"Back to Back Grand Slams" - Predicting Every Team's Performance in the 2024 Six Nations

After last year's World Cup brought an end to many an international career, the 2024 Six Nations is brimming with uncapped hopefuls, a handful of new captains, and a whole lot of expectation. Ireland are the reigning champions heading into the competition, with the pressure building on Andy Farrell's men to retain their Grand Slam.

Should Ireland go undefeated in the tournament, then they will become the first side to achieve the Six Nations Grand Slam accolade in back-to-back years. In their way stands England, who are without a handful of World Cup talents, including their former captain and talisman Owen Farrell. France, who like Steve Borthwick's men will have to adjust to life with superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont, as the Toulouse man undergoes his Olympic Sevens dream.

Continuing on we also have Wales, who have ushered in a new era of talent, including a total of 12 players who are looking to make their first Six Nations appearence. Italy, who have entered their next coaching chapter with Gonzalo Quesada replacing Kieran Crowley at the helm. And Scotland, the plucky dark horses who want redemption, after suffering a pool stage elimination from the Rugby World Cup.

With the opening weekend of the 2024 Six Nations now just 17 days away, let's have a run-down of every competing nation and predict how they will fare in the upcoming championships.

Predictions for each Six Nations team are found on the following pages:

They say that history is written by the winners. This will be no more truer than if Ireland complete the Grand Slam in back-to-back years. Andy Farrell's side could become the first nation in history to achieve the feat in the modernised Six Nations, as the accomplishment was last done by France, in the 1997 and 1998 Five Nations Championships. Despite the magnitude of the feat, we believe that Ireland have the qualities across the board to achieve the previously un-achievable, in the 2024 Six Nations.

Johnny Sexton called time on his career after the Rugby World Cup, with back-row Peter O'Mahoney given the honour of being Ireland's captain for the 2024 Six Nations. Sexton's retirement came after a phenomenal 14 years with the Ireland national team, where he accrued a stunning 1,108 points in 118 Ireland tests, to retire as the nation's record points scorer. Munster wing Keith Earls also hung up his boots, following Ireland's quarter-final elimination by the All Blacks.

Andy Farrell has looked to the future in his selections, with three uncapped players joining the Ireland squad as 'training panellists'. Two Munster talents were in the group, in the form of tight-head prop Oli Jager and lock Thomas Ahern. Jager gets the call-up shortly after signing with the Irish Province, as the 28-year-old has spent his prior career with Canterbury and the Crusaders in Super Rugby.

Ahern is a 23-year-old prodigy prospect, that has been impressing the Thomond Park faithful with his lock and back-row versatility. However, Ahern has since been replaced by Cian Prendergast, in a late injury enforced change. Farrell's third uncapped hopeful is Leinster's Sam Prendergast, who is looking to emulate his brother Cian with a test match debut as the siblings re-unite in the squad. The 19-year-old fly half emerged into the Leinster squad at the tale end of Sexton's era, and gained valuable tutelage from the iconic Irish halfback.

Farrell has made some tough calls for his Six Nations squad, with an assortment of his top players ruled out through injury. Wing Mack Hansen, hooker Rob Herring, prop Dave Kilcoyne and fullback Jimmy O'Brien will all watch on from the side-lines. Another big injury set-back is the omission of Leinster's Ross Byrne, who was steadily emerging as the successor to Sexton throughout the Rugby World Cup. This onus will now likely fall to Jack Crowley of Munster, with Ireland's training camp already underway in Portugal.

There are re-callings to the squad for eight players, who missed the flight to France for the Rugby World Cup. The Leinster quartet of prop Cian Healy, fly-half Harry Byrne, centre Ciaran Frawley and wing Jordan Larmour are in the wider training squad, alongside the Ulster trio of hooker Tom Stewart, back-row Nick Timoney and wing Jacob Stockdale. Munster wing Calvin Nash also returns amongst Andy Farrell's picking favour.

R1: FRANCE 12 - 18 IRELAND

R2: IRELAND 54 - 10 ITALY

R3: IRELAND 42 - 16 WALES

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Onto Steve Borthwick's new-look England side, and the head coach has only retained 17 players from the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad. Plentiful top England stars ended their international careers after winning Bronze medals in Paris, be it due to either test match retirement, or in pursuit of a club career in the French Top 14. Borthwick has also selected a new captain in Jamie George, seven exciting uncapped talents, and re-called some in-form players to bolster the international set-up.

