France

Poland and Ukraine are the countries co-hosting this tournament and that means that there are only fourteen other places up for grabs. Some would probably argue that Spain should get a bye into the finals after adding a world crown to their European one in South Africa, although we will almost certainly see Vicente Del Bosque’s team in eastern Europe to defend their title.

A selection of bookmakers, including Ladbrokes and bet365, offer 4/1 that La Furia Roja continue to show they are top dogs in Euro 2012 and they will retain the nucleus of the team that won the country’s first ever World Cup. Young players such as Pedro, Jesus Navas and David Silva will ensure that there is fierce competition for places and we might even see a fit Fernando Torres in two years time!

However, many people will be looking to back Germany antepost instead, especially as they are available at odds of 6/1 with Ladbrokes. Although Joachim Low’s team fell short against the Spanish in the semi-finals, there’s a strong case for arguing that they are the second best team in the world and the manager will have two years to ensure that his team can come back stronger.

With Thomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and  Mesut Ozil all playing starring roles for Die Mannschaft in South Africa, it will be interesting to see whether they can continue their free-scoring ways which made them so prolific this summer.

The Netherlands are available at 8/1 (Victor Chandler) to win Euro 2012 and they will take some beating if the last World Cup is anything to go by. While the likes of Mark Van Bommel aren’t getting any younger and Gio van Bronckhorst has retired, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin Van Persie will still pack a punch for the Oranje.

While Spain, Germany and Holland ensured that there were three European teams in the semi-finals, there were several of the ‘old order’ that failed to make much impact at all in South Africa. Expectations were once again high that England would deliver in a major tournament although their poor performances throughout means that Sporting Bet have pushed the Three Lions out to 12/1. It could be a period of transition for this team who need to bring young players in.

As for France, there will also be sweeping changes with the players in the squad. Raymond Domenech has been replaced by Laurent Blanc and the latter will command much more respect within the camp after the shameful way that Les Bleus conducted themselves in South Africa. Perhaps they are the best bet at 14/1 (Stan James), especially as the squad will be packed with top quality players.

Italy were equally as disappointing with their failure to beat New Zealand, Slovakia or Paraguay in their World Cup group and they have been pushed out to 11/1 (Paddy Power). Meanwhile, you can back Portugal at 14/1 (Coral), Russia at 20/1 (Blue Square) and Ukraine at 40/1 (bet365).

More Misery on the cards for Les Blues?

If World Cup betting was an indication, then France were always at risk of being one of the major causalities of the first round. Les Blues simply failed to ignite in their opening match against Uruguay, with Raymond Domenech’s men lacking that killer pass, that spark of ingenuity, that willingness to step up and creative something special. Les Blues have clearly lost their identity, as they are still not looking like a team who knows in which direction they are supposed to heading. This is largely down to the formation which they put out against Uruguay, as it was completely unbalanced in its attack. A lot of the failings with the French side is down to one reason, that they are very predictable, and there was no one in the side who was willing to put their foot on the ball and take charge in changing things. Of all their attacks game down the left, through Franck Ribery, Patrice Evra and Abou Diaby, and it did not take much for Uruguay to catch on to that. But that just highlighted one of the problems for France, the other being that their forwards look completely disinterested. Nicolas Anelka doesn’t look the same player for France which he is for Chelsea, and Theirry Henry of old, simply is not quite there any more. Who is going to put the ball into the net for France? How do France create chances for the forwards?

Those are the questions of balance which Domenech must be pondering. The worry over France going into the tournament, is that they simply were not scoring enough goals to be able to contend. Bizarrely Domenech left Chelsea winger Florent Malouda on the bench for most of the match, suggesting that he does not really trust him to deliver. But he may get back into the side if Domenech goes back to his old system, and tries to create some variety in his attacks, by throwing Ribery back into the middle, even though the Bayern Munich star prefers playing out on the left. There are headaches for Domenech, but his side should get a little more time on the ball against the Mexicans than they did against Uruguay, and that could help them. The French just need to mix things up a bit and stop being so predictable in attack. While the axe has already fallen on Domenech, who gives up his job after the World Cup, he still needs players like Gourcuff, Ribery and Malouda to deliver for him, or else they could go into their final match, with their World Cup lifeline hanging by a thread.

