyone problems so um they may well pick Ben Thomas in there as well maybe move Joe Hawkins to 13. Do they give Louie Hennessy a go?

SPEAKER_00 56:28

Gutfield says they won't but you know there's you they may well they may well need to um but you know I think they there is a back line in that squad that can cause real problems. The question is whether they've got a pack that can create the dents I think without Falatal they're gonna struggle to put the English defence under loads of pressure with their ball carrying I think they're just gonna they're just not I don't see I don't see the ball carrying threat um no Joe Morgan no Super Falatau I mean it just it puts a lot of pressure on Wayne Wright's shoulders to do that. Daf Jenkins is a is a good ball carrier but is he is he quite elite enough to to no Den England I think but Phil says they're gonna struggle there. So the back line may struggle because I'm not sure the pack is going to get much change out of England but if they do the back line cause problems.

Wales’ Backline Ideas And Pack Questions

SPEAKER_01 57:19

Yeah I think so I I I I think this game will be it'll be obvious that I think the back row battle is where it's going to be most starkly obvious the difference I think I think Pepper underhill and Earl may have a field day um at the breakdown and will be absolute nightmares around the park so I think that's the one to watch for me uh generally but so it's on Wales to see if they can respond to that and if they do have something up their sleeve. So Rory obviously with the Six Nations we always like to do you know fantasy rugby fantasy six nations we plugged it in last week's episode uh hopefully you've been able to join the league uh in advance of the tournament kicking off on Thursday but if you are to give people any advice or pointers or tips for players to be looking at in their fantasy rugby uh picks who who are the ones that you really need to be considering here but to give away all your trade secrets obviously because my trade secrets yeah absolutely um you want to be looking at getting a couple of bargains in there so you can save up for a decent super sub I think Nikki Smith is one not to sleep on if uh if you can get him in I think he's criminally undervalued um and he's he gets on the ball a lot he carries a lot of ball um Gorgaz we spoke about him earlier as a as one to watch I think he's undervalued and I think he's gonna play a lot this tournament and he's I think he's gonna get some big points definitely get one of Freeman or Feywa Bosa on your team they're gonna get big points particularly this weekend I'm guessing yeah I would get Ramos in there personally as a kicker as a banker you got to um I think look to the French squad look to the French squad get your Jaguars your Guyards your your Gorges in there's there's points to be had there. Yeah I think I think well so my main tip to people because I don't want to give away too much of betrayed secrets just before the games just make sure you've got that little green flag that they're playing and they're starting and on your super sub make sure they got that little orange flag so they're on the bench because you get penalties eitherwise and I think there's there's been some slight tweaks I think you get points this season for if if a kicker does a kick that's been collected by their own player their own team so I saw a little thing on the on the social media yeah they they they did a little study of the the players who had the most uh rate recollected kicks in last year's tournament uh and Sam Prendergast was actually top of that list and he does that nice little sort of sideway like yes flat crossfield doesn't he that he likes it it's it's it's something to consider um and to think about because it does for me it kind of reinforces the George Ford pick because of the aerial gaming and play and kind of Freddie Stewart being on the other side it feels like points points for fun. But it it's always worth when you are thinking about these games the players who get points aren't necessarily always the players who always score all the tries like the beauty of fantasy rugby is you do get rewarded for some of the unseen stuff so your big tacklers your big meter makers the defender beaters this is why Ben Earl has always been kind of a mainstay in Six Nations fantasy rugby because he does so much of that for for England. So I don't want to give away too many of my secrets other than I've kind of lewed it already if you're not picking Mikhail Guillard because he can play at Locke or eight you're not going to get another lock who maybe moves to number eight. Yeah you've got if if I go through that league and see too many teams that don't have him and theirs I'm gonna be like do you even listen to Rux Balls and Obi Balls? Come on exactly exactly we're we're hammering this point home. Yeah we really we're giving it to you on a plate people so yeah use that as you wish and if you want to have him partnered by Zamboni there are worse ideas out there just saying yeah um but yeah I won't give away too much about the Fantasy Six Nations tactics because we are taking part in that league and a gentle reminder it is the league code 116848 on the Six Nations app the password to join it is UDaj capital U Capital D capital A capital Hapital J. And that is all you need to know when it comes to Fantasy Six Nations rugby uh Rory that that that's our little cancer through six nations coming up is is were there any other points around the Six Nations you wished to bring up for the lesson should we do a little score prediction let's do some little score predictions. I knew I'd forgotten something before I give you a little treat around the under 20s uh okay six days obviously we've talked about it I think people could start to guess the results and where our heads are leaning but Thursday night where do you see the score I think this will be tight in the first half and I think France will pull away in the second half I'm going for 3217 you think it's gonna be 3217 okay I I like it I like it I was thinking more 2922 uh I you think it's be tight you think there's a score in it I think there'll be a score in it but I I I feel like France will be holding Ireland off quite comfortably just maintaining that distance throughout just kind of steering through the game but I I but I I may be wrong.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:31

