Six Nations: Breaking down which teams the fallow week benefits most

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Split with Ireland stars, France players and England's Maro Itoje.

Split with Ireland stars, France players and England's Maro Itoje.

Two rounds of the 2024 Six Nations are in the bank and a fallow week lies in wait, with the tournament getting back underway on February 24.

The week off is one that divides opinion with some fans believing it is unnecessary whilst others feel the mid-tournament break is necessary.

For the teams it is also mixed, with a few of the sides desperate for the break to recover and make tactical tweaks whilst others will have wanted to keep going and build their momentum.

Planet Rugby takes a look at which teams the fallow week benefits most and who will have wanted to push on straight through to the end.

1st placed Ireland

Typically it is fairly clear whether the week is beneficial or not but for Ireland, it quite frankly does not matter as Andy Farrell’s men are genuinely streets ahead of the rest of the competition.

Heading into the Six Nations there were several questions, most of which have been answered already. First was leadership with Johnny Sexton retired and the obvious choice Peter O’Mahony stepped in with aplomb against France in the massive opener. Ireland even got a bonus pick in this area with Caelan Doris sparkling as a leader against Italy, making him a very strong candidate for their next long-term skipper, especially considering O’Mahony’s age.

The second big question was again to do with Sexton’s retirement and it was the custody of the number 10 jersey. The use of past tense was very intentional as Munsterman Jack Crowley has grabbed the chance with both hands and even legs, with two majestic performances that make him look as if he has 50+ Test caps.

Elsewhere the green engine continues to purr. The scary thing is; they will only get better.

2nd placed England

If you offered an unbeaten start after two rounds to Steve Borthwick before the tournament started he would have grabbed it with both hands. The victories against Italy and Wales were certainly not perfect but they were wins. Any accomplished coach will tell you winning breeds winning.

The fallow week comes at an ideal time for the team to regroup and rest up. More importantly, it gives them additional training time to relentlessly drill Felix Jones’ new defensive system akin to the Springboks’ winning formula. Already the difference between the Italy clash and Wales was impressive and more time in the saddle will only do them good. Of course, nothing can compare to Test match experience in this regard but it is a very new system and drilling it in further will always be beneficial.

It also allows the team to mentally gear up for a brutal run-in for the remainder of the Six Nations. Next up is a tricky trip to Murrayfield to face Scotland who England have struggled against in recent years. That is followed by a home game against the rampant Irish before travelling to Les Bleus for the final round.

The Grand Slam is still on but this team would have to grow tremendously fast to rock the boat that much.

3rd placed Scotland

The controversy and frustration at the end of the clash with Les Bleus will be hard to take but sums up the side at the moment; so close but just not finishing the deal.

Scotland have grown under Gregor Townsend a huge amount, especially in the last three years, and constantly seems on the verge of exploding but somehow just do not always get the result. They managed to do so against Wales but dropped a massive lead to win by one.

Townsend will welcome the week’s break after the emotional rollercoaster for his team in rounds one and two. Just enough time to gear up to clash with old foe, England, at home. They will be eyeing a win there and against Italy to give themselves a chance to rattle Ireland’s cage in the final round.

4th place France

Les Bleus need the break, that is much is obvious. Against Scotland the fatigue was evident and mixed with the frustration of things not flowing as smoothly as they would like.

It has been an uphill battle without the inspiration of Antoine Dupont when they need it. Adding further to those woes is how the team clearly relied on his unique abilities, especially the rocket-like box kicks used as an effective exit play.

The break will be hugely welcomed by Fabien Galthie for both physical and mental recovery. The Six Nations got off to a losing start against Ireland but ultimately they did respond with a gritty win in Scotland irrespective of how one feels about the late controversy.

Les Bleus know that all they can do is keep things clean until the end of the tournament and hope Ireland slips up. This starts with Italy at home before a trip to Wales and finally England at home to finish off.

5th placed Wales

For Warren Gatland’s Wales, the fallow week comes at a bad time. The Welsh squad is rather inexperienced but has shown impressive character and ability, all the side really needs is time in the saddle.

Of course, the fallow week is not a nightmare for Gatland who will continue to drill his warriors in anticipation of a big finish. To their credit, the team is incredibly hard-working and disciplined, completing a total of 101 consecutive minutes without giving away a penalty.

It is those aspects that hint at the team’s potential and this is where gathering experience is so vital. Unfortunately, it is two losses from two but only a hair’s width each time. The team will learn from that.

It doesn’t get easier for them with Ireland up next but the break might give Gatland a chance to cook up something specific for Farrell’s men. After that, they host France which could be a unique opportunity for a memorable result before an absolute must-win in their eyes against Italy to possibly avoid the wooden spoon.

6th placed Italy

The situation for the Azzurri is quite similar to Wales in the sense that time in the saddle is certainly required at the stage. It is the beginning of a new era for Italian rugby under Gonzalo Quesada, who is desperate to get his side playing positive rugby.

This is not always easy with skipper Michele Lamaro admitting they can only play the style they want if they have a solid foundation. The case of Italy is a tricky one as sport is generally measured by wins – something they have lacked since joining the Six Nations. There has been huge development but it is not as tangible as climbing the table.

Quesada’s challenge is to build belief despite this and even though time on the field is the ideal situation, they can benefit by becoming more accustomed to the new era with an extra week’s training.

Their next game is away to France before hosting Scotland and finally travelling to Cardiff where they will be targeting a win over Wales, much like the one that saw Ange Capuozzo steal the headlines on the Test scene for the first time.

READ MORE: Six Nations law discussion: Luke Pearce’s stock continues to rise after classy showing during Ireland v Italy

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