Rugby Club Issue 52 | Page 15

rbs six nations RBS Six Nations The countdown to the Rugby World Cup has truly started now that the RBS Six Nations 2015 has gotten underway. With two rounds of fixtures complete the table is starting to take shape and Rugby Club Magazine takes a look at where each of the competitors are and what they will be looking to achieve in the coming weeks. England England kicked off this year’s competition with a terrific win away to Wales and followed that up with a convincing if at times scrappy win over Italy. With a number of injuries there have been chances for new players to step up to the mark and they have done so. It is Ireland next up and this promises to be this young side’s toughest examination yet. Victory would be a real statement of intent in World Cup Year. France France’s competition is yet to get going in truth. After grinding out a victory against Scotland at home they lost in similar style against the Irish and still appear to be struggling to play with an identity or the fluency that is associated with the nation. It will be important for them to improve in their remaining fixtures if they are to build momentum ahead of the World Cup. Ireland This Ireland side looks to be the strongest team in the competition and they will look to highlight that fact when they take on England in Round 3. A good performance in this game will have them not only looking at retaining their Six Nations title but also making a serious challenge for the World Cup Trophy. They’ve done what they’ve needed to do in their opening fixtures without hitting top gear but the extra experience they have in key positions compared to some of the other sides is one of the things that makes them so strong. performances in their opening matches were neither surprisingly good nor bad and their target will be to get at least one victory on the board. Scotland Scotland came into the competition on the back of promising displays in the autumn internationals and has shown that they now have quality individuals and an improving side. It will be a worry for them that they have not managed to turn this into winning games of rugby but there were positives to take out of both of their matches. With Italy next up a win will be crucial if they are going to develop into a side to be reckoned with by the time they get to the World Cup. Wales The disappointing defeat to England in the opening game was a significant setback to Wales but they showed character to bounce back with a good result against Scotland. The defeat to England should not be a major concern ahead of their World Cup clash as if they had performed to their best they would have probably came out with the victory. Italy With England and Ireland in their opening fixtures it was always going to be a case of their tournament starting here. Their Hotdoggers Club Info - www.websiteetc.co.uk - Twitter : @Hotdoggers- Founded 1970 www.sportip.biz 15