The 2024 Guinness Six Nations is just over two weeks away, with the opening weekend of action set to commence on February 2nd. The excitement is palpable, as the six head coaches have all named their squads, in the first test match competition of the new Rugby World Cup cycle.
After last year’s World Cup brought an end to many an international career, the 2024 Six Nations is brimming with uncapped hopefuls, a handful of new captains, and a whole lot of expectation. Ireland are the reigning champions heading into the competition, with the pressure building on Andy Farrell’s men to retain their Grand Slam.
Should Ireland go undefeated in the tournament, then they will become the first side to achieve the Six Nations Grand Slam accolade in back-to-back years. In their way stands England, who are without a handful of World Cup talents, including their former captain and talisman Owen Farrell. France, who like Steve Borthwick’s men will have to adjust to life with superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont, as the Toulouse man undergoes his Olympic Sevens dream.
Continuing on we also have Wales, who have ushered in a new era of talent, including a total of 12 players who are looking to make their first Six Nations appearence. Italy, who have entered their next coaching chapter with Gonzalo Quesada replacing Kieran Crowley at the helm. And Scotland, the plucky dark horses who want redemption, after suffering a pool stage elimination from the Rugby World Cup.
With the opening weekend of the 2024 Six Nations now just 17 days away, let’s have a run-down of every competing nation and predict how they will fare in the upcoming championships.
Predictions for each Six Nations team are found on the following pages:
IRELAND AND ENGLAND – PAGE 1 (BELOW)
WALES AND SCOTLAND – PAGE 2
FRANCE AND ITALY – PAGE 3
IRELAND
They say that history is written by the winners. This will be no more truer than if Ireland complete the Grand Slam in back-to-back years. Andy Farrell’s side could become the first nation in history to achieve the feat in the modernised Six Nations, as the accomplishment was last done by France, in the 1997 and 1998 Five Nations Championships. Despite the magnitude of the feat, we believe that Ireland have the qualities across the board to achieve the previously un-achievable, in the 2024 Six Nations.
Johnny Sexton called time on his career after the Rugby World Cup, with back-row Peter O’Mahoney given the honour of being Ireland’s captain for the 2024 Six Nations. Sexton’s retirement came after a phenomenal 14 years with the Ireland national team, where he accrued a stunning 1,108 points in 118 Ireland tests, to retire as the nation’s record points scorer. Munster wing Keith Earls also hung up his boots, following Ireland’s quarter-final elimination by the All Blacks.
Andy Farrell has looked to the future in his selections, with three uncapped players joining the Ireland squad as ‘training panellists’. Two Munster talents were in the group, in the form of tight-head prop Oli Jager and lock Thomas Ahern. Jager gets the call-up shortly after signing with the Irish Province, as the 28-year-old has spent his prior career with Canterbury and the Crusaders in Super Rugby.
Ahern is a 23-year-old prodigy prospect, that has been impressing the Thomond Park faithful with his lock and back-row versatility. However, Ahern has since been replaced by Cian Prendergast, in a late injury enforced change. Farrell’s third uncapped hopeful is Leinster’s Sam Prendergast, who is looking to emulate his brother Cian with a test match debut as the siblings re-unite in the squad. The 19-year-old fly half emerged into the Leinster squad at the tale end of Sexton’s era, and gained valuable tutelage from the iconic Irish halfback.
Farrell has made some tough calls for his Six Nations squad, with an assortment of his top players ruled out through injury. Wing Mack Hansen, hooker Rob Herring, prop Dave Kilcoyne and fullback Jimmy O’Brien will all watch on from the side-lines. Another big injury set-back is the omission of Leinster’s Ross Byrne, who was steadily emerging as the successor to Sexton throughout the Rugby World Cup. This onus will now likely fall to Jack Crowley of Munster, with Ireland’s training camp already underway in Portugal.
