RUGBY MATTERS
A weekly look at the game’s other talking points
BRENDAN GALLAGHER

What with Italy looking more competitive, the 2023 Six Nations could be a fiercely contested affair. The difference between first and last might not be as big as usual and, with France having to travel to Dublin and Twickenham, that could also make it very tight at the top end as well.
We will be teeing all this up in The Rugby Paper over the coming weeks but whatever happens 2023 won’t, surely, match the 1973 Five Nations which started 50 years ago next week – second Saturday of January starts remember back...