Graham Woods: Three-way title grab is a fun sideshow but not what the Six Nations is about

When bonus points were introduced into the Six Nations in 2017 there was a concern that it might mean the end of 'Super Saturday', a thrilling finale when the title is up for grabs.

Two years earlier we were treated to one such dramatic day as Wales, Ireland and England went into battle all on six points and big favourites to win their final games. It would come down to points difference so all-out attack was the order of the day.

First Wales pummelled Italy 61-20 in Rome, then Ireland ran out more modest 40-10 winners over Scotland in Edinburgh, and it was left to England to beat France by 26 points or more at Twickenham to top the table.

In a predictably madcap game, England scored a try in the first minute, France then bagged two to take the lead as viewers struggled to keep up with the end-to-end chaos. It ended 55-35 to England, a big win but not enough to deny Ireland top spot. 

England had been 5-6 shots to win the title at the start of the day, Ireland 7-4 and Wales 7-1, so the favourites got chinned at the line. 

It’s taken us eight years with bonus points to reach another day with the same three-way tilt for the title, although this time it’s not quite as wide open.

France are just 1-10 to hold on to top spot while England and Ireland, who will need to win and France to slip up at home to Scotland, are double-figure odds.

Coincidentally, the last time before 2015 we had a three-way battle on the final day, it was the same set of fixtures. The year was 2007 and France came out on top at the end of a Saturday when they, Ireland and England all went into the fray level on six points and favourites to win their games. Points difference would once again be the determining factor. 

Les Bleus were 1-2 at shots at the start of the day while 2-1 Ireland were first up away to Italy and ran out 51-24 winners.

It was a good win and enough to bring them to 5-6 co-favourites with France, but it could have been better. Pushing for another try with the clock in the red, Ireland lost the ball and conceded an injury-time try. They had been 1-3 title favourites only moments before that untimely intervention.

So France knew a 23-point victory over Scotland would be enough to overtake Ireland but they were three points short as the clocked ticked over to 80. They kept going and Elvis Vermeulen dived over through a crowd of bodies, the TMO couldn’t find a reason to chalk off the try, and Les Bleus were back in charge.

France celebrate their 2007 Super Saturday win over ScotlandCredit: AFP via Getty Images

That left England needing to beat Wales by 57 points and steal the title. But not only was that target beyond them, they lost 27-18 and France landed the odds.

Although France are last up on Saturday their task may well be straightforward as, unless England run in 90 points against Wales, any win in Paris will be enough for the title favourites. So the question is, can Scotland do England and Ireland a favour and beat the French?

Well, the tally of 15 French wins in the last 16 wins in Paris certainly augurs well for the favourites, but Scotland, so long decried as awayday flops, have won seven of their last 14 Six Nations games on the road and have covered the handicap in ten of the last 15 and may not make it easy.

Perhaps the bigger question though is whether we want the Six Nations to come down to a final-round shootout, a free-for-all in which the top three teams aim to pile up the most points against the bottom three.

France’s win against Ireland last week was one of the most intense and fascinating Six Nations contests there has been, and we’ve also been treated to one-point thrillers as England beat France and Scotland at Twickenham.

Will an afternoon of roller-coaster rugby as teams chase tries and points in a mad rush trump all of that? And is a three-way scramble really more memorable than, say, Scotland stunning England for the Slam in 1990, or Wales’s 30-3 demolition of England to claim the title in 2013? Well, probably not. But once every ten years or so, I suppose it’s something even the most miserable purist can live with.

Don't miss our top tips for the Six Nations:

Wales vs England predictions: Fantastic Freeman ready to inspire Red Rose 

France vs Scotland predictions: Les Bleus primed to power to title success 

Italy vs Ireland predictions: Uncertain Irish still capable of running riot in Rome 

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