6 Nations....yeeesss!

Northern hemisphere international egg-chasing is back. It kicks-off this evening in Cardiff and I can't wait. My annual cycle of alternating hope and despair for my countrymen in this competition has managed to peak again which experience tells me is woefully misplaced. For me, that's the secret of the 6 Nations. 


I have fully come to terms with the fact that my homeland of five million simply doesn't have the resources and national competition to sustain a footballing side any longer that is capable of seriously competing in the game on the World stage and we have even struggled to qualify for Europe's own championships. The success of the Scotland rugby team is actually not much better although due to limited competition, we are guaranteed our place in the rugby World Cup finals and can still believe we are only several players short of giving the world a run for their money. We won't win the 6 Nations this year but we can compete and we can bloody some noses in the process. The ability of all of the competing sides, Italy-included, to also do that means that the competition is just that and fans from all competing nations can really throw themselves into it and every game is of interest. I think that is why it's not uncommon to find overseas visitors having made the trip to watch a fixture that their own side isn't playing in simply because it's the day before or after their game and they can squeeze in both. 


The camaraderie helps, of course, and the whole-day experience of 6 Nations rugby is simply so good I am always surprised more football fans haven't been drawn to it. The sights, sounds and carry-on are unbeatable. Win, lose or unlikely draw, rugby fans know it's just a game at the end of the day and pretty much anything can be put into perspective over a shared drink and a bit of banter.


My tickets for the Calcutta match at Twickers arrived this morning, so I will get to see all of Scotland's games this year with the exception of the game in Paris tomorrow.