Can anybody stop France in the 2022 Six Nations?
As the biggest rugby event in the Northern Hemisphere, the Six Nations captures the imagination of sports fans in the Spring every year.
Such is the appeal of rugby the world over, that it has transitioned seamlessly into the Esports sphere and more and more players than ever are accessing the ‘game for thugs, played by gentlemen’.
Away from the virtual sphere, it has been all about France in the 2022 Six Nations, with three wins from their opening three games.
For all their undoubted dominance this year in Northern Hemisphere rugby, France will be looking to finally put some silverware on the board this season.
Incredibly, Les Blues have not won the Six Nations title since 2010, one of their longest droughts in Five/Six Nations history but with two games played, they look well placed to clinch the title in 2022.
COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/can-anybody-stop-france-in-the-six-nations/ by Elisa Mueller on 2022-03-17T03:43:22.016Z
The World Cup in 2023 is the ultimate project the French look to be building towards but they have put markers down in their first two games against Ireland and Italy in the Six Nations and they are undoubtedly the team to beat.
At -333, France are the heavy favourites to claim the Six Nations this year, but they will have to have their wits about them, with games against Wales and England still to come.
Ireland are blessed with a real strength in depth across the squad and winning their first game of the Championship in such convincing fashion over Wales, had Irish fans dreaming that they could go all the way this season, the British Gambler reported.
However, they were undone by the French juggernaut before a win over Italy last time out and with three games played, the Irish 2022 Six Nations campaign hangs very much in the balance.
Old rivals England and Scotland complete the fixture list for Andy Farrell’s side and with the exception of France, it looks to be one of the most open Six Nations championships in recent memory, with England and Ireland all having won two and lost one of their three games played.
At +450, Ireland are deemed by many as the second favourites to go all the way in the Six Nations this season and they will be keen to cash in on any French slip ups.
Sitting on the periphery somewhat are England, who have progressed exponentially under Eddie Jones but still cannot seem to add consistency to their game in the Six Nations.
The 2020 Six Nations win was marred by COVID 19, and England haven’t looked the same side since, as they too look to have one eye on the World Cup next year.
An opening round defeat to Scotland could prove costly for England in the long run and at +650, they clearly have work to do to win the 2022 Six Nations trophy.
In a similar vein, Scotland look to have blown one of their best chances at glory in years, after they failed to back up their win over England, with a limp loss to Wales in Cardiff the following week.
Taking on Ireland later in the competition yields an incredibly stern tests for the Scots and with a decent points deficit to overturn, things would have to go their way dramatically if they were to win their first title since 1999.
Coming in at +10000, Scotland clearly have plenty of work to do, whilst Wales also have their work cut out following their defeats to Ireland and England at +10000, they are very much the outsiders to win the 2022 Six Nations title.
About The Authors
Elisa Mueller - Elisa Mueller was born in Kansas City, Missouri, to a mother who taught reading and a father who taught film. As a result, she spent an excessive amount of her childhood reading books and watching movies. She went to the University of Kansas for college, where she earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism. She moved to New York City and worked for Entertainment Weekly magazine for ten years, visiting film sets all over the world.
