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'Scotland in a Grand Slam decider...': The Rugby Pod predictions
By Liam Heagney
With giddy Guinness Six Nations atmosphere in the air, The Rugby Pod has been busy in this week’s latest episode giving its unique take on the likely outcome of the three upcoming round one matches in Paris, Dublin and Edinburgh while also nominating who will be the likely title champions when the trophy will be handed out in mid-March.
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Rounding off a show that featured an interview with new Wales skipper Dan Biggar, co-hosts Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton finished up by initially having a guess at how this weekend’s series of eagerly awaited matches might pan out, especially the game at Murrayfield featuring Goode’s England and Hamilton’s Scotland. Here is how their Six Nations predictions panned out:
FRANCE vs ITALY (Sunday)
GOODE: The big one. There is only one way this is going. I am going to say France by 30. That’s conservative as well I think.
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HAMILTON: Yeah, I think conservative week one game one. Games in Paris, though, I am going to go 32-6 France.
IRELAND vs WALES (Saturday)
HAMILTON: I am going to say 28-12 Ireland.
GOODE: As much as I want Wales to do well, I’m a quarter Welsh… I am going to say Ireland by 20 points.
SCOTLAND vs ENGLAND (Saturday)
GOODE: How much is Scotland going to win by? I am not going to lie, I am pretty nervous about this. Whereas last year I thought we would win the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham I think Scotland are favourites. I really do.
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HAMILTON: Just hit us with a score.
GOODE: I am going to say England will win it by four.
HAMILTON: He can’t bring himself to say it.
GOODE: No, I can’t. As much as you’re favourites, England by four. Marcus Smith, the wizard.
HAMILTON: This shows how much you don’t give a s*** about your match pint predictions.
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GOODE: I’d rather lose face and say England are going to win even if Scotland do win.
HAMILTON: I can’t trust the Met Office app, so I ain’t even going to talk about weather, I am going to talk an all-out score, 24-18 Scotland. It is going to be a cracker, well I hope it is… The weather says precipitation. Come wind, rain, snow or shine we are winning. It just depends by how much but I have gone for Scotland by six. C’mon Scotland.
Having outlined their respective round one predictions, the conversation then switched over to who would win the 2022 Six Nations title.
GOODE: A really tough one to call, isn’t it? Even the Scots, I think they had their best ever Six Nations last year in terms of wins and they finished fourth.
HAMILTON: Joint third.
GOODE: Well, fourth. Pre-tournament, you are asking me looking at the fixtures, France have got the best run of fixtures. If they can dust Scotland away from home, they have got Ireland in Paris, they have got England in Paris and the form they were on in the autumn, I think France are favourites for me.
HAMILTON: Ireland-Scotland, Grand Slam decider, last game of the tournament.
GOODE: Scotland in a Grand Slam decider?! The only decider that will be is if Ireland have still got the Grand Slam on the line. Scotland won’t be playing for a Grand Slam, they will be trying to stop Ireland win the Grand Slam.
HAMILTON: Scotland will win their first two games and then…
GOODE: Lose to Italy.
HAMILTON: Right, probably win all of them and lose to Italy. I want to say Scotland, I am going to say Ireland to win a Grand Slam decider, last game. I just think because Ireland are at home and we struggle against Ireland, Ireland will just pip us by one point and it will be a controversial decision that should have never been.
