With the Six Nations just around the corner and with it looking like being one of the closest tournaments we have seen for many years I though I would take a look around and see who the bookies had as favourites. I was more than surprised at what I found:
| England | 2/1 |
| Ireland | 5/2 or 2.5/1 |
| France | 13/5 or 2.6/1 |
| Wales | 9/2 or 4.5/1 |
| Scotland | 12/1 |
| Italy | 250/1 |
England are the bookies tip for the title? I can’t really understand why? Nor can I understand how Ireland have got in there as second favourites? Seems very odd indeed. Bear in mind that these odds are for the outright winner, but England are still second favourites for the Grand Slam! Bizarre. They haven’t won a grand slam since 2003, which was the last time they won the championship, yet they start this year as top dogs.
Undoubtedly they could win it, they have had a good Autumn and Wales have been savaged by injury, making the opening night trip to Cardiff a little easier. They could still slip up there though, likewise with Ireland in Italy, it was close enough last year and a couple of more injuries could before Saturday could see them in real trouble. Wales have serious injury trouble to get over and the omission of Martyn Williams could prove a little premature, Scotland are unlikely to trouble the top of the table either.
Having said all this I still think there is nothing between the top three teams, so my tip for the 2011 Six Nations is for Italy to get a win at 11/8 . The impact of the Italian sides playing in the Magners is bound to bear fruit and I just love an underdog
