If you're thinking of betting on who is going to win the 2014 6N, consider the following:
The last 5 British Lions tours were in 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013.
So
what happens in the 6N the year after a British Lions tour when the
English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish players are still battered and
bruised after a tough tour? Yes, it's not difficult to guess, France
wins it in those years.
France were 6N champions in 1998, 2002,
2006 and 2010. The last time anyone other than France won a 6N the year
after a British Lions tour was Wales in 1994 . . . 20 years ago!
Must
say, looking at the training squad announced by coach Philippe
Saint-Andre, the French look as if they'll have a very strong team in
this year's tournament while their main rivals - England and Wales - are
looking a bit battle weary.
Saint-Andre may have taken a bit of
a gamble leaving out experienced flyhalves Frederic Michalak and
Francois Trinh-Duc and it will be interesting to see if his first choice
is Remi Tales or the youngster Jules Plisson who has forced his way
into the reckoning with some great performances for Stade Francais . . .
so much so that he has kept Morne Steyn out of the Stade starting XV.
If either of these two step up to the plate then the Tricolores are
going to be very hard to beat.
England in particular will
struggle without the influential Manu Tuilagi but he's not their only
star missing through injury . . . they'll also be missing Tom Croft,
Marland Yarde, Alex
Corbisiero, Christian Wade, Geoff Parling,
David Wilson and Ben Foden. If England can win with that injury list
then all credit to them, but I have my doubts.
Wales' injury list
is not much better but at least some of their crocked players might
still play in the second half of the tournament. Skipper Sam Warburton
and Gethin Jenkins are doubts for the first two games while their top
backline player of last year Jonathan Davies will miss at least the
first three games. The British Lions team of 2013 was heavily laden with
Welsh players and they will have to be wary of fatigue and burnout if
Wales are going to make it a hat-trick of 6N victories.
My heart says Wales but my head says it's going to be France.
Captain18,117 posts
14 Jan 2014, 15:03
#1
14 Jan 2014, 15:03#1