England's most-capped men's player was the first to announce his post World Cup retirement, with scrum half Ben Youngs awarded a swan-song in the bronze medal final against Argentina. Pack leader Courtney Lawes and Gloucester wing Jonny May followed suit shortly after, before prop Mako Vunipola confirmed the end of his international career earlier this month.

The French departures began with Joe Marchant's move from Harlequins to Stade Francais, and back-row Jack Willis' decision to extend his contract with Toulouse. Lock David Ribbans then exited Northampton in favour of Toulon, before rapid wing Henry Arundell signed a contract extension with Racing 92, after the financial collapse of London Irish. However most poignantly of all, was former England captain Owen Farrell's decision, to step away from test match rugby for mental health reasons. What followed was the subsequent news of his transfer to Racing, which has since been confirmed for next Summer.

Borthwick has also decided to drop a trio of players for the Six Nations, who featured on the pitch during the Rugby World Cup. Beginning with Kyle Sinckler, the tight-head prop's time in the England fold looks to be winding down, as reports on his upcoming move to Toulon only gain more traction. Sinckler's Bristol Bears teammate Max Malins has also been let go from the squad, along with Saracens back-row Billy Vunipola and Harlequins hooker Jack Walker.

Complicating England's selection process, is the group of injured players that have been written out of next month's Six Nations. The Sale trio of flanker Tom Curry, centre Manu Tuilagi and prop Bevan Rodd are all on the side-lines, along with Northampton flanker Lewis Ludlam, who also misses out on the squad. Borthwick's plans took another blow as in-form centre Ollie Lawrence was released from the squad yesterday due to injury, along with another Sale player in hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie.

After failing his HIA in Harlequins' Champions Cup win against Ulster, Oscar Beard is on the injury reserve list but will still travel with the team. The latest additions to the England squad is the Bath duo of wing Will Muir and centre Max Ojomoh, and Newcastle Falcons hooker Jamie Blamire. Furthermore, after the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup squad, Exeter centre Henry Slade and Harlequins back-row Alex Dombrandt are back in the fold for the 2024 Six Nations.

Joining them are seven uncapped players, who are eager to make a statement on their test match debuts. England begin their tournament away to Italy, with the stage set in Rome for some fresh faces to star early in the competition. The exciting Exeter pair of wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and back-row Ethan Roots are called up, along with Northampton Saints duo Fraser Dingwall and Fin Smith. Hot-form Harlequins Chandler Cunningham-South and Oscar Beard also eye up a test debut, along with Sale Sharks wing Tom Roebuck.

R2: ENGLAND 22 - 10 WALES

R4: ENGLAND 15 - 24 IRELAND

R5: FRANCE 26 - 12 ENGLAND

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made his objective clear for the 2024 Six Nations; he is looking to the future in this new era of Welsh rugby. Gatland's youthful squad of international inexperience makes the likes of Ireland and England look like veterans clubs. Beginning with the new Wales captain, lock Dafydd Jenkins becomes the second youngest player (since Gareth Edwards in 1968), to lead the nation at just 21-years-old.

Despite being so young in his career, Jenkins has gained valuable leadership experience as Exeter Chiefs captain. The lock set a new Premiership record, as he captained his club in a league match aged just 19 years and 342 days old. The lock leads out a fresh-faced Wales squad, that features 13 players set for their first exposure to the Six Nations Championship.

Beginning with the five uncapped players in the Wales squad, Gatland has called-up a quartet of you Cardiff stars; back rows Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin plus hooker Evan Lloyd and full-back Cameron Winnett. University of Bath scholar and Bath rugby tight-head Archie Griffin has also been named in the group. The youthful exuberance is further presented in the eight additional players that are gearing up for their first taste of Six Nations action.

The eight players set for their first Six Nations appearances include props Keiron Assiratti, Corey Domachowski (both Cardiff) and Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), full-back Cai Evans (Dragons), centre Joe Roberts (Scarlets) and lock Teddy Williams (Cardiff), plus Scarlets fly half duo Sam Costelow and Ioan Lloyd. Gatland has also had to deal with a couple of high-profile injuries ahead of the tournament, as his Rugby World Cup co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, have both been ruled out of the Six Nations through injury.