I could see I could see a first half that goes in even or within a score between them and then France pulling away in the second half and putting on a bit of a clinic.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:42

Yeah I I can very much see that happening as well um I guess we'll find out Thursday. And then Saturday Scotland Scotly I'm gonna go for Italy 19 Scotland 15 I think I think Italy will target this one I I remain a little unconvinced by Scotland as I think I've made clear yeah and I think this will be a very tight cagey game that will be settled by one or two moments of pure quality from the likes of a Penincello okay so I I had similar thoughts except I went the other way I I see this one being like 1920 to Scotland with like a Finn Russell last minute penalty saving Scottish blushes.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:28

I could see it I could see a Finn Russell save Scottish blushes headline very easily yeah but I'm gonna bat the Italian lads to uh to do it this week.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:37

Yeah no I I like it I I think either way I think it's gonna be a close game and I think it is going to be one score in it and I think it's gonna ultimately just down to who's in the right place at the right time when it comes to that final whistle and who gets that chance for that final point. That's that's where I see this game going and I I think it's gonna be a great game. I think it's gonna be a great game uh and then England versus Wales um I'm risking family ties and my love life uh with this prediction David but we're an honest pod you've got to be honest yeah we are honest I've got to be honest I think this is gonna be more than a bit one-sided if I'm if I'm completely blunt and I've tried to be as fair as I can throw out this to Wales but I'm down a prediction and if I'm gonna be an honest podcaster I've got to I've got to set it with the chest and I'm gonna go England 45 Wales twelve yeah uh what I was thinking England 45 and I was giving Wales 22 because I I I just have a feeling they may get a few I think they might get a few tries against England because I I and I'm basically putting this purely off of my experience watching Scarlet against Northampton I think they may target that Freeman Edge Arundel Ferrier Boso not necessarily the best defenders I think they may get a little bit of success in that space so we we may concede two or three maybe four even four no I'm gonna say three I reckon we'll concede three tries and then hold them off from getting a bonus point but I I can see them scoring a fair few points but I think England do run away with it and get for around 45 50 points quite comfortably. If I'm single next week then you know I was right well hopefully we well hopefully that doesn't happen Rory but also in another sense hopefully you are right as an England fan. As a Rory fan obviously we hope you're wrong. But you know from my perspective I'm a winner either way. Unless whales win. What what happens if whales win?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:38

Then we both have egg on our face and uh I not for the first time I will wear a whale I will wear whales tops for the rest of the tournament on the podcast if whales win.

