EVERY NATION BAR South Africa is entering 2020 licking their wounds from the World Cup and taking a long, hard look at themselves to try and figure out a way to be better in 2023.
But between now and then the big steps along the road for European teams take the form of the Six Nations.
Post-World Cup years do not tend to be kind for Ireland. Whether it’s down to ongoing fall-out and recriminations after a quarter-final (or worse) exit, or simply a few hurdles too far in a long season, the track record is poor.
England, of course, romped into the Eddie Jones era in the wake of their 2015 disaster and took a Grand Slam, but this year is a very different scenario as he continues on after a loss in the World Cup final.
Reigning champions Wales, on the other hand, will have an all-new coaching ticket for the first time in 12 years. They have a decent record in tournaments at the start of four-year cycles having shared the title in 1988 and won Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012 to break up the sense of England being default post-World Cup champs.
Shaun Edwards’ defence was key in those Welsh successes and Gatland’s long-time assistant has taken his talents to France who quite openly operating on a four-year cycle leading up to hosting the next World Cup with Fabien Galthie at the helm.
Like England, Scotland have continuity at the top of their coaching tree, but Gregor Townsend will be under close scrutiny after his side endured a World Cup even worse than Ireland’s.
In Italy, Conor O’Shea has been moved on and the Azzurri will continue to be a tricky hurdle for any team that wants to paint them as such before ultimately scrapping it out to avoid the wooden spoon.
Can Ireland – with a new captain and Andy Farrell stepping up from assistant to head coach – take advantage while other sides are finding their rhythm? Will the World Cup remain relevant going on into the summer or will we find results and performances that help us forget about the whole thing?
Who will win the 2020 Six Nations?
And this is the club that people on here defend. Wonder what religion the dole scroungers from Govan think their top scorer is. Can’t see Kris Boyd being as vocal on this one
@Roberts Mel: That’s a fact! You’d need to have a long hard look at yourself if your support or defend that club in any way, shape or form. Xenophobic bunch of knuckle draggers.
@Roberts Mel: you are just as bad as them you know. Condoning the coin throwing the other day. Always the victim
@Joe: please point our where I condoned the coin throwing? I never even mentioned it! So how did I condone it?
Well done Steve Clarke. Needs more players and officials who aren’t from Celtic calling out that crap for what it is.
@Cian Nolan: the only way anything will ever be done is if players and coaches keep highlighting it to the media. Good on Steve Clarke and Kris Boyd for calling out what he was subjected to last week.
@The Bloody Nine: “Good on Kris Boyd” Haha that’s a laugh.. He’s a bitter Rangers fan that forgets another football club is actually paying his wages. He’s been talking Rangers up all season even though is plays for Killie..
@David Garland: I can’t believe you think sectarian abuse and coin throwing is ok because of what team a guy supports. It’s wrong no matter who it’s aimed at.
@The Bloody Nine: Didn’t see David mention anything about coin throwing or sectarian abuse never mind David saying it was okay for these things to happen. He just made reference to Kris Boyd and how nice of a fella he is.
@Roberts Mel: why is telling me how nice Kris Boyd is? I don’t envisage any scenario where I’ll be meeting the lad so his personality is irrelevant to me, as is who he supports or pays his wages.
@The Bloody Nine: Show me where I condoned coin throwing and show us how Kris Boyd has been a victim of Sectarian abuse? Also my point is Kris Boyd is quick to talk up Rangers telling everyone Celtic are in crisis and they’re is a split in the dressing room while all the time he’s playing for Killie.. As I said he’s a bitter Rangers Fan who never comes out giving out about the sectarian chanting coming from Ibrox..
@David Garland: he was called a fat orange b*****d by the Celtic fans
@Anthony Connery: well they ain’t lying
@David Garland: my apologies David if I misunderstood your comment. However, I can’t see how it’s relevant to my point that the more people experience sectarianism in football the more it needs to be spoken about and highlighted. And that’s regardless of who you play for or support. I’m at a loss as to why you’re arguing with me about this!
Normally at this stage of the comments we’d have someone on blaming the Celtic fans for the huns sectarianism.. With Neil Lennon gone I suppose they have to get someone else to racially abuse.. But clearly Sevco don’t know the meaning of the word “Fenian”
Rte have a lot to answer for the showing of “British” games when the english teams were banned from Europe. I know quite a few lads who are rangers fans from that influence. All rangers games were shown live as a substitute for the uk games.
@Trevor Beacom: any Irish person supporting The Rangers clearly has some sort of mental health problem.
@Ciaran Rice: You get an awful lot of Irish people who will support them out of spite because they can’t get their head around Irish people supporting Celtic, that’s how idiotic some football fans are in this Country.. The same people think nothing of supporting Clubs like Chelsea who we all know love Rangers and the UVF
@Ciaran Rice: Knew a guy at work who used to wear sevco shirt and England one during internationals. Was done purely for attention and the wind-up. Would not go out in public dressed like that, though.
@Ciaran Rice: Yea I know a few Irish Rangers supporters and they ain’t mental.
Ive been a long time Celtic supporter neigh on 55 years and ive witnessed plenty sectarian stuff in the Old “Jungle” which is probably well before your time.
That said Rangers have an ultra toxic lot that are very vocal.
Is Steve Clarke not a Rangers fan.. Can’t understand why they called him that
@ColmD: Clarke and his entire family are Celtic fans.
@Ciaran Rice: I didn’t know that.. Like him even more now..
@Ciaran Rice: Yes he was touted as a Celtic Manager at one point.
@Nick Condon Sen: he’ll be the next Celtic manager when Brendan leaves I’d say.
@Ciaran Rice:
The newest club in Scotland , reminds us all of a previous old one , same sectarian dribble , coming from bitter begrudgers .
Huns
I wonder do Rangers fans watch Braveheart and think” thank god we got William Wallace. Long life longshanks”
Seriously Rangers fans have to be the most confused idiotic bunch.. they havnt the slightest clue of their own national identity or heritage