We predict how the rest of the 2024 Six Nations will play out...
From the Grand Slam through to the wooden spoon, there is still plenty to play for in this year’s tournament, so we’ve looked into our crystal ball to bring you our Six Nations 2024 predictions.
Ireland lead the way with two convincing wins from two and few would bet against them reigning supreme once again but stranger things have happened in the history of the Six Nations.
Read more: Six Nations team of Round Two
On their day, every side is capable of pulling off a notable scalp, while there are also plenty of individual accolades still up for grabs at such an early stage of proceedings.
So, without further ado, here are our Six Nations 2024 predictions.
Six Nations 2024 predictions: Who will win the championship?
This will come as no surprise. Before the tournament it was hard to look past Ireland and two rounds in, it is now impossible.
Andy Farrell’s side have been a class above the rest, dismantling France in the tournament opener in Marseille before putting 36 points past Italy for the loss of zero.
England are the only other side on two wins from two but neither was convincing. It would take something out of the ordinary to stop the green machine from defending their crown.
Will there be a Grand Slam?
Following on from the above, we are struggling to envisage an Ireland defeat. Maybe if they suffer an injury crisis it could happen, but such is their form and strength in depth, even that might not be enough.
As boring as it might be, a second successive Irish Grand Slam is rightly odds-on, so the answer to this one is a resounding yes.
Who will finish top try-scorer?
Now the team stuff is largely out of the way, this is where it gets interesting. Irish hooker Dan Sheehan leads the way on his own with three tries in two games and it would be amazing if he could maintain his position all the way until the tournament ends on March 16, but let’s be realistic.
Sheehan will likely be displaced from his perch but one of his team-mates could well pick up the mantle. On the wings, Calvin Nash has two tries and James Lowe has one, with both in excellent form.
With Wales, England and Scotland still to play, the tries are going to continue to flow and we’re going to go with Nash to top this list on his tournament debut. What a story and achievement that would be!
Who will finish top points-scorer?
It might come as a relief to some that we aren’t tipping an Irishman to claim bragging rights here. Fly-half Jack Crowley currently sits third, a point behind George Ford and Finn Russell, and has been immense in place of Johnny Sexton, but his from from the tee has been less than convincing.
Related: Jack Crowley comes of age
With stern challenges to come for Ford and Russell, we’re also going to overlook them and instead go for France’s Thomas Ramos. The French might have beaten the Scots in Edinburgh, but they still have a point to prove following two underwhelming displays.
Les Bleus have Italy, Wales and England left to play – depending on who you ask, possibly the three weakest teams – so will be looking to return to form and put some serious points on the board, many of which will come from the boot of the full-back.
Who will get the wooden spoon?
The award every team wants to avoid. Serial wooden spooners Italy are the favourites to finish bottom of the table once again but it’s far from a foregone conclusion.
The Azzurri came close to beating England in their first game and will see opportunities to win when they welcome Scotland to Rome and travel to Cardiff to face Wales, the scene of their last Six Nations win in 2022.
With both sides winless so far, it could very well come down to the battle between Wales and Italy on the last day of the tournament and we’re backing the Italians to claim another famous scalp at the Principality Stadium to leave the Welsh red-faced.
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