Fantasy Tips, Bargains And New Scoring

SPEAKER_01 1:05:47

Well there we have it folks there's a there's a commitment from Rory one that I will not be making mainly 'cause I don't own a whales top. Um yeah so that's our six that's the six nations covered that's all kicking off Thursday. Uh but Also, in the background of the Six Nations, there is the under-twenties Six Nations, and I am nothing if not a huge advocate for this tournament and under-twenties AH grade rugby because I think it is a huge platform for spotting and identifying the talent of tomorrow. I think they've done some like most players now who are your household names have come through this under-20 programme and your likes of your du Ponts, your likes of Farrell, like the biggest names in world rugby who are out now in their 30s all really started to show themselves in the under-20s. So I always have a keen eye on it.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:51

And a few players that we might not know about that you think we should be keeping an eye on.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:56

So I I I think the under-twenties will follow a relatively similar mould to the senior game, albeit I think we could see Wales being more competitive at the under-twenties level than Scotland, for example. I think Scotland may be uh they could well be the wooden spooners. Um remains to be seen. They have like dropped the likes of Blythe Latherty to the under 20s, which does strengthen their set piece significantly. Um but when you consider the depth of quality uh in some of these squads, it is quite interesting to see. I think from a Wales perspective, uh another chance to see Carwin Leggett Jones, their fly half, is always worth the admission price alone. He does seem like a very exciting 10 that they've got coming through the system, so he's definitely one to keep an eye on. And then you've got the likes of Aidan Boschoff, uh, who I think still still qualifies. So that they've definitely got some uh real talent in the Welsh team. But for me, it comes down to England-France again. Uh, and I I'm saying this because I don't think England at this point in time have announced the under-20 side.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:09

We could assume some names based on recent uh recent squads. So I'm assuming we're gonna be looking at the likes of uh your James Linegers again.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:17

So James Lineger will be there. Uh so based off of kind of the game where they played, they played against like a Bath United team. Uh they've done they've they've done a few other bits and bobs. I think the names so in the propping department, so Ollie Scholar, who played for Northampton against Leicester uh in the Prem Rugby Cup this last weekend, really stood up, really held up well uh up against the likes of uh Archie Van der Fleer, uh like some players who've played Prem Rugby, really stood up well. Uh he is going to be in there with the likes of Oli Streeter, like a prop that we're quite excited about. I've I think set piece wise, England looks set to have a strong pack once again. So you've got the likes of Patrick Hogg, who's up at sale. Uh let me just run through Sunny Tongaweir. We may see uh the Tongaweir that I've been talking about for some time rolling out in a red rose. Uh Tate Williams is a player who I think people should be keeping an eye on. I think he could be very exciting. George Marsh is another one to keep your eye on, very exciting. Noah Kalore looks like he's been dropped to the under-20s, he's been photographed in their build-up work. We know what to get of Noah Calore. Let's see if he can really impose himself in this tournament. Uh, by all accounts, he should be kind of head and shoulders above everyone else because he's kind of head of shoulders above a lot of players in the Prem uh this season.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:40

I think Tyler of Fire is he uh Tyler of Fire.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:44

Tyler of Fire's still there. Will Knight uh for Gloucester boy 18 playing in the under-20s, so he's still another couple of years at his age level. He he could be a really exciting player. He's a unit as well. He's a unit, and there's some others ones like so Henry Lumley from Northampton, another really I think he played as a 17-year-old against Gloucester last season. Yeah. Albeit we Northampton lost that game, but he looked really handy as a 17-year-old going up against Seb Atkinson and Chris Harris in that game. Like there's some serious talent uh in this team. Uh James Pater, the kid who stepped in at fly half for Northampton against Leicester in the Premier Cup, used to have been kind of a little bit all over social media this week. Uh people seem to be getting excited about him for good reason.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:28

So and not to um ask too much to you, David, but any players you're watching out who uh haven't come out of the Northampton Academy?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:35

