David Corkery: Six Nations success would be great but ironing out World Cup mistakes is more important

The Six Nations is the greatest rugby competition in the world. Fact.

The tickets for this historical competition may well be priced at extortionate sums. The true supporters might be outbid by the prawn sandwich munchers in the corporate boxes. Yet what happens on the pitch at this time of the year can only be equated to the kind of honesty and commitment you see on All-Ireland final day in Croke Park.

Yes, hurling is a hell of a lot more skilful than rugby, but in terms of having any self-respect for one’s own body, you will go a long way to find anything that equals the kind of sacrifices the professional players in this competition are prepared to offer and accept.

I don’t know if this year’s Six Nations championship has much left in its reserves to offer us in terms of excitement and entertainment after last weekend’s hypnotising encounters. However, what I do think is that all six teams have something very substantial to play for in the last weekend of the competition.

Apart from Ireland’s game against Wales which was dull, dreary and lacked any kind of memorable atmosphere, the other two ties between Scotland-France and Italy-England must surely rank very high in the competition's top 20 games.

I think at this point it is fair to suggest that England have once again failed miserably to live up to their self-proclaimed billing as pre-tournament favourites, and have placed themselves in a slurry pit.

Yes, the country who have everything they need to dominate the sport, including the third largest number of registered players in the world behind France and South Africa have flopped when it matters most. In many aspects, they have become the competition's jesters by failing to deal with the mental pressures that go hand in hand with playing top-flight international rugby.

With only one win and three staggering losses to their name, this weekend’s tie with a very wounded French side is England’s last chance to salvage any kind of pride.

Italy on the other hand are in the hunt to secure their best-ever campaign as they travel to the Welsh capital.

Wins against Scotland and England have lifted Italian rugby to heights never deemed possible. 

Unless the dying dragon can find something to reignite their once red-hot flame, the Italians will win and Wales will be looking for a dark corner to hide away with the infamous wooden spoon.

STILL IN CONTROL

France, who somehow managed to self-implode against Scotland, are still in the driving seat to reclaim their Six Nations crown. French coach Fabien Galthié will be kicking himself for the manner in which his players allowed their Scottish counterparts to strangle the life out of everything they attempted to do.

At one point in the second half of this incredible tie, you would have easily have been forgiven for thinking that Billy Connolly was controlling the scoreboard in Murrayfield as it declared Scotland 47 France 14.

Come the final play, it read Scotland 50 France 40, allowing the visitors leave with a very important try-scoring bonus point.

A point that keeps them very much in control of their own destiny.

A poor loss to Italy in round one and wins over England, Wales and France sum up Scotland’s efforts to date.

Locked with France on sixteen points and behind only on points difference Scotland will be arriving to Dublin with a massive level of confidence after how they played last week.

Having lost their last eight matches against Ireland in this competition, Gregor Townsend will be preying that the momentum his players acquired against the French will be present again in the Aviva and that England will do them a massive favour by beating France in Paris.

Ireland, who have had a very up and down kind of campaign by losing heavily to France, scraping by Italy and Wales and demolishing England, have a very slim chance of being crowned champions.

Many have viewed this year’s crusade as a decline in performance by Andy Farrell and his players. 

I would rather see them play below-par now, learn from their mistakes and head into next year's World Cup having dealt with all possible scenarios.

To beat Scotland tomorrow, Ireland will first need to be very careful about where they decide to kick.

As proven last week, Scotland’s back three are incredibly dangerous and if Crowley or Gibson-Park are sloppy with their kicking proficiencies, Scottish winger Steyn, Graham and full back Kinghorn have the ability to slice through the sternest of defences.

Deprived of their two starting second-rows, Ireland must look at this as an invitation to take on the Scottish forward and deprive Finn Russell of as much go-forward ball as possible. Winning the forward battle has been key to Ireland's success over Scotland in recent years and as sure as night follows day, Ireland will be looking to do the same again this year.

After what transpired last weekend, anything is possible, but I would call it as follows.

Scotland to beat Ireland.

Italy to beat Wales.

France to beat England.