Ireland landed the 2018 Six Nations crown last weekend and Joe Schmidt’s side will now have their sights set on winning the Grand Slam and the Triple Crown. England have come up short in the title race, but stopping Ireland go through the card will be number one priority for Eddie Jones’ men. On Saturday, the pair meet at Twickenham Stadium for a mouth-watering match and England need to try and save some face by earning the points.
Before then, Italy and Scotland square off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, while Wales and France go head-to-head in the Principality Stadium later in the day. With just three points separating Wales, England, France and Scotland, there’s still a lot to play for on the final day and whilst the championship is decided, the battle for the placings is very much on.
- Italy v Scotland – Scotland HT/FT (5/13 at Bet365)
- England v Ireland – Ireland to Win Both Halves (3/1 at Bet365)
- Wales v France – Wales to Win -7.5 (5/6 at Betfair)
Italy v Scotland
Conor O’Shea’s Italy will finish bottom of this year’s Six Nations after falling to four heavy defeats from four games. However, can they restore some pride with a win over Gregor Townsend’s Scotland in Rome on Saturday? The Scots currently sit fifth on eight points but victory in the Olimpico will make it three wins in five and could move them up the table.
Scotland have failed to recover from their humiliating defeat to Wales in their opener which rather set the tone for an ultimately disappointing campaign. Although a bonus point win over the Italians will take them to 13 points, the Scots were tipped for greater success in this tournament. Azzurri have struggled to cope with the other nations yet again, shipping a staggering 174 points in their four matches.
Scotland will be hoping for a strong end to their tournament in Rome, and they should have no problems winning with ease in the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. With that in mind, back Townsend’s Scots to be winning at half and full time at decent odds of 5/13 (Bet365).
Scotland HT/FT – 5/13 at Bet365
England v Ireland
Jones’ England and Schmidt’s Ireland lock horns in a massive meeting at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon. Before the championship began, many had this clash earmarked as a potential decider but England’s poor form has put paid to that. The Irish stopped the English from winning the Grand Slam and Triple Crown last season, can England save some face and return the favour in London at the weekend? There’s nothing to split these two in the betting.
On the whole, it’s been a very disappointing tournament for the holders. England kicked off their campaign with an easy victory in Rome before a hard-fought and controversial triumph over Wales. However, after falling apart in Edinburgh in a 25-13 defeat at Murrayfield Stadium, the English were then beaten 22-16 in France last week.
As for Ireland, they have no doubt been the dominant force in this tournament. After needing a last-minute drop goal to beat France in their opener, Ireland have gone from strength to strength in the competition. The Irish have picked up 19 points from an available 20, scoring 17 tries along the way.
Ireland have not won the Grand Slam since 2009, but we can see Schmidt’s side topping off an outstanding tournament by beating England in their own backyard on Saturday. Take a punt on Bet365’s top odds of 3/1 for Ireland to win both halves at Twickenham, securing the Grand Slam and Triple Crown in the process. The game is taking place on St Patrick’s Day and we predict it will be some party for the visiting fans.
Ireland to Win Both Halves – 3/1 at Bet365
Wales v France
The final fixture of this year’s Six Nations is the intriguing looking matchup between Warren Gatland’s Wales and Jacques Brunel’s France at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. With the Dragons on 11 and Les Bleus on 10 points, who will finish higher up the table? Five points for Wales will be enough to see them finish runners-up to Ireland and we think they have the ability to deliver.
The Welsh were not fancied to make an impact in this tournament, but you have to give credit to Gatland’s injury-ravaged squad, who have been very competitive in all four matches so far. After a stunning win over Scotland, Wales fell to two narrow defeats in England and Ireland respectively. However, they hit back with an emphatic 38-14 win over Italy at home last Sunday.
As for France, the highlight of their tournament was no doubt last weekend’s 22-16 win over England in Saint-Denis. That made it back-to-back victories, having beaten Italy in their previous encounter.
This could be a thrilling affair in the Welsh capital as both nations to look to sign off with a win. We fancy Wales to be strong on home turf, though, so back the hosts to prevail -7.5 at 5/6 with Betfair.
Wales to Win -7.5 – 5/6 at Betfair