Sport is an important part of the culture in Wales and there is one sport above all that the Welsh are crazy for and that is rugby. If you are Welsh and you do not like rugby, then you had probably best keep that information to yourself or you might just find yourself being chased across the Severn Bridge. Okay, we are exaggerating a bit, but you definitely would be looked at funny, that is for certain. The months of February and March are always sought-after by the Welsh as this is when the 6 Nations, one of the biggest international rugby events, takes place. Quality rugby and plenty of Welsh beer, what is not to like? Below we will take a look at Wales’ chances in this year’s tournament as well as the best places to bet on them.
Betting on the 6 Nations
As we said, the Welsh are rugby mad, but there is something else they love to do and that is bet on rugby. This 6 Nations is a great event to bet on as there are just so many different markets that you can put your money on. For example, you can obviously bet on the team that you think will win a particular match or the tournament – that will be Wales if you are Welsh. You can also bet on the player that will score the first try, the total number of points that will be scored in the game, and the player that you think will score the game’s first try.
There are so many sports betting sites for rugby bettors to sign up with, but many of these are average. When you are spending your hard-earned money, you should settle for nothing other than the very best and sign up to the leading rugby betting sites. By doing this, you will be ensuring that you get to take advantage of the best odds around. When you are spending your own money, you should always try to make sure that you are getting the most value for your money, and you can do this by taking the time to sign up with a quality bookmaker.
Where Do Wales Stand at the Start of the Tournament?
The Grand Slam and the semi-final appearance at the World Cup in 2019 under Warren Gatland seem like a lifetime away for Welsh rugby fans. Since Wayne Pivac took over as coach of Wales, they have won just three matches from ten, although it must be said that Pivac has been hampered by a lot of injuries to key players. However, many of those are fit and raring to go, so Wales should definitely be more competitive this time around.
The Natives Are Still Restless
Despite a return of some key players, Pivac is still under quite a bit of pressure from media sources and fans thanks to the recent departures of some high-profile backroom team members. For example, Byron Hayward, who was in charge of the defence, stepped away from the national set up just as the Autumn Nations Cup was due to get underway. Also, Sam Warburton, breakdown and defence coach also decided to part ways with the national team.
What Are the Silver Linings?
Alun Wyn Jones, who is the captain and talisman of the Welsh team, has shaken off his knee injury and will once again lead his team out to play Ireland on Sunday 7th February at the Principality Stadium. If they are going to do better in this tournament than they did in 2020, then they are going to need experienced players such as George North, Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny, and Jonathan Davies to play to the best of their abilities.
Younger and Newer Players to Keep an Eye On
It will be very interesting to see if the likes of Will Rowlands, Nick Tompkins, Johnny Williams, and Louis Rees-Zammit will be able to make it into Pivac’s matchday 23. The performances of the Welsh national team is never too dependent on how the domestic clubs are doing as have been proven time and time again, but there will undoubtedly be some extra positivity in the camp due to how the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues have been performing domestically as of late.
Will an Empty Stadium Have an Impact on the Players?
All the teams in the tournament will miss their home crowd and benefit slightly when they are playing away from home but the relationship between the supporters and players in Cardiff helps to create an atmosphere like no other. When opposing teams rock up at the Principality, they know that the home crowd is baying for blood. When there are 75,000 Welsh fans cheering you on, you will start to play like men that are possessed and many a team over the years have succumbed to the pressure from the Welsh fans. In fact, this is why most teams want the roof open when they play here as they feel that the stadium becomes less of a cauldron.
The Game All Welsh Fans Look Forward to
Welsh rugby fans look forward to all games, but there is one game in the calendar year that they look forward to the most and that is their game against the English. The Welsh love nothing more than beating England and getting bragging rights for the year. In fact, it is probably not an exaggeration for us to say that if Wales beat England and lost their other games, they would probably consider themselves to have still had a decent tournament. However, although it might seem that the Welsh hate the English, this is not the case – it is just a friendly rivalry between two great rugby nations and once the game is over there is a lot of great hospitality and food and drinks on offer, no matter what the final result is.
fixture has been pretty even over the years. They have played 136 times, and England have won 65 of those, Wales have won 59 of them, and there has been 12 draws. England travel to the Millennium Stadium on the 27th of February, and they have lost here during their last two visits. Therefore, Wales will be hopeful of making it three wins from three.
Where Will Wales Finish?
England and France are the two heavy favourites to be battling it out for the trophy and, as much as we would like to disagree and say that Wales will win the title, we just cannot see it happening. According to most bookmakers, Wales will finish in fourth place behind England, France, and Ireland. We actually feel that Wales will be able to go one better than fourth and finish third, which would not be too bad when you consider how talented England and France are at the moment and the much larger pool of players they have to choose from.