By Bruce Lowe
March 14, 2025
Dear Six Nations Friends and Followers,
Le Grand Finale! Le Crescendo! Le coup de Grace! Whatever you’d like to call it, the Six Nations Tournament is coming to a Gallic-driven, rip-roaring and riveting conclusion! Big questions abound. The Grand Slam has gone bye-bye, thanks to a dominating French display at Aviva. So France are in the driver’s seat BUT can Scotland play the ultimate spoiler in Paris, thus giving Ireland and England hopes still? Can England overpower an improving Wales in Cardiff?
Likewise, can Ireland lick their wounds off against Italy in Rome, with bonus points and points differentials possibly crucial? And, almost as important, will sufficiently vast quantities of its all-at-once “cool” or “chic” beverage have been consumed along the way to convince Guinness that it was right to be the main sponsor? Let’s hope so. And now on to the gladiators.
France vs Scotland, Paris: 3:00 p.m.
By my rough calculation, twenty – eight years ago, in 1997, saw the last and (until now) only time that Les Coqs achieved a Grand Slam by winning the final game on home turf, ultimately convincingly triumphing over a valiant Scotland side at the last tournament match ever to be played at the cozy, intimate 45,000 seat Parc des Princes Stadium wedged in among the Paris City suburbs – I know, I was there along with a good friend, Alistair Fyfe, both of us fervent Scotland supporters and decked out – along with about 10,000 colleagues – in our kilts. The atmosphere was electric – the kilts and occasional bagpiper throughout the crowd mingled with groups as colorful and vibrant as only French international rugby fans can be – replete with weird rooster headgear or bright yellow or pink chicken feather suits, the bagpipe melodies providing a cacophony of sound when mingling with an assortment of gallic horns, accordions, mandolins and the like.
France emerged victorious in 1997 in an entertaining 37 – 21 game. Towards the end “La Marseillaise” was reverberating around the stadium. After the final whistle the French Team did a lap of honor to an even more stirring repeat of the national anthem. After the game we spent the next couple of hours outside the stands drinking and talking with excited French supporters all telling us how well the Scots had played, and how much more fun were Scottish fans were than English fans (It’s easier to be magnanimous in victory!).
On Saturday at the 80,000 + Stade de France it will be just like that on steroids! Could Scotland spring a surprise? It will be the shock of the tournament if they do BUT if the “good” Finn Russell shows up, if Blair Kinghorn continues to star like he’s been doing all tournament, if Van der Swerve and Graham are given opportunities to create as only the two best wings in the Six Nations right now can, if the Scottish forwards and team as a whole can play at the top of their game for a full 80 minutes – which hasn’t happened yet – then maybe they’ve got a chance.
Otherwise, as with Ireland in Dublin last week, it’s a bridge entirely too far. As I emphasized in my week 4 preview comments, this is a formidable French team, going from strength to strength each week – after the hiccup at Twickenham they seemed to reload, destroyed Italy in the second half, and continued the momentum into Dublin. Even without the injured Dupont and particularly at home, I can only see a lap of honor in the sights again. I hope I’m wrong!
Wales vs England, Cardiff: 12:45 a.m.
Still in with a chance, should France stumble, England once again shuffle the deck, with 7 personnel and/or positional changes, including Marcus Smith returning to fullback. Is Coach Borthwick tinkering too much? England have the motivation should France ultimately stumble, but the improving Welsh, particularly with the tough back row with Jac Morgan, Wainwright and Faletau, will present a tough uncompromising front. Wales will want very much to finish on a high note in front of the Cardiff crowd. Will the presence of Prince William and Kate Middleton in the Royal Box, as patrons of their respective Unions, inspire one team or the other? In that case, I’m going with Kate and Wales! More conventional wisdom however says that England will end up with a hard earned win.
Italy vs. Ireland, Rome 10:15 a.m.
Coming off a hugely deflating Week 4 day at the office in Dublin, Ireland must now go to Rome and play what must seem to them like an anti-climactic game against an Italy team with – after 2 heavy defeats, but still lots of promise – something still to prove. With wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe returning from injury and Ringrose from suspension, Ireland are actually in good shape. Perhaps the knowledge, as with England, that a French trip-up could put them back in the hunt will be motivation enough. Italy always seems to do better when Tommaso Allan plays, and he’s back in as fullback. Together with the “Brexoncello” center partnership, as well, the Azzurri will not be a pushover, but I expect Ireland to come out on top by the end.
All in all, a delicious end to an exciting, absorbing and high scoring tournament. Enjoy, everyone!
LIVE: Millard Filmore Presidential Library, Gomley’s, ands streaming on Peacock.
Best regards,
Bruce
*Bruce Lowe is a partner Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP, and a Board Member of the 1964 Rugby Foundation.