France World Cup Betting. Les Blues are lacking les goals. Simple as that, as they are lacking any kind of punch up the middle. Will Domenech shuffle formation and personnel again? Or does that run the risk of adding more imbalance? Interesting questions for your World Cup betting strategy on this one! If he sticks with Anelka up front, then the Chelsea man is 2/1 at Bet365 as an anytime scorer. Other main danger man Franck Ribery is 3/1 at Paddy Power in the same market. France should be able to win this one, however poorly they are playing. It may be tight in terms of goals in an open match, and France to win by one goal is 11/4 at Coral and makes good value.
France Asian Handicap Tip: France -0.25 Evens at Victor Chandler

France World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W0, D1, L0
GF/GA: 0/0
Cards: Y3, R0
Most Shots: Nicolas Anelka, 4
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 18/3
Fouls Committed: 20
Total Passes: 531
Pass Completion: 69%
Last 5 Form: LWDLD

Hernandez to rise to the occasion for Mexico?

Mexico worked hard in their preparations for the World Cup, travelling all over Europe and taking on some of the best nations there, including England, Italy and the Netherlands. The Mexicans popped up with a win over Italy, which will have boosted their confidence ahead of the tournament, no emend. But in their opening fixture, against the team they will have targeted as the weakest in the group, the central Americans could only muster up a draw. They will have been pretty disappointed really, after dominating the early stages of the match. They looked sharp in their passing, and had full control over the midfield and possession. They just could not turn all of their good work into goals, and they were sucker punched when South Africa hit them on the break. Mexico though, did show some reserve as they battled back for an equaliser. Their best chance against France will be to continue to use the pace and movement to play through the somewhat unbalanced and disjointed French side. Their solid teamwork could pay off immensely if they make the first break through, as it would probably also give them a major lead in the self belief stakes. Can Mexico build on their first point and leave the French reeling? Neither team can afford to lose this one, but both really need to go for the win, so the game should open up. The French are ripe for the picking, and Mexico will know that. Captain Gerardo Torrado needs to keep firm control over the disciplined shape of his men, and hope that they are just a little more clinical in front of goal when chances come their way.

Mexico World Cup Betting: Mexico should create chances against a stodgy kind of back line for France. They are not as talented on paper as the French, but should have the advantage in pace, and they will have looked at Uruguay’s rare attacks on the French backs and saw that there is space there to utilise. Mexico will look to Javier Hernandez up front, and the striker is an 11/4 at Bet365 as an anytime scorer. The World Cup has been a bit short of goals so far, but the chances of this one going over 2.5 goals, is pretty fair and at 2/1 at William Hill, it is worth a punt, because Mexico are well capable of sneaking a goal, which will mean France really need to step up and hit two.
Mexico Asian Handicap Tip: Mexico 0 is well priced at 6/4 with Paddy Power.

Mexico World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W0, D1, L0
GF/GA: 1/1
Cards: Y2, R0
Most Shots: Giovanni Dos Santos, 4
Top Scorer: Rafael Marquez, 1
Shots/On Goal: 14/5
Fouls Committed: 13
Total Passes: 561
Pass Completion: 80%
Last 5 Form: LLWWD

France v Mexico Betting Odds

France to win: 11/8 at Coral
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Mexico: 13/5 at Bwin

Uruguay v France Betting Preview: The enigmatic and cryptic French start their 2010 World Cup campaign against Uruguay on Friday, in the opening day’s second match. France, coached by the controversial, and departing Raymond Domenech, have their problems, which have been made quite public. If, incoming coach Laurent Blanc was in charge right now, the French would be a completely different kettle of fish. As proven with Bordeaux, he is capable of getting a great team playing together, and utilising the star power that they have, very well. However, Domenech is the complete opposite and has had his critics through most of tenure as France boss. As late at the three international friendly matches that they played in the build up to South Africa 2010 (which they had a record of W1, D1, L1), Domenech was trying to figure out how to get more goals out of his side. His solution? Playing star player Franck Ribery out of position in a complete formation overhaul. There were glimpses that it may work, but they still only scored three goals in those three games. This could be the one sticking factor as to why the French may even struggle to get out of Group A. They in a group against dynamic pace laden teams in Mexico and Uruguay, and will need to dig deep to initiate a spark of creativity to break down a stubborn South African side.

