Six Nations - week four predictions

After a brilliant call (Wales to lose in Paris) two weeks ago, I messed up my card by thinking England would have enough to beat Ireland in Dublin. A close run thing (at 14-13) though if England had won it would have been somewhat undeserved. So I have 7 out of 9 - and twice it has been picking Ireland to lose that has been my undoing.

So, I won't do that again - at least not this week. I'm not sold on them as Grand Slam winners - I do think Wales will take care of business in the last weekend - but I don't think Scotland have enough about us yet to beat them. I think we'll give them a better game than we gave Wales (could it really be much worse? - ed) but I still think we'll end up on the losing side. We haven't won a Six Nations match against Ireland since 2001 - and while that run has to come to an end soon, I don't think it is quite yet.

Wales will win in Rome without too much difficulty (so says me) which leaves the weekend's big match - England v France at Twickenham. France looked good against Wales two weeks ago and England, despite their indiscipline, showed signs of improvement against Ireland. I think the French have the scent of a title in their nostrils now though, and if they can beat England and Italy handily enough, they'll know that a defeat for Ireland in Cardiff on the final day might be enough to secure them the Championship. On that basis, I'm picking them to win in London this weekend - but not by much.

Italy 12 Wales 36
Scotland 17 Ireland 23
England 15 France 22

Three away wins. A tad unusual. But that's my perogative!