Grand Slam Predictions & 6 Nations Betting Tips to Make You the Favorite
For rugby bettors around the world, the Six Nations Tournament marks one of the most exciting times of the year – a Grand Slam off national pride, where each team vies to be crowned champions. With England looking for revenge after dropping last year’s game to Wales; Ireland and Scotland hoping for a good start; France trying to make an impact despite losing key players; and Italy looking for a chance at upsetting everyone else; the tournament offers up plenty of opportunities not just for fun viewing but also for betting on your favourite team or player. Get in on the 6 nations betting action by understanding odds and betting expectations with our comprehensive guide!
6 Nations Championship: Overview of Teams & Coaches
For those not in the know, the 6 Nations Tournament is an annual rugby union championship contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. It’s one of the most highly-anticipated events in the rugby world, and this year’s tournament promises to be just as exciting as ever. This year’s competition includes some intriguing matchups and a chance to gain some important points as the teams compete to win the title. Each team will be led by experienced coaches and have key players that are expected to make a big impact on the tournament. In fact, let’s take a brief look at each team.
England
England will be entering the 2023 Six Nations tournament under new leadership, with Steve Borthwick as head coach, Kevin Sinfield as defence coach, and Nick Evans as attack coach. The new management team is looking to make changes to the squad, as Borthwick is allowed to make five changes to the Elite Player Squad (EPS) of 45 athletes in accordance with the Professional Game Agreement (PGA) guidelines. Borthwick has also indicated that there will be some flexibility in case of injuries. In an initial camp in December, previously discarded players like Ben Earl and Dan Cole were recalled to training, giving fans an indication of the direction the new management team is heading.
Wales
Wales will be starting the 2023 Six Nations tournament with a new coach, Warren Gatland, who is returning to Cardiff after leaving in 2019, and following Wayne Pivac’s sacking. Despite winning the championship in 2021, Pivac was relieved of his duties following poor performance in the Autumn Nations Series. Gatland has wasted no time putting his own stamp on things, removing Stephen Jones as attack coach and Gethin Jenkins as defence coach, though their replacements are yet to be formally identified. Gatland will be hoping to rectify the poor performance of the last edition of the Six Nations. Jonathan Humphreys will coach the forwards while Neil Jenkins remains in his post as skills and kicking coach, a role he has performed since 2004. With Gatland’s return, Wales will be looking to hit the ground running in their opening fixture against Ireland on February 4th.
Ireland
Ireland will be coming into the 2023 Six Nations as the reigning Triple Crown winners and currently considered the best team in the world. Coach Andy Farrell led the team to a historic series win in New Zealand in 2022, solidifying their status as a top team heading into the World Cup year. The team’s success was further highlighted by the crowning of flanker Josh van der Flier as World Rugby’s Player of the Year, ahead of teammate and nominee Jonny Sexton. Despite this, Farrell has some concerns over the fitness of key players such as Sexton, who recently underwent a procedure on a cheekbone injury, and Robbie Henshaw who is on the treatment table with a wrist injury. The Irish squad will be announced ahead of their opening match against Wales on February 4th and fans are excited to see if they can secure a third title in four years.
Scotland
Scotland will be led by Head Coach Gregor Townsend and top scorer Stuart Hogg in the 2023 Six Nations Championship. After a disappointing end to the last Six Nations with a defeat by Ireland, they will be looking to make a strong comeback in the upcoming tournament. They will play three home matches against Wales, Ireland, and Italy and two away matches against England and France. Scotland will start their campaign against England in the Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham with the chance of winning the cup for the third year in a row for the first time since 1972. The team will be looking to make an impact with several players hoping for a chance to showcase their skills, such as Cameron Redpath, Jack Dempsey, and Rufus McLean. These players have shown potential but have not had many opportunities to make a significant impact on the international stage. The 2023 Six Nations could be their chance to prove themselves and become regular starters in the national team.
France
France come into the 2023 Six Nations as the reigning Grand Slam champions, having secured their first championship title in 12 years in 2022. Les Bleus, led by head coach Fabien Galthié, will be looking to build on a successful 2022 campaign, which included a perfect 10-0 record, a tour of Japan and a win against South Africa. The team is currently on a run of 13 consecutive wins, making it difficult for new players to break into the starting lineup. However, there are still a few candidates who could follow in the footsteps of players like Melvyn Jaminet and Thibaud Flament by making a surprise impact. These include tighthead prop Sipili Falatea, loosehead Reda Wardi, wing/center Ethan Dumortier and center Emilien Gailleton.
Italy
Italy will begin the 2023 Six Nations with high hopes, as they look to build on an impressive Autumn Nations Series performance. The Azzurri will host defending champions France in Rome on the opening weekend of the tournament, and will play three home matches (vs France, Ireland and Wales) and two away matches (vs England and Scotland) throughout the championship. The team will be led by top scorer Sergio Parisse, and coached by newly appointed Conor O’Shea, who is determined to lead the team to an upset victory. The squad will feature young talents like Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Garbisi, Luca Rizzoli, who are all looking to make their mark on the international stage.
With so much talent and skill on display, it’s sure to be a thrilling tournament filled with twists and turns. Who knows? We might be blessed with another of the greatest moments in the Six Nations.
Understanding Bookies & Their Offered Markets
Betting on the 6 Nations tournament is a great way to add excitement to matches but it’s important to understand the bookies and the markets they are offering. There are several popular markets and types of bets available during the tournament, each with its own unique characteristics and potential payouts, such as Match Winner, Handicap Betting, Total Points, Try Scorers, Outright Winners, First Team to Score and Highest Point Scorer.
One of the most common markets is the Match Winner, where you can place bets on the outcome of individual games. In this market, you can bet on either team to win, or on the possibility of a draw. Handicap Betting is another popular market, where the bookmakers give a handicap to one of the teams, meaning that they have to win by a certain number of points for your bet to be successful.
Total Points is another popular market where you can bet on the total number of points scored in a match. This market can be particularly exciting if you expect a high-scoring match or if you want to bet on the under. Try Scorers is a market where you can bet on which player will score the first try of the match, or the first try for a specific team.
Outright Winners is a market where you can place bets on the overall winner of the tournament. This can be a great market to place a bet on if you have a strong feeling about which team will come out on top. First Team to Score is a market where you can bet on which team will score the first points in the match
Tips for Placing Winning Bets: Knowledge is Key!
Having a good knowledge about team performances historically and what odds each team has been given for each game can give you an edge when placing your bets. It also helps if you understand which teams have an advantage at what moments during their matches. Watching games or reading reports will give you more insight into the teams’ strengths and weaknesses so that you can predict who might win or lose any given game. And it’s pretty much why we’ve gone through the trouble of providing you with the previous brief analysis of each participating team in the Six Nations. Moreover, keeping an eye out for the odds helps you understand which teams are the current Six Nations favourites.
Conclusion
Making informed decisions when betting on the 6 Nations tournament is essential if you want to win big. Researching team performances throughout the years and understanding bookies’ odds and markets are key elements for those looking to increase their chances of winning bets this championship season.
While you’re here… here’s a 1-minute teaser/trailer for our MLR Weekly show.