It is a little strange to be going into a competition with a coach that won’t be in a job at the end of it, because that surely can’t help motivation issues. In their warm ups, the scraped a win against Costa Rica, drew with Tunisia and suffered a big shock 1-0 defeat against China. Not ideal preparations, but one thing that the French certainly do have, even if it is not a tactically aware coach, is a wealth of world stars from front to back. Hugo Lloris in goal, Sagna, Gallas, Evra and Clichy at the back, Malouda, Diaby, Diarra and Gourcuff in the middle of the part and Ribery, Henry, Gignac and Anelka up front. They are certainly not short of talent, and they actually have enough in their squad to pose a real challenge to win the World Cup. But it is hard to see them getting that far under Domenech. There is a lot of pressure on them, as they are not a fluent side at all, but can they piece it all together when it matters most? Is it that easy to flick the on-switch and hope that it all comes together? Make no mistake, they are in a tougher group than the list of names suggests there. If they don’t play as a team, then they will fall apart as individuals against the Mexicans and Uruguayans.

Uruguay could be one of the big unknown quantities at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and along with Mexico, could push the French out of the tournament at the group stage. The original World football super power are a long way from their impressive beginnings, but there is a lot of hope and optimism, and quite confidence about them. Their talisman is ex Manchester player Diego Forlan, who, since leaving Old Trafford, has finished top of the European goal scoring charts twice. They have had an understated build up and that could lead other nations into a false sense of security about them. They were the last team to qualify for the World Cup 2010, winning a playoff against CONCACAF opponents Costa Rica. Uruguay look to have more goals in them than France, and this could be the first perceived upset at the 2010 World Cup. Playing in the South American qualification zone, you know that they are going to be tough tacklers, coming through that toughest zone in the world. They have something of a never-say-die attitude, something which is not really associated with their opening opponents, France. The later the game stays at a stalemate, the more the scales may tip in the favour of Uruguay.

Forlan has hit 24 goals for La Celeste and is in a position of carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. Uruguay’s number 10 has proven, since his move to Spain, that he really is among one of the unsung elite goal scorers in the league. But the Uruguay team is more than just one man. Forlan forms a deadly striking partnership with Luis Suarez, and they could give the stodgy French defence a real run around on Friday. They really have the capacity to be a dark horse in the competition, and proof may well come as their solid teamwork comes up against a France side who are still looking for their identity under Domenech. France really need to get off to a quick start in this group, yet it is hard to see them being as dynamic as either Uruguay or Mexico. But will the individual quality that they have in their squad, be enough to get them through. If France win their group, then they would be on a collision course to meet rivals England at the quarter final stage, which can be seen when your download our free World Cup fixture chart. Let’s look at the France v Uruguay betting stats:

Last 5 Matches
France 0, China `
Tunisia 1, France 1
France 2, Costa Rica 1
France 0, Spain 2
France 0, Ireland 1

Uruguay 4, Israel 1
Switzerland 1, Uruguay 3
Uruguay 1, Costa Rica 1
Costa Rica 1, Uruguay 1
Uruguay 0, Argentina 1

Last 5 Match Goals
France: 3 For, 6 Against
Uruguay: 9 For, 4 Against

Recent Form:
France: P50, W27, D11, L12 with a 54.0% win percentage
Uruguay: P50, W22, D16, L12 with a 44.0% win percentage

