Ahead of the kick-off of the Six Nations, a rugby tournament between six European nations, on February 6th (Japan time), with all 15 matches being broadcast live on WOWOW, Masataro Onishi, a former member of the Japanese national team who played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, spoke about the highlights of the tournament, which boasts the oldest and longest history in international rugby.
◇
-What kind of tournament do you think this Six Nations will be?
Rugby has undergone various changes this year, including the first-ever Nations Championship being held in July and November, but despite adjustments to schedules around the world, the schedule of the most traditional tournament, the Six Nations, has remained unchanged. The opening match (France vs. Ireland on February 6th) was held on a weekday due to the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, but the season will begin at roughly the same time as usual.
As this is the year before the 2027 World Cup, I think it is a tournament that not only the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales), but also France and Italy will want to win.
-- Considering the state of the teams up until last fall, are there any teams that you are particularly paying attention to or have high hopes for?
England. I see them as a favorite to win this tournament. They have won 11 consecutive test matches, and last autumn they beat the All Blacks (New Zealand). They play a traditional style of game, scoring points with penalty goals and drop goals, led by stand-off George Ford, but they have also built their own style of rugby around kicking. They are strong in one-off matches and are very consistent.
-Which forwards are attracting attention?
Hooker Jamie George has announced that he will retire at the end of 2027, so we're keeping an eye on him. Young flanker Henry Pollock is also in good form. He's got a playful side, and I'm excited to see him make an impact. I'm also excited about No. 8 Chandler Cunningham-South, who is becoming more balanced.
-Next, what do you think about France, the 2025 tournament champions who are aiming to win the title for the second time in a row?
The biggest thing for France is the return of Antoine Dupont, the scrum half who is the core of the team. While it seemed that this would stabilize the team's strength at the scrum half, other scrum halfs were injured, and changes such as the inclusion of Baptiste Salin were made. In any case, Dupont's return to the national team ahead of the 2027 World Cup will be a highlight of this tournament, as it will be interesting to see how well he performs.
--On the other hand, some of the most regular national team players, such as No. 8 Gregory Aldritt and wing Damien Penaud, were left out.
It will be important to see how well the players who replace the experienced players who were not selected can demonstrate their skills in each position. If a new star emerges, I think France can win back-to-back titles, and the key point for France will be how much Head Coach Fabien Galtier can further strengthen his squad in preparation for the 2027 World Cup.
-Next, what do you think about the current situation of Ireland, who aimed for a third consecutive victory last year but ended up in third place?
It is a team that has not made many major changes to its members, with many players from a country that regularly plays together at clubs such as Leinster (Irish team in the United Rugby Championship). They are also a team that uses surprising sign plays, so it will be interesting to see what kind of rugby they will show this year and what new tactics Ireland will prepare.
-Please tell us which players you are looking forward to seeing.
Our forward line-up is flanker Josh van der Vlier. He does a lot of work both offensively and defensively, and he's great at getting the ball under his feet. His work rate will be extremely important, especially when we face France or England. Our back line-up is focused on scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park. I think he's quickly becoming one of the best scrum-halfs in the world, and he's highly regarded by every country, so I'm looking forward to not only his playmaking but also his first long-awaited match against French scrum-half Dupont.
--Next, let's talk about Scotland, who came in fourth in the last tournament. What do you think?
They are a strong team, and no team wants to face them. However, there is also the question of whether they have the ability to win, and they have had a hard time winning even in the World Cup. As exemplified by last autumn's match against the All Blacks (17-25), they have played well but have not been able to win in the end, both in the Six Nations and elsewhere.
-Which player do you think is the key to getting out of this situation?
It has to be No. 10 fly-half Finn Russell. This will be his 12th Six Nations tournament, and he is a true veteran. We will be watching to see if he can lead his team to victory, and if he can make his 12th appearance a success. Looking at his performance last year, I expect he will do well this year too.
--Next up is Italy, who have finished fifth for two consecutive tournaments and have avoided last place.
Like Scotland, they are on the verge of breaking through and have secured a place in the world's top 10. They are physically strong, and I think no other team would want to face Italy, so the highlight of this tournament will be whether they can win. They are the first team Japan will face in the Nations Championship, and of course they will also face the other five countries, so it will be interesting to see how they compare to Japan.
--There are many familiar faces in this tournament, but who are the players to watch?
I'm looking forward to seeing how CTB (center) Tommaso Menoncello, who was Player of the Championship (best player of the tournament) two tournaments ago (2012), will perform. His performance in the 2012 tournament was not very good, partly because he was being closely watched, but I'm looking forward to seeing him.
-What do you think about Wales, who have finished last in two consecutive tournaments?
Losing all two tournaments in a row is truly humiliating for the Welsh people and for the traditional Welsh rugby itself. The Six Nations is extremely important for Wales to recover from this and become a strong team again for the World Cup. I hope that this tournament will be a good opportunity for Wales.
- Who do you think holds the key to a comeback?
It's wing Louis Rees-Zammit. There's no one else like him. He played very well when he returned to the national team last autumn, and he's a player who can create situations that turn the game around in one fell swoop. When he has the ball, the Principality Stadium erupts, so I think he can change the atmosphere in the venue and draw the opponents' attention to him, creating a situation where other players can play with more ease, which will work to our advantage.
--England is predicted to win, but are there any other teams that look likely to shake up the tournament?
I'm looking forward to Scotland's efforts. England won the Calcutta Cup (a regular match between England and Scotland) in 1925, but Scotland had defended it before. If Scotland beat England in this tournament, I think they'll be a real challenge for other teams. Playing against England and France at home will also be a big advantage.
--Furthermore, Japan and France will face off in the 2027 World Cup, and of course, they will also face off in the Nations Championship in July.
France is in the process of learning how to use the disappointment of not winning the 2023 World Cup held in their home country and what they will learn as they head to the 2027 tournament in Australia. They remain a strong team, but I think they are difficult to calculate and predict, so stability and consistency will be the key. I think this Six Nations will be even more interesting if you watch France from the perspective of what will happen when they actually play against Japan and what kind of players they will be facing.
-Finally, please tell us which cards you're looking out for, Mr. Onishi.
The final match of the tournament will be France vs England on Sunday, March 15th. It's also the final game of the tournament, so it could be the deciding match. Hopefully, the match kicks off without the winner being decided, so I can see the outcome.
◇
The Six Nations Rugby Tournament will begin with France vs. Ireland, which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from 4:50 a.m. on February 6th, and all 15 matches will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW up to the final match.
