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Dan Biggar's Six Nations predictions, the 'massive' game for Wales and his dark horses
Dan Biggar has laid out his predictions for next year's Six Nations and identified the 'massive' game that could see Wales turn around their rotten run of form.
Warren Gatland's side will go into the tournament off the back of a winless 2024, having fallen to a record 12 successive Test match defeats last month. A whitewash in the Six Nations was followed by summer losses to South Africa and Australia and a dismal autumn campaign that saw them again beaten by the Springboks and Wallabies, as well as Fiji.
While Gatland's future as head coach is set to be decided in the coming days after the WRU launched a review into the brutal autumn run, things certainly won't get any easier for Wales in the new year, with a trip to Paris to face France first up for them in the Six Nations.
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But after watching Wales "go backwards" over the course of the autumn, Biggar says everything must now be done to "break the cycle" and start to get wins on the board. While he admits that the current side are a long way off challenging for titles, however, he believes they are "certainly not a zero from 12 team either" as he said it was time to start "changing things up".
“The first 20 minutes against Fiji they looked strong, but they went backwards as the month went on,” said the Toulon fly-half as he reflected on the autumn campaign. “When you don’t close out tight games, like against Fiji, and then face Australia and South Africa, it’s a struggle. It looked like a training match for the Springboks.
“They’re a better team than that. It’s about breaking the cycle. Sometimes you just need to find a way to win, no matter how. It becomes mentally draining when you’re not picking up results.
“I think it comes down to the players. It’s hard when you’re losing every week. I spoke to a few of the lads and they were often saying, ‘We had a really good training week’. How many times can you say you’ve had a good training week but then go on the pitch on the weekend and end up getting beat?
“Sometimes it’s just about changing things up," he added. "It’s kind of like the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. You have to take a step back to see the wood for the trees and alter how you play a bit.
“There’s a feeling that this team is better than what it’s showing, and they will be frustrated about working their socks off and not getting the reward at the end of it. They’re not a team at the minute that will be competing for Grand Slams, or victories against South Africa and New Zealand, but they’re certainly not a zero from 12 team either.”
While all eyes will be on the Stade de France when Wales kick-off their Six Nations at the end of January, Biggar believes it is a "free hit" with a clash in the French capital "tough for anyone". Instead, the 112-cap international has identified their visit to Rome the following week as their pivotal match if they are to end their rotten run of defeats, describing it as "massive".
“The opening game in Paris on a Friday night will be tough for anyone," he said. "So Italy the week after is the game Wales must target to end this run. If they win there, the shackles could come off. That week will be massive for everyone involved.”
Hailing the return of the likes of Josh Adams and Taulupe Faletau, Biggar added: “All of a sudden you’ve got some real ‘been there, done it’ guys coming back. Whatever happens, Wales need to get this Six Nations right – off the field, with personnel, tactics.
"Whatever happens between now and the opening night in Paris, which is a free hit as far as most people will be concerned, they need to make sure they allow themselves as much chance of getting that game against Italy right.”
As for the rest of the field, the Welshman has France as favourites for the title, but says they could be "run close" by dark horses Scotland. As for Ireland, Biggar has questioned whether they can "hold on for another year," particularly with Andy Farrell stepping away from his role as head coach for the tournament to focus on his Lions preparations.
"Scotland’s fixtures look good, starting with Italy and then with Ireland coming to Murrayfield a week later," he said. "The tournament is all about momentum. France are favourites, but Scotland could run them close.
"Ireland will be there or thereabouts. Although they’re clearly a very solid, experienced team, they’re going to be losing Andy Farrell for the tournament, and I think they’re nearing the end of that period with all their big, big players," he added.
“The question is, can they hold on – and I mean this in the most respectful way – another year? Because I thought during the autumn they looked very pragmatic: they got over the line against Australia and Argentina as opposed to blowing them away like they have done in the last couple of years.”