World Cup Form:
France: P51, W25, D10, L16, GF95, GA64
Uruguay: P40, W15, D10, L15, GF65, GA57

France v Uruguay Betting Odds
France to win: 5/4 at Coral
Draw: 23/10 at BetFred
Uruguay to win: 14/5 at Boylesports

Asian Handicap tip: It will be well worth backing Uruguay in any kind of positive selection in this one. One stand out selection here is taking Uruguay at +0.25 Asian Handicap at Evens at Paddy Power. That means if they play out to a draw, you will still get a half win on your stake. That is pretty good value on this match, and you can even take Uruguay at 6/5 at Bet365 at a 0. If you still think France are going to come good, then the best odds on them is -0.5 at odds of 6/5 at Paddy Power. Take your pick, it should be a cracking match.

The 2020 FIFA World Cup Group Favourites are well worth looking at in World Cup Betting Odds, especially if you are looking for relatively secure bets. The seeded team in each group, will naturally start as favourites to win their respective groups, but that will not bring a great deal of reward in terms of long odds. So, if you want to chance your arm a little bit more and discover some longer odds, as with any form of betting, you will need to look towards the outsiders in the group to cause a surprise upset and steal top spot. The top spot in each of the eight groups are all important, because it generally should mean easier opposition in the last 16 stage of the competition, where the knockout stages start and World Cup lifelines get no second chance.

Group A Favourites: France 11/10 at Ladbrokes
An odd group in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, simply because hosts South Africa were one of the seeded teams, but France are clear favourites to win it. South Africa will likely struggle to even get out off of bottom spot in the group, but France aren’t a particularly strong side in relation to other European teams such as Spain, Italy and England. The French though, who needed a qualification play-off to reach the finals, are expected to be strong enough to pip the group at a price around Evens, which is not particularly flattering to them. As unpredictable as they are, they could come under pressure from Mexico in particular who are around 3/1 depending on your online bookmaker to win Group A. Either one makes a decent return on such a restricted market.

Group B Favourites: Argentina 8/15 at ExtraBet
Clear outright winner in Group B should be South American’s Argentina. They had their troubles through qualification, and maintain an air of unpredictability with World Cup legend Maradona in charge, but they have remained around third favourites to win the tournament even when they were on the cusp of missing out on qualification. Why? Simply because they have a pure wealth of talent with the likes of Lionel Messi, Thiago Motta, Sergio Aguero, Diego Milita, Carlos Tevez and Gabriel Heinze.

Group C Favourites: England 4/11 at SkyBet
England are strong favourites to win Group C, and in all honesty there does not appear to be too much opposition to stop them doing that. This does mean that the odds on it happening are short, and World Cup Betting at SkyBet have England at 4/11 to win the group. The bookmakers have the USA as second favourites at around 5/1, and then Slovenia back out at around 10/1. This is the strength which England are meant to carry in the tournament and there is not much doubt that they won’t win the group.

Group D Favourites: Germany 10/11 at Victor Chandler
This could be a tighter group that the online bookmakers may suggest. Germany are the favourites, as they always seem to perform at tournaments, even when they go into them in less than ideal form. They are in decent shape, but perhaps not strong enough to win the tournament outright. Online bookmakers will attract plenty of betting on European counterparts Serbia though, as they look a great dark horse bet. Ghana, if they field a strong side could also pose a major threat to the European sides. Plenty of good prices here in Group D, which should be one of the most interesting.

Group E Favourites: Holland 8/13 at Bet365
The Netherlands had a flawless record in qualification and should have the class and technical ability to top Group E. They are relatively untested against major opponents, but still look a good strong side, certainly strong enough over their Group E opponents. If things pan out here as expected, there could be a close race for second spot between Denmark and Cameroon. Can either of them upset the Dutch? If it is going to happen, then it could well be Cameroon getting their act together on the day, and putting a disappointing African Cup of Nations behind them. They should carry more of an offensive threat than Denmark in challenging Holland.

