Super Saturday has returned: prepare for the thunderous drama, from an Irish invasion of Rome to the hostility molten in Cardiff and another dazzling climax of light in Paris. Well, probably.
This has become the end of six nations's sirigencies: three tests in three iconic, consecutive sands. Millions around the world will tune in and all day will be box office. It never stops capturing the imagination.
For a tempting illustration of how this final round can turn on, rewind the glorious chaos of 2015. Four teams were looking for the title. Wales hit Italy to take a chance, then Ireland sent Scotland to move to pole position. Then came the agonizing waiting. The wait is part of the ritual.
The Irish watched through their fingers while England threw the kitchen sink into France in a classic on Twickenham.
In an additional time, the hosts needed a more converted intention to snatch the prize, but France kept them out. It ended 55-35 and Ireland exercised the trophy with relief since the first three separated by a difference of points of only 10.
It will be a similar scenario this year, since the contestants take their best chance and then wait to see what happens. France has control of its destiny, while Ireland and England are not. These two strive to win victories in a bonus point, write down as many attempts as possible, then see if Scotland can do them a favor when bothering the favorites in the Stade of France.
France controls its destination and can take home the trophy of the six nations with a victory over Scotland
England must obtain a victory of a bonus point over Wales and expect France to lose to Scotland if the Steve Borthwick team wishes to claim its first title since 2020
Meanwhile, Ireland will win if they beat Italy with a bonus point, and England and France lose
Everything adds to a gigantic logistics exercise. If England has defeated Wales, and halfway in Paris it seems that they could win the title, Steve Borthwick and his team will leave their hotel in Cardiff and return to the Stadium of the Principality.
There they will wait with the hope of receiving a trophy and medals, which will be a new design with the M6N brand (six male nations).
In the event that Ireland takes the title, which also requires that the French hesitate, then Simon Easterby and his team will be in a function in Rome. They would receive their medals in the function, but they wait until tomorrow for a trophy presentation when they arrive in Dublin.
However, the most likely turn of events is that France deals with business, after having broken Ireland last weekend. They may have devised to lose against England on Twickenham, but Fabien Gallthie's side has been imperative apart from that calamity.
If they win with a bonus, France is at home and dry. If they win without a bonus, they will still take the title given their greatly superior points. That would clear the way for the trophy to be presented by the executive president of the six nations, Tom Harrison, followed by a vivid light and pyrotechnics show, which has become the specialty of Stade de France.
The players can join the party after their games. The organizers of the tournament make sure that all teams have gallons of Guinness, with and without alcohol, toast their exploits or drown their sorrows.
Ireland will not give up its title without a gigantic effort, as an adequate farewell for three veterans prepared to retire: Conor Murray, Cian Healy and Peter O'Mahony. They are also boiling in the French accusations of dirty 'representable' game of Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter after the knee injury that ends the season suffered by Antoine Dupont in Dublin last week.
The interim boss Easterby said that French complaints in public meant that “people are receiving abuse,” he added: “It is unnecessary and unacceptable.” Those things could have been avoided. It could have been handled in a better way and on the back of that has created some bad feelings and has affected other people in the broadest group.
France is looking for its first title of the six nations since 2022 and its eleventh in the history of the nation
“We believe there was no case to respond and did not help, it fueled the flames of what was a really unfortunate incident.”
The second game will be fierce and convincing, with England with the hope of pressing France and Wales desperate for ending a losing race of 16 tests and preventing their bitter rivals from winning the title in its capital.
Exeter Lock Dafydd Jenkins admitted that it is a driving factor, saying: 'This is the game you dream of play as a child. This game is special. They can win the championship and we cannot have that in Cardiff.
England will unleash a team full of creative threats, but Captain Maro Itoje knows that his destiny is out of his hands. “We want to win (the title), but it is not under our control,” he said. “We just have to do what we need to do against Wales.”
The saracenos lock is very aware of the febrile atmosphere with which England will have to deal, adding: 'The Principality is stronger than most, particularly when the roof is closed. The atmosphere is great, it is a stadium in which you want to play and I do not see it as intimidating at all, I do not see it as something to be careful. I see it as something to enjoy, something to enjoy. Wales will be aggressive. Despite their results, they are showing many promises and improvements. They will be absolutely for this game. We need to make sure we manage it.
For Matt Sherratt, the English who has done such an excellent job by Wales since Warren Gatland left after the second round defeat in Italy, this accessory has added meaning since his parents came from each side of the border. “I used to have to sit between my mother and my dad to divide them,” he said.
'Then I would change side by depending on who won. In the 1970s I had a little more red, then I reached the 90s and early 2000s that my father's voice took over. He goes to the game and I have managed to change it (from England to Wales). I don't know how long, but definitely this weekend.
This is also a farewell to Sherratt. When asked again if he would consider presenting himself for long -term work, he added: 'Not as a chief coach. I will return to Cardiff as a chief coach on Monday.
The Englishman Matt Sherratt, who is the interim chief of Wales, admitted that his team's game against England has added meaning
'If I can, I could try to dodge on Monday. If we beat England, I will probably be on Friday!
The last part is where the champions are expected to be acclaimed in a tide of gallic euphoria. A great turn would be needed for the Scots to deny France, who deserves the title. Even so, the Scots will throw themselves into him, even if a discomfort would deliver the loot to one of his enemies. “We are aware of the context,” said chief coach Gregor Towsend, who needs a positive result to relieve another campaign of faded hope. 'The atmosphere will be incredible. Participating in the game is great.
France has fire power. They could win by force, style or both. Do not expect Super Saturday to end the lights that come out at another Parisian party.