The venues for this year’s championship are now complete – bar one! (See list below).
The missing element is the Italy-Scotland game. The FIR has been using the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma regularly, and since Italy’s other match (against England) is taking place there, we may find a different (new?) venue for the Scots. Otherwise, why not a simple double booking?
The Programme
Round 1 Saturday 11 April
France v Italy, 12.25 Stade des Alpes Grenoble
England v Ireland 12.25 Allianz Stadium Twickenham
Wales v Scotland, Principality Stadium 14.40
R2 Saturday 18 April
Scotland v England 13.30 Scottish Gas Stadium Murrayfield
Wales v France, 15.35 Cardiff Arms Park
Ireland v Italy, 17.50 Dexcom Stadium Galway
R3 Saturday 25 April
England v Wales, 14.15 Ashton Gate Bristol
Italy v Scotland, 16.30 TBC
France v Ireland, 19.10 Stade Marcel-Michelin Clermont-Ferrand
R4 Saturday 9 May
Italy v England, 14.00 Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Parma
Scotland v France, 16.15 The Hive Edinburgh
Ireland v Wales, 16.30 Affidea Stadium Belfast
R5 Sunday 17 May
Wales v Italy, 12.15 Cardiff Arms Park
Ireland v Scotland, Aviva Stadium Dublin
France v England, 16.45 Stade Atlantique Bordeaux
Times are BST.
We have a new pattern of fixtures, as the organisers try to satisfy all the people all the time. Rounds 1-4 take place successively on Saturdays; R5 becomes Super Sunday, with the matches sequenced according to past records and likely outcomes this time.
The gap in proceedings comes between rounds 3 and 4.
The one difficulty for viewers will be recalling details from three games in one day rather than two. At least there are playback facilities these days.
Each year the six unions are becoming more adventurous. Despite justified claims that too many matches are predictable, attendances keep growing. The love of the old championship grows deeper.
Plunging deep
Taking a game to a national stadium is a big risk; the costs are enormous, yet Scotland and Ireland have made that commitment. That makes four out of six!
It helps when a national team does well. That’s where we must hope that Sean Lynn’s squad can produce the goods.
He has delayed announcing names till the last possible moment; he has been busy scanning performances in the Celtic Challenge. There Gwalia Lightning have done themselves proud, a gleam of light in an otherwise stormy forecast for Welsh rugby.
Cymru have claimed two consecutive wooden spoons.
Lynn has to choose between tricky options: throw out the bulk of his squad in favour of a new generation, or keep the best of a failing side and trust that promising newcomers can earn their spurs.
He can be as ruthless as he is caring.
The general outlook is wonderfully encouraging. And with a new 6N Under 21 Championship on the cards, the future seems better insured too.