Group F Favourites: Italy 1/2 at Ladbrokes
Defending World Cup Champions Italy have great pedigree in the touranment, and start as favourites to win Group F. Italy often get the job done, even when the odds seem stacked against them, and everyone is excpecting an adventurous teams to come along and beat them. Italy know how to win games, but they do have good teams in their group which could make it all interesting. Paraguay are a strong South American dark horse and look like a good outside bet to edge the Italians. Slovakia too proved technically apt during qualification, any could play their way into group contention.

Group G Favourites: Brazil 4/6 at BetFred
The Group of Death as the media quickly labelled this one. Brazil are favourites to win the Group even with a tough level of opposition. They could have drawn an easier group, but will they be too worried? Probably not, as this is Brazil and they look in good shape, particularly as an all round solid unit, and when you add that bit of Brazilian flair into the mix, you have a favourite. The main battle behind Brazil will be between Portugal and the Ivory Coast for second spot. That is the opening group fixture and it should be a cracker. Can Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal edge Brazil? Can Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast top them both? Unlikely looking at the qualification process and the African Cup of Nations, but at around 4/1, either of them could make an interesting bet.

Group H Favouites: Spain 1/3 at Stan James
Outright favourites to win the World Cup, so naturally favourites to win Group H as well. It should be an entertaining group, as well as being something of a formality. Spain really are a class act and should win this at a breeze. They appear to have gotten over their hoodoo of blowing things on the big stage when they won the European Championships a couple of years ago. Chile look a good side too, but back at 5/1 to win the group, shows how good the Spaniards are.

In summary, if you were to do all of your World Cup Betting at Bet365, then you would be looking at something like this if you take these early odds on the Group winners. These are all favourites and therefore always represent something of a safe bet. France 10/11, Argentina 8/15, England 1/3, Germany 4/5, Holland 8/13, Italy 2/5, Brazil 4/7 and Spain 2/7. That is backing all favourites to win, and they could of course be combined into a multiple bet.

After blowing their chance to win the Six Nations, England head  to Paris on Saturday evening with nothing else on their minds apart from spoiling France’s ambition of securing the Grand Slam in the 2010 RBS Six Nations. England could only muster up a scrappy draw against Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend, which left the door open for the French to win the Grand Slam title, which they did with a hefty win over Italy as expected. With such a strong points difference, the result of the Six Nations won’t change, even if France lose and Ireland win on Saturday, as the French will still take the title, despite finishing on the same points as the Irish. But the French will want to secure the Grand Slam on home turf against England.

England have made a couple of changes to the line-up. After a horrific looking clash of heads against the Scots, winger Ugo Monye misses the fixture, and boss Martin Johnson has called upon the service of Northampton winger Chris Ashton. The former rugby league star had a slow start to his Union career after making the switch, but now his promotion to gain his first cap, comes after persistence and a will to stick by his decision. Ashton was reportedly considering a move back to Rugby league last year, but has come up trumps after becoming the leading winger in the Premiership this season. A return of 19 tries in his 25 matches this season, sees him called up, and the extra bonus for England fans is that he will get to team up with team mate Ben Foden who comes in for a start at full-back. England’s backs have so far looked weak, simply because they have not had the game plan in place to take advantage of their best skills, and that is down to management and coaching.

Full back Foden, in his limited appearances in the Six Nations as replacement, has looked to have exactly what England need. A quality ball carrier. Foden has carrier the ball back from deep with some threat, in contrast to Delon Armitage who has looked nervous and has kicked the ball away at every opportunity. Foden and Ashton could be the perfect tonic for England, even if, unfortunately, it has taken injuries for Johnson to force these changes. The fact that Ashton and Foden play together, could bring a bit of confidence for the starting debutants. Foden teamed up well with Ben Youngs when Youngs came on to play out of position as a replacement for Monye against the Scots. Not since Jason Robinson retired, has England had a genuine running threat from the back who can initiate counter attacks, and Foden has a big chance to make a big impression in that department. The full back position is there to make his own.

