This weekend saw the first round of the Guinness Six Nations 2025 and there was not much to get excited about. The games lacked quality and if this is the standard set then Northern Hemisphere rugby needs to improve.
The game between France and Wales on Friday night put me to sleep due to the match being so one sided with France winning by 43 points to nil. These days you have to be really poor if you cannot score one point.
The Welsh team is so weak it is hard to gauge whether the French are any good or not as they seemed to have so much time on the ball another team could pressure them into mistakes. I would say they have to be the clear favorites for the title yet we all know the French mentality so nothing is certain with their mindset. There were glimpses of French quality yet they also lacked an urgency and spark.
The Scots played Italy ad what looks like a comfortable 31-19 win does not tell the full story. Italy are a much improved young and upcoming team who mid way through the second half were level with the score at 19 all. If Scotland needed a wake up call this game was just what they needed because this squad has potential to challenge for honors this year. They have no real super stars but what makes them strong is they play as a team.
In the last game of the first round Ireland played England and this was a game of two halves with both sides struggling to get their game together. England should have been further ahead than the 10-5 scare at the break and this is down to poor finishing and wrong calls. The final score of 27-22 to Ireland could have been so different ad there were certain calls made by the referee that made little sense.
Itoje is the new captain of England and he did his side no favors and never had the ref on his side. I felt he was a lucky boy to not see a red card as the officials missed him deliberately stamping on Hansen's foot. His temperament in big games has always been questionable so it is strange he has been made the captain. England have lost 8 of their last 11 matches so it shows you where they are as a squad.
England play France next week and if they play like they did yesterday then they are in for a rude awakening. I struggle to find any quality besides one or two players and on the whole this a 4/10 type team. The forwards are weak and they will struggle this tournament and expect them to finish 4th.
Ireland need to get their selections right and start Crowley at fly half and tis will change how they play. They have a chance of winning this year, but this is not the Irish team we saw last year as they lack flair. They have to improve if they want to beat Scotland next week.
Wales there is not much to say as they are that bad and do think they would lose to average club teams. They need a total rebuild and struggle to find one player of international quality. This team needs to take every point on offer and kicking for territory instead of the posts is simply dumb as they do not have the forward power even from 5m out.
Overall a disappointing lack luster 3 matches with the hope the standard and quality improves drastically next weekend. This Six Nations tournament is the show case of Northern Hemisphere rugby and is definitely not setting the rugby world on fire as all the sides look weak and vulnerable besides the French who were not tested by a woeful Welsh team. All the teams have so much work to do this week as any of the top 3/4 can still win this.