Overall, the final weekend of the 6 Nations rugby tournament is a culmination of weeks of intense competition; it represents a thrilling conclusion to one of the most prestigious events in international rugby that we all look forward to, something to enjoy over the short days until spring.
Round 5 is typically filled with excitement and intensity as teams vie for victory and final tournament positions. With everything on the line, matches can be fiercely competitive and unpredictable. The winner of the Six Nations championship is often only determined on the final weekend, sometimes with the added icing on the cake being a Grand Slam. The outcome of matches can also affect their country’s world IRB rankings.
Matches on the final weekend often feature classic showdowns between traditional rivals, adding an extra layer of excitement. It’s not infrequently “Le Crunch” as we call it, our match against our traditional rivals “Les Rosbifs”, a game which probably ranks on a par with the Calcutta Cup for Scottish and English fans.
At an individual level, big performances from individual players affect not only the outcome of matches but their chances of being selected for their country’s summer tour.
The final weekend of the Six Nations attracts high levels of engagement, both in stadiums and among viewers watching from around the world. I have friends who live in Australia and New Zealand who either set their alarms to wake up or have all night BBQs with mates to watch.
I host what has become a traditional 6 course menu, with a dish from each country. It’s a special moment waking up early to buy fresh ingredients, but also cooking things I know my best mates always look forward to such as chocolate mousse and leek and potato soup. This year, the Balmoral chicken went down really well and yes, I made the whisky sauce from scratch too!
I watched most of our match from the kitchen shouting out “did he score” to my mates, so it was good to wait until they all left so I could watch the replay in full, safe in the knowledge that I would not have to pay the forfeit I had agreed with the rugby group!
A long wait until next February, but at least we have the summer and autumn tours to anticipate and in the meantime, it’s back to the Top14 and EPCR final rounds!
Who impressed you the most as a player this time ?