Another notable chance is at the fly half position, where under fire Jonny Wilkinson has been dropped in favour of Toby Flood. Wilkinson went off injured at Murrayfield, after again failing to inject any life into the backs. While the fingers have all been pointed at him, the rest of the three quarters have been leaving him isolated, which has caused break down after breakdown in midfield, so Wilkinson is not entirely to blame. It will be hoped that youngster Flood gets more response out of his back line, and is quicker and sharper than Wilkinson around the fringe of play, although he probably doesn’t quite have the same weigh in the defensive departments as what Wilkinson has. Matthew Tait, who hasn’t had the ball in hand to make any impact, also drops out of the backs, as Johnson looks for power in the midfield. In comes Gloucester’s Mike Tindall to add some bulk, as England will need to counter France’s battering ram, Mathieu Bastareaud.

England are still awaiting a late fitness test on Captain Steve Borthwick, who has had his leg in a brace the past couple of days. It is still unknown whether or not he will be able to take part in the match. England has promised displays of running, attacking rugby, but they have not produced. The likes of Flutey, Tait, Cueto, Foden and Ashton are players who need the ball in hand, but England’s style of play just hasn’t allowed the ball to get to the backs. This is Johnson’s last chance for a while to get his team playing the way he wants. Will they go out with a bang? Or will they revert back to their boring kicking game when things don’t go right in the early stages? The French have been the most powerful, most consistent team in the Six Nations this season, and for England to go to Paris and steal a victory, would be a momentous occasion, and an upset in form. France have a gutsy, physical and quick defence and England’s lack of attacking prowess is not really fancied against them.

France are seeking their ninth Grand Slam, and make only one change to the line up from their last match against Italy. It is centre Mathieu Bastareaud, who comes back into the side after resting last weekend in order to protect a slight injury. Boss Marc Lievremont will be aware that England have gotten the better of the French in the last two outings, including a big win on England’s last visit to Paris, and the thumping the England gave them at Twickenham last year in the Six Nations. The tables look to have turned though, with the French being favourites in the Six Nations betting to win in their own back yard, and to deservedly clinch the Grand Slam.

France v England Betting Stats

France: 35 victories
Drawn: 7
England: 50 victories

France biggest winning margin: 31-6
England biggest winning margin: 37-0

France average points v England: 11.89
England average points v France: 15.09

2009 Six Nations Result
England 34, France 10

Match Prices
France to win: 1/5 at BetFred
Draw: 33/1 at Bet365
England to win: 13/2 at SportingBet

France’s dreams of winning the Six Nations this year, was made a little easier, after they watched England fail to beat Scotland at Murrayfield. In a tense game, which lacked any attacking quality, England stumbled again, failing to bounce back fully from the defeat that was handed to them by Ireland at Twickenham in the previous match. England were hopeful of going to the final day of the Six Nations with a chance of taking the title, but the draw has left them needing a miracle from Italy. A win for the French over Italy, which is more than probable, means that even if they fail to beat England in Paris next week, the French can still take the title. The only team that can catch them now mathematically will be Ireland, who demolished Wales 27-12 on the weekend. However the Irish don’t have such a good points difference, which means that Les Blues should pick up the title, but they will want the Grand Slam.

Italy are actually fourth in the league, having beaten the Scots, and find themselves ahead of Wales on points difference, and should avoid the wooden spoon. The upset of them beating the powerful French is not very likely at all, and it should be an easy afternoon for the French, in taking a major step towards securing the title. French coach Marc Lievremont will likely see his nation extend their unblemished record against Italy in the six nations, and having won all their games this season, they have looked head and shoulder above the quality of everyone else. They will be deserving of picking up the Grand Slam if it happens, and there will, no doubt, be one eye on next weekend’s big Paris clash with England. Even if some of the meaning has gone, with regards to a Six Nations title showdown, they will still want the Grand Slam. Defeating England will always be an enjoyable moment for the French too. France beat Italy 50-8 during last year’s Six Nations campaign, and they are a much stronger side this year.

