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Six Nations 2009 set to be more competitive than ever by Chris Williams
The much-anticipated 6 Nations rugby tournament gets underway on February 7th, with the cream of the Northern Hemisphere nations competing for one of the oldest trophies in the game.
Steeped in tradition with fixtures dating back over one hundred years, the Six Nations is always a fascinating exhibit of sporting passion, bitter rivalries, and an enthralling mixture of flair and gritty resolve as each country does whatever it takes to win.
To add to that heady mix, the 2009 edition will take on additional significance as players from the four home nations vie for selection for the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa later this year, ensuring that there are some fascinating sports spread betting markets to keep an eye on.
Wales start the tournament as favourites. Coach Warren Gatland is determined to defend their Grand Slam title and the victory over Australia in the autumn – the North’s only scalp over the Southern Hemisphere superpowers – setting them up well.
Captain Ryan Jones, so influential in last season’s triumph, has been rediscovering his form on the blindside flank, steering his club side The Ospreys into the last eight of the Heineken Cup. His team is littered with famous names to watch out for, including the pocket-sized try-machine Shane Williams, and he could be one to back in the rugby spread betting.
Declan Kidney’s Ireland may provide the most serious threat to Welsh supremacy. The former Munster coach will be trying to foster the same ‘refuse to lose’ mentality that has been a prevalent feature in the success of the Irish province. Centre Brian O’Driscoll has shown glimpses of his former wizardry, but remains some way off his best – nevertheless, his ability to influence a game with a moment of magic lives on, and he could be the catalyst for a strong Irish challenge.
England is the fourth home nation, and under the guidance of Martin Johnson, the rugby world is waiting to see how his young side fares. England rugby has been in turmoil since the 2003 Rugby World Cup victory, but the arrival of Johnson last year was seen as the dawning of a new era – despite a difficult autumn series, there is still optimism for an improved showing in 2009 and there will be plenty of bets from patriotic followers.
Danny Cipriani is likely to grab most of the headlines, but betting supporters will hope that they relate to his sublime performances on the pitch rather than off it. Cipriani is undoubtedly a phenomenal talent, and he could well be the star of the Six Nations with both his goal-kicking and his try-scoring threat.
France are something of an unknown since Marc Lievremont took over as coach and implemented an erratic selection policy that was mirrored by erratic displays by the team. On their day, Les Bleus can beat any other nation, but consistency has been an issue of late.
Scotland and Italy are likely to battle for the Wooden Spoon once again. The Scots will rely on passionate performances from the likes of scrum-half Mike Blair and flanker Jason White, whilst Italy – still an improving rugby nation – could cause one or two upsets at the Stadio Flaminio.
So whilst Wales appear to be favourites, the 2009 Six Nations will certainly be competitive and winning margins are likely to be relatively small between the top four teams – as a result, the excitement is building all over Europe for what should be a dramatic series of high-quality international fixtures.
With all the hype for the Six Nations 2009, the season for the spread betters has just got even better.
About the Author
Chris Williams is sports activist and loves writing about sports and sports related updates like Football Spread Betting
