Rugby Union fans from across the globe always look forward to February because it spells one thing - the start of the 6 Nations. This is a very popular and prestigious competition that sees England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy play each other once, either away or at home, for the right to be called Europe’s best international rugby team. Due to the historic nature of this tournament, rivalries and drama exist in abundance and betting on 6 Nations rugby is extremely popular. Below we are going to take a closer look at the favourites to win the 2023 edition of this championship.
What Are the Odds of a Grand Slam in 2023?
The first aim of all six teams in the Six Nations is obviously to finish at the top of the table come March and claim the 6 Nations title. However, while winning the title is great, there is one thing that exceeds that, and this is winning the Grand Slam. If you are new to the Six Nations, then the Grand Slam is what a team achieves if they manage to win all five of their matches - this is what France managed to do in 2022.
The Grand Slam is not an easy feat to achieve because the competition is so competitive and any of the teams can win on their day, so when a team does manage to pick up the Grand Slam, it is definitely cause for some extra celebration. All of the top bookmakers out there will provide their punters with odds for each team to win the Grand Slam, and the odds are usually pretty decent due to the difficulty involved in winning all five matches.
In the table below, you can find the odds that four of the top sports betting sites are offering for each team to win the Grand Slam at the 2023 Six Nations:
| Team | Betiton | Betway | William Hill | 888 Sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Grand Slam | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 1.91 |
| Ireland | 3.75 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| France | 4.00 | 4.33 | 4.33 | 4.30 |
| England | 9.95 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| Wales | 40.00 | 41.00 | 29.00 | 34.00 |
| Scotland | 65.00 | 81.00 | 67.00 | 67.00 |
| Italy | 999.00 | 2001.00 | 2001.00 | 1001.00 |
So, as you can see from the above table, the top sports betting sites are favouring there being no Grand Slam this year, while if there is to be one, they think Ireland has the best chance of achieving the feat. However, before you place any bets, we recommend you head over to TalkRugbyUnion and check out some of their top betting tips.
2023 Six Nations Favourites
So, Grand Slam aside, who are the favourites to go on and win the title? Well, since the Irish are the bookies favourites to land a Grand Slam, it should not come as much surprise to find out that they are also their favourites to win the title, but only slight favourites with France not too far behind. England are given an outside chance, while Wales and Scotland are not given much of a chance, and Italy even less so.
Once again, check out the table below to see what odds four of the top sports betting sites are offering for each team to win the championship.
| Team | Betiton | Betway | William Hill | 888 Sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 2.40 | 2.38 | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| France | 2.55 | 2.88 | 2.62 | 2.60 |
| England | 5.25 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| Wales | 14.60 | 15.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 |
| Scotland | 22.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Italy | 550.00 | 251.00 | 501.00 | 501.00 |
England Looking To Improve on Previous Performances
England, due to the number of talented players that they have at their disposal, will always have a chance of winning a competition like the 6 Nations. However, it is fair to say that they have underperformed since they won the title back in 2021 for the 29th time. In the 2021 edition, they finished fifth, having won just two of their five matches, and although last year they finished third, they once again only won two of their five games. Winning four of their previous ten 6 Nations matches is definitely not acceptable for a great rugby playing nation like England.
Eddie Jones was sacked as England head coach at the end of last year as they won just five of their twelve matches, and he has been replaced by Steve Borthwick, who played 57 times for England. He probably was not the man that most England fans would have opted for, but they will back him, and hope that he can improve their performances. While winning it would be great, we think most England rugby fans would just be happy to see them playing free-flowing attacking rugby again and challenging Ireland and France for the title.
France to Retain Their Crown?
France had a 2022 that they will not want to forget in a hurry as they did not lose one match all year, winning their 10th Grand Slam in the process. Fabien Galthié has proven himself to be a top-quality coach and with players such as Antoine Dupont, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Romain Ntamack, Charles Ollivon, and Matthieu Jalibert at his disposal, there would not be many rugby fans out there who would be shocked if France managed to retain their crown.
We expect to see plenty of exciting running rugby by the French, and they will be eager to put in a good showing over the course of the tournament as they will want to head into the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris later this year full of confidence.
Dark Horses Wales Looking To Bounce Back
Wales had a horrible 2022 that includes home defeats to Italy and Georgia, so it really was no surprise when Wayne Pivac was relieved of his duties as Wales head coach. There was plenty of debate as to who the WRU would replace Pivac with, and many were surprised when they opted to recall Warren Gatland, who was their manager between 2008 and 2019 and led them to three Grand Slams (2008, 2012, and 2019) and the 2013 title.
There can obviously be no guarantee that his second stint will be a success, but we think this appointment will definitely have the other contenders feeling a bit wary because they all know the talent that Gatland has as a coach. Before his appointment, not many would have given a thought to Wales winning the title, but there will be plenty of optimism among Welsh fans now, while many will consider them to be the dark horses.
Can Ireland Go One Better Than Last Year?
Ireland last won the Six Nations in 2018, and in 2022 they came close to doing so once again but they were narrowly beaten by France who, as we said, went on to claim the Grand Slam. This defeat to France was just one of two that they suffered throughout the whole of last year, and their main highlight was going to New Zealand’s back yard and coming away with a 2-1 series win - they became just the fifth team to beat the All Blacks on their home soil. Their amazing series win also pushed them to the top of the Rugby World Rankings, and they will be eager to stay there as long as they can.
They did not play to the best of their ability during their Autumn international campaign, but the sign of any top team is that they win when not playing their best, and Ireland won all three of their matches. When you look at how the Irish have been playing lately, it is no wonder they are the favourites, and nobody will be surprised if they manage to go one better this time around.
FAQs
Who Won Last Year's Six Nations?
The 2022 Six Nations was won by France, who defeated all five teams to claim their 10th Grand Slam.
Where Can I watch the Six Nations?
If you are watching the games from the United Kingdom then you will be able to watch the Six Nations on ITV or BBC, while if you are watching from the Republic of Ireland, then you can watch it from RTE.