Some are waiting for February for Valentine's Day, some for Carnival. Then there are a few million people waiting for February for the Six Nations, which raises the curtain today, precisely with Italy. At 14pm, the Azzurri will take the field against France at Saint Denis, followed by their English colleagues who at 25pm will face their perennial Scottish enemies in Edinburgh, while tomorrow it will be the reigning Irish champions' turn to battle the Welsh dragoons .
To give some numbers, the oldest oval tournament in the world continues to grow: 140 million viewers in 2015, for around 40 million euros for each city involved in hosting the matches. Three hundred million, on the other hand, are the pounds resulting from the agreement with the BBC. An agreement which also increases the prizes for the participating national teams: a good 5,5 million due to the first classified who wins all the matches (one less if they do not reach the Grand Slam) – but even the wooden spoon is worth a six-zero figure, the exact size of which, however, is not known.
However, in latere of the importance of the mere sporting event, it seems necessary to dwell on a particularly touching aspect that is connected to it, before presenting the beginning of the Tournament.
Yesterday's news of the heartbreaking death of the young doctoral student Giulio Regeni, found on the outskirts of Cairo. Although little or nothing is known about the circumstances, many - perhaps rightly - have compared the tragic disappearance of Giulio to that of the other student, Valeria Solesin, killed that night at the Bataclan. Since that evening, the Stade de France, Saint Denis, has remained closed following the declaration of a state of emergency. Today it reopens, it does it for rugby because it's right, because that's also how you don't give up on those deaths. And so, this 6 Nations will be followed with even more interest, pride and emotion than ever, even if the number of fans who will be in the stands tomorrow are just over half of those present at the last Six Nations exhibition.
France vs Italy
The opening challenge is presented as the least brilliant of the first day. The two teams restart after their respective bad figures in the English World Cup which ended last October. As always, Italy is a little further behind. In fact, the two teams were crammed into the same group in London, from which Italy only got third place losing heavily against tomorrow's opponents who, however, appeared anything but irresistible. At Saint Denis, among the landlords, there will be no Fofana phenomenon, just another of the big names who among the cockerels will not be part of the twenty-three squad on the pitch. Those sixty all-black points hit so deeply as to require a radical change of course, starting with the CT and the players.
Tomorrow will be a further test bench, which however sounds rather like a new, yet another start from zero on the Azzurri's side. Here too, many things have changed, starting with the training. It's hard to say whether it's due to the many injuries or reasoned technical choices, the fact is that tomorrow's Italy will be well stocked with young players – years 89-94. Nothing new for the other international challengers, but for us it is still an appreciable step forward.
However, the climate between the bench, the players and the federation is still not tropical, with CT Brunel attacking the choices of many Italian pros to go and play abroad where "they are not even regulars in clubs, as they think they can be in national?". Jab which, perhaps, motivates the choice to include thirteen young players and no less than six debuts. How to say, all or nothing. Expectations, however, remain low, we continue to talk about growth, keeping the concept of victory, far more important in the professional era, taboo.
Scotland vs England
This is undoubtedly the most interesting challenge of the first match of the 6Nations 2016. There are many reasons, starting with the historic disappointment of the English team and fans at the recent World Cup hosted at their home – they didn't get through the group stage. England has a poisoned tooth and cannot fail, also given the fact that probably the best coach in the world at the moment finds itself on the bench, Eddie Jones (the one who brought Japan to such levels as to beat South Africa, third power world).
On the other hand, however, there are the Scottish highlanders who, against all common sense and as remembered on the Telegraph, start favorites tomorrow. Factor one: they play at home. And when the house is called Murrayfield, any guest never comes out with special treatment, quite the contrary. Factor two: Scotland is back from an over the top World Cup, the best revelation only after Japan. By the way, Japan defeated South Africa at the World Cup, while Scotland beat Japan. Understood? Furthermore, according to many, the Scots deserved to win the quarter-final against Australia – lost by a single point, with the shadow of a referee error to allow the wallaby to advance to the semi-final.
In short, Scotland doesn't seem able to lose in this state of form, while England just can't afford to lose.
Ireland vs Wales
Lastly, on Sunday, we see holders Ireland take on the Welsh Dragoons at home. In terms of recent history, they are two teams that have achieved what was expected from the world championship, but which probably would have deserved more if it had been for a little more consistency. Both present themselves in strength, with a few new grafts on roses that are already young but well tested over time by high-level successes and battles. Certainly the most uncertain result of the first day of this Six Nations 2016 we will see on the scoreboard of the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