France to win: 1/41 at Coral
Draw: 66/1 at Ladbrokes
Italy: 33/1 at SportingBet

Here are some important RBS Six Nations Betting Stats, which can help when planning your betting strategies. This is a big weekend in the Six Nations, with three matches which are hard to call. This has the potential of being one of the most explosive weekends of the tournament so far.

2010 Results to date:
Ireland 29, Italy 11
England 30, Wales 17
Scotland 9, France 18
Wales 31, Scotland 24
France 33, Ireland 10
Italy 12, England 17

========================

England v Ireland Betting Stats

England to win:

Draw: 20/1 at 888Sport
Ireland to win: 20/1 at Blue Square

England have won 70 matches
Ireland have won 44 matches
There have been 8 drawn matches

Largest winning margin England: 6-46
Largest winning margin Ireland: 43-14

England average points v Ireland: 11.80
Ireland average points v England: 7.95

2009 Result: Ireland 14, England 13

===========

Wales v France Betting Stats

Wales to win: 9/4 at William Hill
Draw: 22/1 at Bet365
France to win: 4/9 at SportingBet

Wales have won 43 matches
France have won 40 matches

Largest winning margin Wales: 49-14
Largest winning margin France: 51-0

Wales average points v France: 14.74
France average points v Wales: 14.43

2009 Result: France 21, Wales 16

===========

Italy v Scotland Betting Stats

Italy to win: 15/8 at Paddy Power
Draw: 22/1 at Bwin
Scotland to win: 4/7 at Totesport

Scotland have won 10 matches
Italy have won 5 matches

Largest winning margin Italy: 17-37
Largest winning margin Scotland: 15-45
Italy average points v Scotland: 19.07
Scotland average points v Italy: 23.87

2009 Result: Scotland 26, Italy 6

It has been billed as the Six Nations decider, even though it is only the second round of the tournament. Six nations champions Ireland travel to Paris to take on the 2010 tournament favourites France. Although France still have that air of unpredictability about them, they still look to be the sharpest team in the tournament this year. That will go against the flow of many, who still see Ireland as the team to beat in 2010. The Irish won the grand slam last year, and critics looking for fallible areas in their game, are pointing towards them being a “Dad’s Army” and casting a very critical eye over their scrum. In their opening fixture, the Irish ran out to a strong lead against Italy in under 20 minutes, but then fell in a disrupted game, looking a long way from their best.

While they were never in danger of losing the match, the Italians showed that the Irish can easily be gotten at, and dragged down. It was the second half performance by Ireland, which really let the home fans down. There was, quite simply, no purpose or direction to the Irish game, and that was made worse against an Italian side who lacked any impetus going forward whatsoever. Perhaps it is possible to put it down to finding their rhythm, and granted, playing against other Six Nations teams is a lot different to playing a southern hemisphere nations. The whole dynamics of the game is different, but another question about the Irish, who did well in the Autumn series of matches, is how well they will cope with keeping their feet on the ground. Was last weekend’s second half performance all down to complacency? Ireland to get a dynamic boost with the return to fitness of flanker Stephen Ferris.

It has been over a decade since the Irish won in France, and judging by the performance of their opening day fortunes, there is little to suggest that the rot will end. The French pack look very strong, and they tore the Scots to shreds in their opening fixture. The French look big, strong and pacy, and will be more than a match for even the big English pack. While they will always have elements of creativity in their three quarters, it could, somewhat uncharacteristically, be the pack which leads them to the top of the table on Saturday. The key will be in the defence, something which the French are extremely good at, being more aggressive than most in the defensive tactics. The French have the strongest defence in the tournament, and should they beat Ireland, it will be their Six Nations to lose.

France do have a fantastic record against the Irish in Paris, having only lost three times in around 50 years. They have had to make two changes to their line-up which played so well against Scotland, and that was without some of their first choice key players. On their home turf, they look a formidable proposition. This will be the first of two crunch games for the French at home in this season’s tournament, as they take on England at the Stade de France on the last weekend on the 2010 RBS Six Nations.

