Five storylines to follow in the final round of the Championship : PlanetRugby

Ahead of the final round of the Six Nations Championship, we delve into the big talking points going into Super Saturday.

History beckons for Grand Slam-chasing Ireland

Andy Farrell’s men have utterly dominated in the 2023 Six Nations and look set to claim just the fourth Grand Slam in their history. If anything, they have surpassed expectations so far this year with no team getting to within a converted try of the Irish. France were the closest but ultimately Ireland were far too strong for the second best team in the world, winning with a 13-point margin.

Surely, then, England will prove to be no match for Farrell’s charges at the Aviva Stadium, fresh from a 53-10 battering they received at the hands of Les Bleus? Ireland will be huge, huge favourites going into this weekend’s final round. That in itself will bring more pressure, but there is nothing to suggest that they will wilt, especially with how well they dealt with the injury setbacks on Sunday.

However, these games can do funny things to teams. A good start from the visitors and doubt could creep in but, ultimately, they are the best in the world for a reason. Some have, at times, strangely doubted Ireland’s true standing in the game, despite a series triumph over New Zealand and a home victory over South Africa in November, but hopefully these last few weeks have gone some way to answering the critics.

England licking their wounds

How do you respond after that beating? For England, they will hope it is positively, otherwise Ireland could well put over 60 points on Steve Borthwick’s men. They simply have to compete better physically after being overwhelmed by Les Bleus at Twickenham last Saturday. The Red Rose were absolutely annihilated up front and the Irish obviously have the capabilities to do the same if Borthwick’s charges succumb so easily once again.

The Irish perhaps don’t have the sheer out-and-out power of the French, nor will they produce the sort of organised chaos which proved so troublesome for the English, but they still have the physicality and dexterity that can put the visitors’ rearguard into disarray. Despite decent defensive showings against Italy and Wales, coach Kevin Sinfield will be concerned at how easily their line breaks when challenged with a bit more deception and variety.

A defeat feels inevitable for the Red Rose but an improved performance would at least give their supporters something to hold on to. The fans have moved from expectation to hope and are now just desperate for this talented bunch of players to show something that resembles a good international side. If England prove that they can be competitive against Ireland then it will give Borthwick and his team a platform to work with ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

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