Hi I’m Kevin and I work on sponsorship activation at Launch Towers, across many of the sport and CSR accounts. Sometimes the winter seems like it will never end, the cold dark mornings and the short days. I long for something, a sign that will signal the arrival of spring. That something for me has always been the Six Nations, a beacon of light for sports fans in the cold dark days of February. Timing is everything in sport and the same could be said of the world’s oldest, most famous excuse for rugby fans to hit the pub, invite mates round or simply sit glued to your telly for six weeks of rugby-fuelled passion through February and March. Nestled at the fag end of Winter and marking the beginning of Spring means the Six Nations never has to compete with an Olympics, World Cup or European Championship. Its place in the sporting calendar is secure with a potent mix of tradition, excitement, passion, skill and occasion that makes it unique amongst tournaments around the world. The tournament revels in its unpredictability with pre-match favourites (see prediction below) devoured by hostile away fixtures and future world superstars unearthed on a damp afternoon in Dublin, you never quite know what will happen.
So even if you don’t love rugby my advice is to welcome the Six Nations with open arms, get down to the pub and soak up the atmosphere and embrace the coming of spring. My prediction for this year is for France to take the title under new coach Philippe Saint-André and perhaps the Grand Slam. The chasing pack is a little trickier to predict but here goes. England, even though they are 2011 Champions, feel like they are starting from scratch and Ireland and Wales’ season could be defined by what happens in their first game on the 5th February when they go head to head. Scotland are improving and could provide a few shocks while Italy have a new coach and low expectations which could work in their favour.
Whatever happens the Six Nations is an opportunity to catch up with old friends, watch some great rugby and hopefully see plenty more moments like this…
Here’s my 2012 Six Nations prediction in full -
1. France (Champions)
2. Wales (Triple Crown)
3. Ireland
4. England
5. Scotland
6. Italy
Also, keep an eye out for Six Nations branding – Guinness already leading the way with their outdoor branding -
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