France v Ireland Stats

Matches
France: W51
Ireland: W29
Drawn: 5

Biggest winning margin
France: 44-5
Ireland: 24-0

Average points per match
France: 15.81
Ireland: 11.15

Match Odds
France to win: 1/2 at Totesport
Ireland to win: 2/1 at Bwin
Draw: 22/1 at Boylesports

Latest Six Nations news update:

Injuries are grabbing the latest headlines ahead of the weekend’s matches. That and the pretty awesome Morgan Freeman “Invictus” promo video for the tournament, which has him reading William Henley’s famous poem (it’s the poem which Nelson Mandela had with him during his imprisonment). Ahead of the England v Wales game, Wales were dealt a massive blow when world class flanker Gethin Jenkins has picked up a calf injury which means that he won’t be able to take the field at Twickenham on Saturday. Jenkins is one of the world’s star players in his role, and his presence will be a major loss as the Welsh try to take England on up front. But England were similarly struck with the injury bug, as last seasons top try scorer Riki Flutey has withdrawn through injury. His presence will also be missed as England look to take a more creative, attacking approach to the game. Leicester’s Toby Flood will take over the number 12 shirt on Saturday.

Saturday’s other game sees Ireland take on Italy, with the Irish having to play up their confidence in their scrum, and is the one area where Italy could cause them problems. With the Irish expected to take on the defence of their Six Nations crown with some aplomb, the other nations will naturally be looking to find some kind of weakness there. Hooker Jerry Flannery has admitted that they need to improve their scrummaging from what was on display during the autumn. Italy will be without pivotal figure of Sergio Parisse for the entire 2010 RBS Six Nations Tournament.

Latest Match Prices
England to win: 8/13 at Totesport
Draw: 22/1 at Bwin
Wales to win: 6/4 at Bet365

Scotland to win: 5/2 at SportingBet
Draw: 25/1 at Paddy Power
France: 2/5 at Totesport

Team: Scotland

Scotland vs. France Stats (All time)
France: W45, D3, L34
Biggest Winning Margin: 51-9
Biggest Losing Margin: 31-3
2009 Six Nations Result: France 22, Scotland 13

Chances: Favourites with the majority of bookies, and that is on the strength of their flair and the fact that they beat New Zealand and South Africa last year. However, the French have a reputation for being inconsistent, and that problem has not been addressed by head coach Marc Lievremeont. Yes, they still look dynamic when on top of their game, but they are equally as self destructive when things go wrong. Not scared of changing personnel and trying new things, the French could be their own worst enemies instead of building on pieces of success. Anyone who takes down New Zealand in their own back yard is doing something really, very right with their game. The one which got destroyed by England in last year’s Six Nations, 34-10, are not. The signs are more promising than the last tournament, where they also lost to Ireland.

The one weapon which the French do have, is their pack. While the Welsh may have the best front three in the tournament, the French pack, overall, is regarded as being the best. It is powerful and looks to have the power to go toe-to-toe with the likes of England’s power. The difference is that France already have the running game in their arsenal, and the ball handling skills, which the English often look like they are trying to hard to achieve. It will be in the forwards where France will be able to storm right through the Scottish, but at the same time be wary of the success the Scots had over the Australians in the Autumn. The fixture list could favour the French heavily this year, as they play the other two main contenders, the Irish and the English at home. They do have the ability to win the Six Nations, that is not in question. Their temperament and consistency, is. They do have issues with injuries, but if they bring their A game every week, they will take the crown.

Key Man: Nicolas Mas in the scrum has the experience needed to cause the Scottish front row serious headaches and is a contender, but Imanol Harinordoquy has the complete forward game. An absolute power house both in offence and defence, possibly one of the best in the world at his job. The control he will bring should help the French overcome any inconsistency problems.

Outright Six Nations Odds
6/4 at Blue Square

Scotland v France Match Odds
France to win: 2/5 at Totesport
Draw: 25/1 at Bwin
Scotland to win: 5/2 at SportingBet