Uh I think the scrum half department is quite exciting, not because of Johnny Wyman from the Northampton Saints department, who you should be excited about, but Ace Stuart Harris and George Newman, who are two very exciting scrum halves. Uh I don't think he qualifies for under-20s anymore. I think I might be wrong. He may well be. I think this is the problem with the under-20s squad not being announced. It I'm not sure which players have been dropped into under-20s or not. Uh so I'm only going off of players that have kind of been called up to their recent games and camps, uh, of which Lucas Friday's been busy playing for the Harlequins, a bit like Yes, of course, yes, yes. But it's only because I've not seen pictures of Friday in under-twenties social media, which is the only reason Lado Calori's been dropped into it. Um so yeah, we'll we'll see. If Lucas Friday is available, which he may will be actually, thinking back, because I think he was only 19. That's exciting. And there could be a few other players, the likes of um Ollie Davis up at sale, he could drop into it as well. Yeah. Um, so who knows? You could just ignore everything I said, and there could be a load of other players yet to drop into it, it could be very exciting.

unknown 1:11:39

Okay.

Predictions For All Three Matches

SPEAKER_01 1:11:40

And uh looking across at the rest of the the tournament, David, um you mentioned France are the ones to Yeah, I think if if you were to look at the France team, I think it's equally, if not more so, frightening than the England one. Uh, there's a there's a number of players in that squad who have serious minutes in their top 14 in Champions Cup rugby. Uh just going like reading through the list now. Um, so Lucas and Gisera Machi was covering for Gregory Aldritt for Barochel in the first two rounds of the Champions Cup. Um Eduardo Jr. Jabet and Jock. He was in it last season. He really stood out uh in the tournament last season. Remy Lanen or Lannon, apologies for the pronunciation. He's he's been playing Champions Cup, Leo Michot. Uh, who else is there? And then you look you go to the the the backs, uh Axel Guillot for Clermont. Like he's probably was the only player that came out with credit for Clement in this tournament because he just looked exciting. Timeo Freyer, um Baptiste Till is a really exciting scrum half, you know, just what France needs is another exciting scrum half.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:49

They've been short in that position, of course.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:51

It's it's almost a little bit scary the uh the talent they have coming through. And I there'll be some there that I'm just not overly familiar with. They've got some serious, serious players coming through their system now, and I think we are starting to see um the benefits of the that self-imposed rule on the top 14 about having so many uh GIF-qualified players because they they do have to develop their academies, and I think we're gonna start seeing the benefits of that. Um, so I think they could be a real banana skin for the England squad, who I think is very high potential, but there's potentially going to be like a bit of a gap in top-level match day experience between the two squads, and I think France might have the edge.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:36

Um I mean Auguste Albuisson from Racin at 17 years old in the back row, but he played against Ulster in uh uh the challenge cut.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:49

They've not been afraid to really blood some of these youngsters. Uh and I I think it is a conscious move by perhaps by the French uh the FFR and kind of the clubs in conjunction of recognising that they do need to build this French depth that is to if they want to rival South Africa and England, that's where the focus needs to be. And I think they realise that they just they need to get those players those minutes.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:14

Well, I think I I mean I I don't even know if it's as um planned as that. I think actually what a lot of it comes down to is the game is so popular in France at the moment, they have got so many player numbers, and I I get the suspicion that the um the French clubs have realized that as popular as a team will be if it's Galacticos, you know, obviously the the Great Toulon team was was beloved of with the Galacticos, but actually having French icons like a DuPont is it raises things to a different level. I think they've been smart to to double down on that.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:50

And um you know the number of French players playing in France now is just frightening, and I think it obviously bodes well for French rugby and the future of French rugby. Uh and it bodes well. It's not a worry for the rest of us. It's a worry for the rest of us, but it does bode well for at least you know there's it's gonna be competitive uh in the northern hemisphere regardless going going forward. Uh it's just a question of whether the nations like Wales, Scotland, Ireland are able to keep up. Um I think we're even starting to see in Italy, like the the appetite for rugby is still very good. The quality of players and the system in place is starting to produce some really talented players.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:29

I think their problem Spain's the same. I think Spain are on that trajectory, obviously, Georgia are on that trajectory.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:35

