Six Nations Predictions – Round 4

After the teams enjoyed a bye week, the penultimate round of the Northern Hemisphere showpiece will get underway under the lights in Dublin, where resurgent Ireland will look to stay in the title hunt and add to Wales’ woes.

Saturday’s action kicks off with the crunch top-of-the-table clash in Edinburgh before a rocked England attempt to pick up the pieces in Rome, where Italy lie in wait.

Ireland v Wales

Friday, 6 March – 22:10

The Irish team have in recent years adopted The Cranberries’ iconic song ‘Zombie’ as their anthem, and that was never more fitting than at this late stage of the ageing outfit’s term.

After emphatic defeats to the All Blacks and Springboks at the end of last year, and a 2026 campaign-opening pummeling in Paris, the rugby world had collectively readied the obituary for the long-toothed Irish.

However, the men in green showed there’s life in them yet in the most shocking of fashions, trouncing heavily-favoured England 42-21 at Twickenham in the previous round.

The record rout has also kept their slim title hopes alive as they’re in third place on nine points, two behind Scotland and six behind unbeaten Les Bleus.

Long pronounced dead, the Dragons showed signs of life as they threatened to upset Scotland. They were unable to hang onto their lead, however, succumbing 26-23 to make it 14 straight losses in the Championship, but at least there were some positives for them to take out of the Test. 

The timing of this tie couldn’t be worse for luckless Wales, though, with Ireland back on the up and set to storm to victory.

Prediction: Ireland by 22.

Suggested Bet: Wales +26 at 1.90.

Scotland v France

Saturday, 7 March – 16:10

With bombs in the form of upsets going off left and right in this year’s Championship, Les Bleus have been bulletproof.

While not at their best, the French’s 33-8 victory over Italy in the previous round was their third bonus point win on the bounce and puts them on the precipice of retaining their title.

Continue that streak and claim a full house at Murrayfield, and France will seal the crown for the second successive year with a round to spare.

Second-placed Scotland trail France by four points on 11 after recovering from their shock opening-round loss in Rome by banking back-to-back wins over England and Wales.

Ever-erratic, the Scots looked nothing like the team who’d ended England’s 12-match winning streak the previous week when they collided with winless Wales in Cardiff, and needed a spirited fightback to edge it.

Based on the evidence of their three performances thus far, Scotland get up for ‘big’ games and lack that same intensity and accuracy against ‘weaker’ opposition.

France are as good as it gets in Northern Hemisphere rugby, and with it being a must-win for the Scots to keep their hopes of a first-ever Six Nations title alive, they’ll be up for this one.

That said, they simply don’t have the firepower to stand up to the powerful French pack, who will lay the platform for a title-sealing triumph for the visitors.

Prediction: France by 12.

Suggested Bet: France -10 at 1.90.

Italy v England

Saturday, 7 March – 18:40

The wheels well and truly came off for both of these teams last time out. The Azzurri, at least, were competitive for most of their match against France, but by the end, the difference between them was a whopping 25 points.

Whereas Italy have positives to point to, the English are in ruins after hitting a record low against Ireland at Twickenham. Hot on the heels of their momentum-halting defeat at Murrayfield, the successive setbacks have knocked Steve Borthwick’s men out of the title race, along with the Italians and Welsh. 

Italy should prove to be tough customers at home, where they stunned Scotland in Round One, but the overhauled team England – who have won all 30 previous Six Nations showdowns against the Azzurri – should see them keep that 100% record intact.

Prediction: England by 7.

Suggested Bet: England -4 at 1.66.