Three-in-a-row? Not according to this lot.
22 pundits from the BBC, The Guardian, and The Telegraph were asked who would win the 2016 Six Nations. None of them picked the champions.
Joe Schmidt has chosen his team for the opening clash with Wales on Sunday but, according to the British media, he might as well not bother putting so much craft and thought into it because Ireland’s chances are doomed apparently.
In fact, of the 22 experts that gave their views on the tournament, only three of them saw fit to put Ireland finishing in the top two – and one of them was Irish legend, Keith Wood.
Five of them had Schmidt’s men hovering just above Italy in the wooden spoon stakes. That’s right, the disrespect and the disregard is real.
Who will win the Six Nations?
Jonathan Davies: Wales
Jeremy Guscott: Wales
Keith Wood: Wales
Andy Nicol: Wales
Mick Cleary: Wales
Steve James: Wales
Ian McGeechan: Wales
Daniel Schofield: England
Gavin Mairs: Wales
Brian Moore: Wales
Tom Cary: Wales
James Corrigan: Wales
Giles Mole: Wales
Charlie Morgan: Wales
Oliver Brown: England
Richard Bath: Wales
Paul Hayward: Wales
Robert Kitson: Wales
Dean Ryan: Wales
Michael Aylwin: Wales
Andy Bull: Wales
Paul Rees: Wales
Where will Ireland finish?
BBC
The Telegraph
Mick Cleary: 3rd
Steve James: 3rd
Ian McGeechan: 4th
Daniel Schofield: 3rd
Gavin Mairs: 2nd
Brian Moore: Joint 3rd – 5th
Tom Cary: 3rd
James Corrigan: 5th
Giles Mole: 3rd
Charlie Morgan: 5th
Oliver Brown: 3rd
Richard Bath: 3rd
Paul Hayward: 4th
The Guardian
Robert Kitson: 3rd
Dean Ryan: 3rd
Michael Aylwin: 5th
Andy Bull: 2nd
Paul Rees: 4th
