Ireland Need France and England to Slip up to Reach Nations Final
Five teams remain in the running to reach the inaugural Nations Championship grand final at Twickenham on Sunday, November 29th, with one round remaining in the competition, The Irish Times reported.
France lead the northern hemisphere group on 21 points, while England sit second on 20 points. Ireland occupy third place, also on 20 points, but trail Steve Borthwick’s side on scoring difference.
The final round of the northern series takes place on Saturday, November 21st. England host New Zealand at Twickenham at 2.10pm, Ireland face South Africa at the Aviva Stadium at 4.40pm, and France play Argentina at the Stade de France at 8.10pm Irish time.
France hold a one-point advantage and control their own path. Fabien Galthié’s side play last in the day, giving them the exact requirement needed to finish top depending on earlier results in London and Dublin.
Here's how the standings look following Round 5 of the Nations Championship ✏️ pic.twitter.com/s6Uxke78dD
What Ireland Need at Twickenham
For Ireland to reach the grand final, they must rely on slip-ups from both France and England. England carry a scoring difference of plus 134 compared to Ireland’s plus 57.
If England lose without a bonus point, Ireland need at least a losing bonus point against the Springboks to overtake them in the standings. Should England draw without a try-scoring bonus point, Ireland require a draw with a try-scoring bonus point.
A bonus-point win for England on Saturday likely ends Ireland’s chances of topping the group, given the 77-point deficit in scoring difference. A defeat for Ireland against South Africa also effectively eliminates first-place hopes.
The 12-team tournament concludes with finals weekend in London, where each nation faces the team finishing in the corresponding position from the southern hemisphere group. The two first-placed sides meet in the grand final, while second-place teams contest the third-place playoff.
The tournament schedule concludes with the grand final on Sunday, November 29th, in Twickenham at 4.40pm.
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