The annual rugby competition known as Six Nations gathers more and more interest among sports fans. The six participating nations – Wales, Ireland, France, England, Scotland, and Italy – often tend to bring an enormous atmosphere to the games which have been quite unpredictable lately.

With France winning the last Six Nations tournament, England and Wales are eager to defend their lead with 29 and 28 titles respectively. Ireland has also made their way to the top recently winning the title in 2018 and coming really close to that success in the following campaigns.

2022 Six Nations Recap

The 2022 Six Nations Championship was quite intriguing as France managed to put an end to a 12-year drought without a title. France clinched the trophy with a masterpiece against England at Stade de France, ousting them 25-13, as you can check here: https://www.bovada.lv/.

Ireland enjoyed a fantastic performance being the only team that finished off with +100 points difference. However, their efforts were cut short after losing to Melvyn Jaminet and his national team in the Second Round.

The tournament also ended one of the worst streaks in the entire history of Six Nations as Italy won their first match since 2015 after defeating Wales. This victory snapped a 40-game winless streak for the only squad that is yet to win the trophy. 

Ireland looking for their first title since 2018

Ireland are currently set to be one of the two favorites to win the 2023 Six Nations. They missed out on winning the last three tournaments by the slimmest of margins. With their last title dating back to 2018, the Irish squad will be determined to snatch down the trophy for the 14th time in their history.

The team is led by the likes of Johnny Sexton, Joey Carbery, and James Lowe. Ireland is also leading in the race for the Triple Crown as they have +130 odds to repeat their success from last year.

France – A Young Squad Hungry for Success

The reigning champions managed to win their first trophy in the Six Nations since 2010 when they were led by Morgan Parra and Frederik Michalak. The French squad outplayed both Wales and Ireland to grab the outright win for the 18th time. Melvyn Jaminet led his team to overall success with 54 points across those five matches.

France is looking quite promising as they are also the current favorites to snatch the 2023 World Cup trophy on home soil. The team managed to rebuild the squad with young and motivated players who are eager to drink from the holy grail of success. 

Marcus Smith – The Hidden Weapon for England

England has won almost every single trophy during the 2020 Six Nations, but in the following two years, they have been struggling to meet these high standards. Marcus Smith almost single-handedly led England to 3rd place in the 2022 edition of the Six Nations. The Harlequins' player scored 71 points in five games which is twice as much as Johnny Sexton who finished 3rd in the individual standings.

England remains the most decorated team in Six Nations' history with 29 titles, while Wales is chasing them down with just one trophy less. The statute at the top is unlikely to change, however, as both squads are currently struggling.

Scotland and Wales – Experienced Teams Hoping to Defy the Odds

Scotland and Wales are currently struggling to adapt to the ever-changing rugby world. Scotland is yet to win the Six Nations tournament as they have 14 titles prior to switching the format to six teams in 2000. On the other hand, Wales might have won the 2019 and 2021 editions of the championship, but they were completely dominated by their opponents last year.

The two squads are quite experienced as both will have to go through a rebuilding process any time soon. This certainly hurts their chances of making an impact during the upcoming tournament in 2023. However, Dan Bigger and Finn Russell might still find the right recipe to lead their national teams to unparalleled glory.

Italy – The Underdogs Who are Determined to Top Their Result from 2022

During the 2022 Six Nations edition, Italy put an end to their 40-game losing streak with a tight 21-22 win over Wales at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. In the dying moments of the match, Edoardo Padovani scored a try, while Paolo Garbisi converted a one-point play to secure the victory. Garbisi finished off the tournament with 26 points, while Ange Capuozzo made two tries across their five meetings.

Despite being the ultimate underdogs, Italy will be determined to grab their first victory on home soil for the first time since the 2013 Six Nations Championship when they ousted both France and Ireland. The team is also looking to end another negative streak as they finished in last place during the last seven editions.