As Brent has posted on a previous 6N thread, France have been priced up as favourites, with their price generally 16/10 best available with a few SA bookmakers. This does feel a touch on the short side perhaps, but I'm leaning towards a bigger priced punt on another market -

France to do the Grand Slam @ 4/1 (available at Sportsbet, WSB, Betxchange, Ladbrokes). My reasoning for this is as follows -

France fixture list is -

Italy @ home
Ireland @ home
Scotland away
England @ home
Wales away

So for a start, they play Ireland at home, a big plus. Also England at home, who can only improve after their dire world cup. Scotland away is a decent draw - France will fancy themselves in that one. With St Andre now in charge, they finally have a decent management set-up in place, and if you consider they were so close to winning the World Cup when utterly rudderless under Lievremont, this team can only improve.

I fancy them to pick up wins in their first 4 games, and playing Ireland in week two, before the Irish become a settled unit again, will help the French edge that one. England won't win in France - they'll take a couple scalps at Twickenham, but on the road they'll be vulnerable, for now.

So I'm expecting it to come down to their final match against Wales, with 4 wins from 4 and the grand slam on the cards. Wales away will be their toughest match, and I can see at least one other team being on 3 wins at that point, to ensure France would need to go for the win. It might also present an excellent hedging opportunity - it would be a close to level handicap for that match, so you'd be able to take a position to guarantee a decent profit, whatever happens in that match.

Grand Slams are tough to win - some pro's say tougher than a World Cup. But the draw has been kind to France this season and i'm going to take the 4/1 rather than back them at 16/10 for the championship.

Brent I absolutely love that Ireland Triple Crown bet and have jumped on the 9/2. It's neutral to my France Grand Slam punt and I agree, fantastic price.

Irelands are now 7/2 at Hollies for the Triple Crown! Nice tip BG!

Preview of the weekends first 6 Nations match, France v Italy -

http://www.goodforthegame.co.za/interna … eview.html

First match up has me weary of handicap, but like the recent stats behind the highest scoring half market. Gone highest scoring half = 2nd half @ 8/10

Ireland v Wales preview, Sunday match -

http://www.goodforthegame.co.za/interna … eview.html

Struggling to look past Irish home win and feel they'll cover the cap with a little bit to spare. Ireland -4 at 10/11.

if anyone is thinking of backing ireland for the G slam, you can get an extra three or four points at some bookies for them to win exactly five games.

South cant agree with you on england, though, that is probably the best bet if you fancy england. For me, Scotland will bet this english rabble. Poor captain, shit sarries backline (going for terroitory seemingly with farrel at center in th rain, when the scots lineout is far better).

scots +3, italy +22, Ireland -4 for me this weekend

Salavating and gagging at the same time for the start of the rugby season !! Like your French tip South and reckon I'll end up following you there, on the overall handicap I'm unsure on a final call as on one hand I expect the French to improve with ST Andre as coach but being 1st game of the season the Italians would want to keep things as tight as possible which could play a huge roll in the 20 point start.

Reckon Ireland will prove too strong at home for the Welsh and still love the Irish pack and their brilliant tro of loose forwards, way too much experience on almost every level except Sexton perhaps, the minus 4 looks plum.

My best bet of the weekend is without doubt Scotland on the plus. A solid if uninspiring bunch of individuals who love upping their game against England. If they can get on top early they should be good enough to hold the English at arms length, I fancy them to win on the outright market to add salt to England's wounds.

Great previews South and Brent, can't wait for the action to start and hope its profitable for us all !!!!

Really can't see Wales causing an upset on Sunday even with priestland and roberts passed fit to start,  Ireland will be too strong in the pack and will turn the pressure they will exert in points, as long as sexton is on form with the boot which I'm sure he will be on home turf  I can only see one outcome, a comfortable victory.

France could well annihilate the Italians but + 20 points is too high to ignore, probably best just sit back and enjoy and give the punting a miss, although second half points would seem the way to go and looks a cracking call.

Scotland and England will probably be a tight boring affair with both teams looking like they have been set up for pressure and territory rather than attacking flair, that said you can't ignore Foden and Ashton for England as a threat out wide and I will be taking one of these in the try scorer markets for first and last as we may only see a solitary try, England will most likely come out on top as history dictates this and the 1-12 looks another cracker

Great write ups guys, excellent views.

In the France/Italy game I am buying Shirts, have bought France @ 42 and Italy @ 12. With both sides talking bout expansive game and revenge, and the bench France have think it could be a nice game to watch. Would be nice to see a game with some trys, don't think we are going to see many later. Also when I watched Trin Duc for Montpellier, he really impressed me how he got the backline going for them, just hoping he is allowed to do that here as well.

I just think that as much as France are expected to win, and they should comfotable, Italy always seem to score a try or 2, and niether are for big values, but just getting back into the SPreads before the Super 15.

Happy Punting

Good luck on the french game guys.I am still on the scots side for tonites game.I admit that i am a bit weary of the english just because their new caps and youngsters might prove a point and win convincingly,but i have to rely on the experience of the scots,the murrayfield factor and a coach who wants revenge.So i am on the +3.5 for 5 units and hoping to get the season of to a nice start.

Of course the Italy handicap bet comes in why didnt i have a single on it not just it in a treble.

Thanks Scotland for letting me down on not one 1-12 bet  treble but even @ +4 they couldnt win.They had all the territory but no cutting edge.

Was the draw" quoted? - if not it should be settled as a "dead heat - stakes divided" and at least you get something back.

Was hoping to get off to a winning start but the scots somehow conspired to not even beat the cap and should have won the game, but will be looking like most for ireland to ease past the welsh.The inclusion of priestland at flyhalf and roberts at centre has definately made me concerned but they have to be doubts to last a full game.Ireland record at home is quite impressive with 5 wins out of 6 and all of them by 15 pts+.I dnt think that will be the case today but they should have enough at the aviva stadium to beat the cap.Got 5 units on ireland -4.5

looks like nice conditions In Dublin right now, but not enough to tempt me onto spreads. Small bet 1st tryscorers for each team -

Ireland - Ryan @ 25/1
Wales - Warburton @ 22/1

Wow really disappointed in Ireland and my big triple crown strike down the tubes. On balance of play wales prob deserved it but really poor that they cold not close it out. A really rocky start to 2012 for me.

Disapointed with the irish defending,cnt beleive that every time wales used their big backs they eases past the irish.So after the first weekend i am  0-2 and down 10 units.Had a similar start in the currie cup last year an ended up with doing quite well so no wories yet but will be looking to get off the mark this coming weekend.