The Six Nations: a tournament for everyone
On a cold 2016 spring night in Paris, England were on the verge of being Grand Slam champions for the first time since 2003. All they had to do was win the game.
With two pin-point penalties from Farrell, Eddie Jones’s England had done it. Ben Youngs launched the ball in to the stands as the clock fell into the red zone, and that’s when we all knew — England were back.
The most anticipated rugby championships are once again upon us, with France taking on Wales in the opening game of the Six Nations. But the game that most rugby fans are looking forward to comes the following day, Satuday February 2, when Ireland host England at the Aviva Stadium.
After a poor performance last year in the tournament but a good performance in the autumn internationals, the 2019 Six Nations could be a make or break situation for Eddie Jones and his World Cup hopes.
With such a high level of rugby talent on display, many people are inspired to get involved with rugby, whether young, old, big, small, tall, fat, thin or otherwise. There’s a place for everyone in rugby.
With every rugby fan, team, club and player looking anxiously on, I spoke to members of Portsmouth Rugby Club to hear how they felt about the tournament, and how it inspires them to bring glory to Portsmouth.
Portsmouth RFC was founded in 1866 and since then has been the number one rugby club in Hampshire.
Darren Leggotts, 1st XV captain, said: “We tend to benefit off the back of the Six Nations, as it brings back a lot of the old boys who fancy a pint in the club house.
“You see the emergence of the people with real character, who would happily come out and play in any conditions.
“It makes a real big difference when you see the guys with a real dedication to play.”
Portsmouth RFC are currently third in the RFU’s London 3 division and will take on Trojans on Saturday February 2nd in their defence of the Hampshire Bowl after a successful campaign last year.
With a tough game ahead, forward’s coach Ben Lanigan said they’re looking forward to the game and are hoping to use this momentum to push for a promotion place at the end of the season.
To help get them over the line, Ben hopes that Six Nations will inspire people to back their local club.
He continued: “The only problem is the Six Nations matches are on at the same time as our matches, and people would much rather watch England in the warm.
“But certainly afterwards, you see a few more people down at training or older players who used to play wanting to get back in to it.”
The Six Nations are set to be a hotly contested tournament this year, with Ireland looking to defend their title and England hoping to shake off any nerves and prove to the rest of the world that we mean business.
Saturday sees the start of one of the greatest rugby matches in history. A rousing cry of Swing Low will bellow out across the Aviva stadium as England take the fight to Ireland on their home turf, as the red and whites begin their toughest game of the year so far.
Steve Austen, England fan and ex-player, said: “I’m hoping for a big result against Ireland, and if we manage to get the best of them, I think the tournament will be ours. Definitely our hardest game.
“It’s always the atmosphere that does it for me. Nothing else like it.”
So, Steve and Ben predict England will lift the trophy, but Dan says it will be Wales (never). Of course, I can see an England Grand Slam, but what are your predictions?
