Rugby
Six Nations Predictions – Round 3
Wounded England will be looking to bounce back when they kick off the third round of the Six Nations against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
Scotland will seek to build momentum at embattled Wales’ expense in the other game on Saturday in Cardiff, while log-leading France will go out to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive when they play Italy in Lille on Sunday.
England v Ireland
Saturday, 21 February – 16:10
Questions abound after Steve Borthwick and his men’s bubble burst at Murrayfield last weekend. Scotland, with one shocking killer blow, emphatically ended England’s 12-match winning streak with a 31-20 triumph.
With that, dominance has given way to doubt. How good are England really? Were their dozen wins on the trot as impressive as it sounds? With one upset, the Red Rose and what they’ve done over the last 12 months have been brought into question.
Maro Itoje and company aren’t suddenly a bad side. At the same time, they’re not as great as some suggested, either. The reality is that their purple patch was largely due to home dominance. Eight of their 12 wins came at Twickenham, with the four away victories coming against Wales, Argentina (twice) and USA.
The meltdown at Murrayfield was both a reality check and a wake-up call for the ambitious English, and their supporters are expecting a response this weekend. There are obvious game-related work-ons, and they can ill-afford another poor start, but this game will mainly be a test of England’s mental make-up.
Speaking of mentality, Andy Farrell praising his side for the “unbelievable character” they showed to hold on for a 20-13 win over Italy last weekend confirmed just what a shell of their former selves Ireland are. When they peaked a few years ago and were at the top of the world rankings, their confidence often morphed into cockiness.
Now, they haven’t just been humbled, they’re celebrating surviving a scare against the Azzurri like they’ve beaten the Springboks. All the pressure is on England, so the Irish will have a full go at them. However, England are a different team at home, and I can’t see them losing to this stuttering Ireland outfit.
Prediction: England by 14.
Suggested Bet: England -12 at 1.90.
Wales v Scotland
Saturday, 21 February – 18:40
Steve Tandy must be regretting taking the Wales head coaching job already.
He’s inherited a team of no-hopers, a Dragons side woefully out of their depth in the Six Nations, as their 13-game losing streak in the Championship emphasises.
They reached another low last weekend. Just 57 744 people were inside the Principality Stadium to watch France wallop the Welsh 54-12, the lowest ever Six Nations crowd in Cardiff, fewer than the previous smallest crowd of 58 349 against Italy in 2002.
There will probably be even fewer fans in attendance on Sunday with Scotland set to add to the Welsh’s woes. After their shock opening round loss in Rome, last weekend’s stunning win over England has taken the heat off Gregor Townsend and sees the Scots sit second on the log.
The talk from the Scottish camp this week is that they want to follow up the victory over England with another quality performance, and that focus will see them inflict more damage on the Dragons.
Prediction: Scotland by 21.
Suggested Bet: Scotland -19 at 1.90.
France v Italy
Sunday, 22 February – 17:10
Both current form and history point to France cruising to victory and moving one step closer to realising their Grand Slam dream in this one. They’ve pummeled both Ireland (36-14) and Wales (54-12) to put themselves in pole position, and have won 46 of the 50 clashes against Italy over the years, including a crushing 73-24 win last year.
However, Les Bleus will be wary of complacency and won’t have the lopsided 2025 encounter at the back of their minds. Instead, they’ll remember what happened the last time the two teams met on French soil in 2024, when Paolo Garbisi struck the post in what could have been a match-winning penalty, resulting in a 13-all draw.
Had the kick gone over, Italy would’ve secured their first-ever win in France. With that in mind, and a solid start to this year’s Championship, with an 18-15 victory over vaunted Scotland and a seven-point loss in Dublin, the Azzurri will dare to dream in Lille.
However, Fabien Galthie’s charges won’t be caught by surprise this time. They’ll give their spirited visitors the respect they deserve and strengthen their place at the top of the log.
Prediction: France by 24.
Suggested Bet: Italy +29 at 1.90.