There have been two re-callings to the squad, with Ospreys centre Owen Watkin and Cardiff back-row James Botham back in the international set-up. However, most shockingly of all was the announcement that blockbuster wing Louis Rees-Zammit has retired from rugby, in pursuit of an American football career in the NFL. The former Gloucester and British & Irish Lion has accepted a place on the NFL's International Player Pathway programme, along with former Northampton Saints talent Harry Mallinder, Connacht fullback Darragh Leader and Coventry Rugby lock George Smith.

The new era of Welsh rugby has certainly arrived, after a group of legends retired from test match rugby (or the sport as a whole) on either side of the Rugby World Cup. Beginning with Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, the two Welsh forward icons stepped down from the World Cup squad in a shocking double-blow, before Rhys Webb headed to Biarritz and Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Cory Hill moved over to Japan. Dan Biggar stepped down from international rugby after Wales' RWC elimination to Argentina, with a new crop of players steadily emerging through the ranks.

R1: WALES 18 - 26 SCOTLAND

R2: ENGLAND 22 - 10 WALES

R3: IRELAND 42 - 16 WALES

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Having long been the Six Nations' dark horses, Scotland will be looking to put plans into action and record some upset victories in the upcoming Championships. Gregor Townsend's men will be eyeing up redemption against Ireland, after Farrell's men halted any further progression than the pool stages of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Spear-headed by the self professed 'Lionel Messi' of rugby, Finn Russell, Townsend is yet to name his captain but could well bestow the honour to his charismatic talisman.

Scotland have kept hold of the Calcutta Cup for the past three years, with their recent dominance of England stretching to back-to-back meetings at Twickenham Stadium. Scotland have since taken two other England assets north of the border, in the form of their latest international call-ups Alec Hepburn and Arron Reed. Starting with Hepburn, the Exeter Chiefs prop made six previous caps for England, yet after a three-year stand-down period, has opted to swap nations and play for Scotland for the upcoming Six Nations.

Hepburn qualifies for Scotland through his father, as does Sale Sharks wing Reed, who was also on the cards for an England call-up. Scotland pipped England to Reed's international commitment, yet could not bring Tom Roebuck or Fin Smith on board. Additionally, Townsend has named Leicester Tigers tight-head Will Hurd in the squad, with the Scotland U20 prop earning a shot at a first senior test cap. Flying fullback Harry Paterson also joins the fray in search of a Scotland 15s debut, having previously represented the nation on the sevens circuit.

Gloucester fly half Adam Hastings has made his return from injury, in time to be named in amongst the Scotland halfbacks. There are three players in the squad with a sole Scottish cap to their names, as Glasgow wing Kyle Rowe and fullback Stafford McDowall are called-up, along with hooker and Warriors teammate Johnny Matthews.

Following the retirement of Stuart Hogg ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Scotland with also be without a further three British & Irish Lions for the upcoming competition. Centre Chris Harris, back row Hamish Watson and prop Rory Sutherland have all been left out, in a trio of big calls from Gregor Townsend.

Scotland have a flooded centre market to explain Harris' exclusion, yet the shallower depth in the back row from a match fitness perspective (Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey and Rory Darge on injury returns) adds question marks on 'the Mish's' dismissal from the national team. Johnny Gray also remains out of the Scotland fold, as the lock has not yet featured for Exeter Chiefs in the 2023/24 Premiership season.

R1: WALES 18 - 26 SCOTLAND

R2: SCOTLAND 18 - 27 FRANCE

R3: SCOTLAND 16 - 20 ENGLAND

France head coach Fabien Galthie also had the tough task of choosing a new captain, with superstar scrum-half Antoine Dupont out of the 2024 Six Nations. Dupont stepped away from the national team for a brief focus on sevens rugby, with the goal of winning gold at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games this Summer. Dupont could also take on former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper at the Games, as the back-row gears up with the Australia Olympic team.

Dupont will be in North America throughout the 2024 Six Nations, as the France Sevens team compete in the Vancouver (Canada) and Los Angeles (California, US) events on the Sevens World Series circuit. In Dupont's absence, Galthie has selected titanic back-row Gregory Alldritt to lead France throughout the 2024 Six Nations.