And I think they are also profiting from the fact that they are bordering the top 14, and they're top their best talent, so Spanish, Italian, Georgian, they're getting picked up by these top 14 academies. Like you look at the Toulouse Academy, they've got like four or five Spanish players in it, uh, and they're not there just kind of to tick a box to say we've got some non-French, they're there because they're very, very good. Yeah, and we're gonna start to see some of these nations probably start to benefit from having that exposure to the top top coaching, top facilities. I think we're gonna start seeing it first with Italy, secondly with Georgia, and then I think Spain will then start to emerge as a real talent because I think the more that happens, the better those are as well. Belgium as well, like it's possibly in the Netherlands, yeah. So it's um it's exciting times. Uh I don't want to put you know, I don't want to put too much pressure on the top 14 to be the reason that Europe becomes the hotbed of multiple more rugby tier two nations that are on the edge of becoming tier one, uh, but it might be on them, so don't get it wrong. Um, because obviously that's exciting for rugby as a sport in general. Um yeah, I will keep people abreast with the under-twenties because it's really hard to pick out for certain who the ones to watch, because I don't know who the coach is gonna be selecting in these games because it is kind of the first batch of this age group, because it all is all kind of done from the first of January, whether you are of a certain age, so it's kind of the first crop of games for this age group of international players. Uh I don't know where Andy Titrill's gonna go over the England under twenties, get a reasonably good idea. I have got no idea what the other coaches are gonna be doing. Uh so I'll give a better idea after the first round or two of the under-twenties, but I'll keep everyone up to speed of how it's going uh as we go through these exciting next couple of months of Six Nations rugby Rory. Absolutely. Was there any other topics that you wish to cover before we bring the podcast to a close? Or are you comfortable? Ruxmall's on the case.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:34

Well, the other thing we'll just look out for this weekend is England have got an A game fixture that they sort of came out of nowhere, so no one no one really knew that was happening.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:42

Yeah, and they've actually picked quite a strong A squad as well, haven't they?

SPEAKER_00 1:17:46

Yeah, that's on Friday, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:48

Um I'm guessing it's gonna be on the uh absolute fantastic platform for watching rugby.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:54

That is um the absolute dogs dinner at Premier Sport.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:58

Is it on Premier Sport? I was gonna say Rugby Pass on Rugby Pass TV.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:01

I won't be on rugby pass. I think they've been on Premier Sport on Rugby Pass in the past, so who knows? We'll find out. It hasn't been advertised, so I don't know how to expect anyone to know about it.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:09

Yeah, but you know, we'll we'll find some way to report back to you all uh because we love a bit of an England A game. Although are they playing Spain or who are they playing? Ireland? Are are they playing an Island A game, the Island Wolfhounds as they used to be called, or something like that? I think so.

U20s Pipeline, Names And Trends

SPEAKER_00 1:18:23

I can't even remember. Sorry, sorry, listener, that's not very good podcasting from us. There's a vague, I mean there's an A game going on this weekend, but not as we see anything about it.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:31

Yeah, yeah. We'll we'll vaguely report back to you on this game that we vaguely know something about. Um and that's the quality that you've come accustomed to on Ruxmall's Overballs, and that that feels like a fitting way to bring this podcast to a close. Oh yeah. Severe professionalism. Severe professionalism, but you know, if you're still listening now, fair play to you. Uh Rory, any final thoughts for the listener before we bring the Six Nations kickoff special to a close?

SPEAKER_00 1:19:01

If you happen to be in Canada the next three days, I would uh be more than happy for you to buy me Luginis. There we have it, folks.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:08

We pin a Ruxville. I hope you've enjoyed listening. Remember, if you've had a good time listening, to like, subscribe, rate, comment, all those things. Send us a carrier pizza. Uh whatever you want to do, uh we'll be back again next week uh for some more rugby podcasting greatness. Ta.

unknown 1:19:28

Ta