There are re-callings to the squad for eight players, who missed the flight to France for the Rugby World Cup. The Leinster quartet of prop Cian Healy, fly-half Harry Byrne, centre Ciaran Frawley and wing Jordan Larmour are in the wider training squad, alongside the Ulster trio of hooker Tom Stewart, back-row Nick Timoney and wing Jacob Stockdale. Munster wing Calvin Nash also returns amongst Andy Farrell’s picking favour.
2024 SIX NATIONS PREDICTION: 1ST
R1: FRANCE 12 – 18 IRELAND
R2: IRELAND 54 – 10 ITALY
R3: IRELAND 42 – 16 WALES
R4: ENGLAND 15 – 21 IRELAND
R5: IRELAND 25 – 20 SCOTLAND
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ENGLAND
Onto Steve Borthwick’s new-look England side, and the head coach has only retained 17 players from the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad. Plentiful top England stars ended their international careers after winning Bronze medals in Paris, be it due to either test match retirement, or in pursuit of a club career in the French Top 14. Borthwick has also selected a new captain in Jamie George, seven exciting uncapped talents, and re-called some in-form players to bolster the international set-up.
England’s most-capped men’s player was the first to announce his post World Cup retirement, with scrum half Ben Youngs awarded a swan-song in the bronze medal final against Argentina. Pack leader Courtney Lawes and Gloucester wing Jonny May followed suit shortly after, before prop Mako Vunipola confirmed the end of his international career earlier this month.
The French departures began with Joe Marchant’s move from Harlequins to Stade Francais, and back-row Jack Willis’ decision to extend his contract with Toulouse. Lock David Ribbans then exited Northampton in favour of Toulon, before rapid wing Henry Arundell signed a contract extension with Racing 92, after the financial collapse of London Irish. However most poignantly of all, was former England captain Owen Farrell’s decision, to step away from test match rugby for mental health reasons. What followed was the subsequent news of his transfer to Racing, which has since been confirmed for next Summer.
Borthwick has also decided to drop a trio of players for the Six Nations, who featured on the pitch during the Rugby World Cup. Beginning with Kyle Sinckler, the tight-head prop’s time in the England fold looks to be winding down, as reports on his upcoming move to Toulon only gain more traction. Sinckler’s Bristol Bears teammate Max Malins has also been let go from the squad, along with Saracens back-row Billy Vunipola and Harlequins hooker Jack Walker.
Complicating England’s selection process, is the group of injured players that have been written out of next month’s Six Nations. The Sale trio of flanker Tom Curry, centre Manu Tuilagi and prop Bevan Rodd are all on the side-lines, along with Northampton flanker Lewis Ludlam, who also misses out on the squad. Borthwick’s plans took another blow as in-form centre Ollie Lawrence was released from the squad yesterday due to injury, along with another Sale player in hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie.
After failing his HIA in Harlequins’ Champions Cup win against Ulster, Oscar Beard is on the injury reserve list but will still travel with the team. The latest additions to the England squad is the Bath duo of wing Will Muir and centre Max Ojomoh, and Newcastle Falcons hooker Jamie Blamire. Furthermore, after the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup squad, Exeter centre Henry Slade and Harlequins back-row Alex Dombrandt are back in the fold for the 2024 Six Nations.
Joining them are seven uncapped players, who are eager to make a statement on their test match debuts. England begin their tournament away to Italy, with the stage set in Rome for some fresh faces to star early in the competition. The exciting Exeter pair of wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and back-row Ethan Roots are called up, along with Northampton Saints duo Fraser Dingwall and Fin Smith. Hot-form Harlequins Chandler Cunningham-South and Oscar Beard also eye up a test debut, along with Sale Sharks wing Tom Roebuck.
2024 SIX NATIONS PREDICTION: 3RD
R1: ITALY 18 – 35 ENGLAND
R2: ENGLAND 22 – 10 WALES
R3: SCOTLAND 16 – 20 ENGLAND
R4: ENGLAND 15 – 24 IRELAND
R5: FRANCE 26 – 12 ENGLAND