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The Six Nations will boil down to a final-weekend title decider between Ireland and Wales, according to Gordon D\u2019Arcy.<\/p>\nThe Six Nations will boil down to a final-weekend title decider between Ireland and Wales, according to Gordon D\u2019Arcy.<\/p>\n
Former Ireland center D\u2019Arcy has tipped Joe Schmidt\u2019s men to take their title defense right to the wire, when facing Wales in Cardiff on March 16.<\/p>\n
The former Leinster star insists he is \u201cnot convinced\u201d by England\u2019s autumn resurgence, branding Warren Gatland\u2019s Wales the main challengers to Ireland\u2019s 2018 crown.<\/p>\n
Ireland will kick-start a hectic 2019 by hosting England in Dublin on Saturday, with D\u2019Arcy confident in the hosts\u2019 chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it is a decider on the final day between Wales and Ireland,\u201d said D\u2019Arcy, speaking on behalf of ITV.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith both carrying form from the November internationals, and more strength in depth across their squads.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe freshness of centrally contracted players for both could be a telling difference from the rest of the pack.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more success a team has, the larger a target they become; Ireland are a giant target at the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever Ireland have become very adept at looking after their own performances, I don\u2019t see them wavering from that formula during the Six Nations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t control everything, so a bounce of a ball may go against them or a decision. Can they win? Yes, but they might need a little luck along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
England have already ploughed into the mind games ahead of Saturday\u2019s tournament opener, with boss Eddie Jones claiming fly-half Johnny Sexton has the \u201cbat phone to the referee\u201d.<\/p>\n
Defense coach John Mitchell has since claimed Ireland will try to \u201cbore the s**t out of us\u201d, in a withering attack on Joe Schmidt\u2019s game plan.<\/p>\n
Ireland saw off England at Twickenham to complete the Grand Slam last season, before finishing 2018 second in the world rankings after beating New Zealand in Dublin.<\/p>\n
England sit fourth in the world standings, behind Wales, while New Zealand retain top spot despite November\u2019s Dublin defeat.<\/p>\n
Asked to rate England\u2019s chances, D\u2019Arcy said: \u201cI\u2019m not convinced, they won elsewhere and nearly beat the All Blacks (in November).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way they played looked more like individuals under pressure to perform rather than a team that pulled together to win close games.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it is a good place to build from and Eddie (Jones) is the master of that.\u201d<\/p>\n