The Stade Rochelais number eight led his side to back-to-back Champions Cup titles, and was named 2023 EPCR Player of the Year for his heroics in their latest campaign. Should Alldritt become unavailable for selection, back-rows Anthony Jelonch and Charles Ollivon are the front-runners for the armband, as the duo have both previously captained Les Bleus in recent years. Dupont's vacancy leaves a void at scrum-half, with Maxime Lucu of Bordeaux-Begles the leading contender for Les Blues' nine jersey.

Galthie has named six uncapped players in France's squad, as his side enters a new Rugby World Cup cycle following their home-soil heartbreak. France were ousted in their own tournament by eventual winners South Africa, with the incredible quarter-final being the best match of the competition for many neutral fans.

Galthie's assortment of debuting talents begins with newly eligible New Zealand-born lock Emmanuel Meafou (Toulouse), as well as second row Matthias Halagahu and back-row Estaban Abadie, who are both representing Toulon in the forward pack. They are joined by scrum-half and potential Dupont replacement Nolann Le Garrec, and fly half Antoine Gibert from the blue and white of Racing 92. Centre Nicolas Depoortere joins Galthie's group from Bordeaux-Begles.

The stand-out re-calling to the France squad is Paul Gabrillagues, who has not played a test match for Les Bleus in half a decade. The lock last featured on the national stage France's 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to Wales, and the 30-year-old has been steadily plying his trade at Stade Francais in hopes of a comeback to the squad, to build on his 16-cap tally.

R1: FRANCE 12 - 18 IRELAND

R2: SCOTLAND 18 - 27 FRANCE

R3: FRANCE 38 - 10 ITALY

R4: WALES 12 - 26 FRANCE

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The ultimate underdogs of the Six Nations, Italy made history back in 2022 as the ended a seven-year long wait for a Six Nations win, in their immortalised 22-21 triumph over Wales in Cardiff. However, the Azzurri were unable to follow this up with a victory in last year's competition, as they were once again awarded the wooden spoon despite showing promise.

After reaching new heights under Kieran Crowley, Italy have appointed a new head coach to build on the New Zealander's foundation of milestone wins. With Crowley at the helm, Italy achieved the aforementioned Six Nations curse-ender against Wales, an immense upset over Australia and additional test match wins against Samoa, Japan and Romania. The new appointment is Gonzalo Quesada, the former Argentina fly-half that has since enjoyed coaching stints with Racing 92, Jaguares, Biarritz and Stade Francais.

Quesada has named five uncapped players in his Italy squad, including Exeter Chiefs back-row Ross Vincent. The South African born 'bolter' has had a rapid rise to prominence down at Sandy Park, and the 21-year-old would be eager to mix it up against his Exeter teammates Manny Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade and Ethan Roots, when Italy and England open their Six Nations campaigns in Rome.

The four other uncapped Azzurri hopefuls are made up of two each from Italy's United Rugby Championship clubs. Benetton have produced prop Mirco Spagnolo and back-row Alessandro Izekor into the national squad, with Zebre Parma also contributing to the front row, in the form of props Matteo Nocera and Luca Rizzoli. The Italian squad should in no way be overlooked, as they aim for an odds-upsetting victory in the coming months.

The most experienced player in the Italy squad is former Harlequins playmaker Tommaso Allan. The adaptable back has 79 caps to his name, with 31-capped prop Pietro Ceccarelli being the oldest squad member at 31-years-old. Like Italy had for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the squad is made up of a predominantly young contingent, with the likes of Paolo Garbisi and pocket-rocket Ange Capuozzo named in the exciting squad-list.

Speaking of Garbisi, the Italian fly half could well be on his way to the Premiership with the Six Nations presenting an opportune shop window for Saracens fans. Garbisi has been linked with the North London club, amongst a list of potential replacements for Owen Farrell, once the former England captain departs for Racing 92 next Summer.

R1: ITALY 18 - 35 ENGLAND

R2: IRELAND 54 - 10 ITALY

R3: FRANCE 38 - 10 ITALY

R4: ITALY 10 - 24 SCOTLAND

We're delving into the nitty-gritty of Six Nations history, focusing on those moments when the ref brandished a red card and sent players marching off the pitch.

It's a real head-scratcher, mate! So, grab your favourite brew, cozy up in your lucky armchair, and let's see if you've got the goods to name every Six Nations player who's been given the old heave-ho since the turn of the century.

This one's a corker, so let's get stuck in and separate the true-blue rugby brains from the weekend warriors.

Cheers, and let the quizathon begin!