Six Nations Round 1 Matches Betting Tips & Preview

Scotland versus Ireland at Murrayfield is a humdinger of a tournament starter.

Last year, Ireland were far from desperate in drawing at home to Wales in round one and defeat in France and England when looking for a hat-trick of Six Nations titles.

They promptly registered a first Test win over the Springboks in South Africa in June and could have won either of the next two matches. Then their well-being was hammered home in the autumn by a first-ever win over New Zealand in Chicago, a gritty performance in defeat to the All Blacks in Dublin a fortnight later and the ability seven days on to pick themselves up and beat Australia.

Head coach Joe Schmidt looks quietly confident as he should be with his fit Leinster and Munster stars performing brilliantly in the Pro12 and Champions Cup and three fair-sized wins over Scotland in a row including a 40-10 success in Edinburgh two years ago.

Schmidt will not be underestimating the capabilities of fellow Kiwi counterpart Vern Cotter and his Scottish charges though. First-choice fly-half Johnny Sexton is chief among his injuries.

Cotter seems relaxed by the knowledge that he is handing over the reins to Gregor Townsend after the tournament. Scotland certainly seemed to respond to his left-field selections such as Huw Jones and more expansive tactics in November. They came within minutes of a win over the Wallabies and then dominated Argentina even if victory came with the last kick of the game. Georgia were trounced.

Last year, Scotland worried England in the first half of a 15-9 Murrayfield defeat and they followed up that with a brave 27-23 loss in Cardiff and 36-20 and 29-18 home wins over Italy and France before defeat in Dublin. Their final try tally of 11 was a best-ever in the Six Nations.

Glasgow are playing good club rugby too, as demonstrated by their demolition of Leicester at Welford Road three weeks ago to qualify behind Munster for the Champions Cup quarter-finals after doing the double over the Tigers and Racing 92, and as well as providing four of the backline, Warriors players are the spine of the pack.

Ireland's superb scrum and brilliant backrow of CJ Stander, Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip, urged on by Conor Murray makes them rightful favourites.

But in 2013, Scotland won 12-8 and 2011 Ireland prevailed 21-18. Back Scotland with a handicap start of six and have a bet on the first-half containing more points too.

Six of the last seven Six Nations meetings between the teams have seen more first-half points scored and these teams are unlikely to start cautiously.

England have won the second half in 12 of Eddie Jones's 13 Tests at the helm and so head straight to a bet on them to give up six points to France after the interval at Twickenham.

This is not the same England side that won the Grand Slam last year or triumphed 3-0 down under in the summer or saw-off Australia and South Africa as well as Fiji and Argentina in the autumn.

Sure they coped with injuries on plenty of these occasions but their forward engine room, so key to ball-carrying and defence, is missing both the Vunipola brothers, Chris Robshaw and George Kruis. Joe Marler, James Haskell (a replacement) and skipper Dylan Hartley have had limited recent gametime too.

Stopping Les Bleus getting off to a fast start will be England's primary purpose and then they will look to exploit the fact that French coach Guy Noves also has injury problems to key personnel in his pack and midfield to contend with.

Noves has decided to pick a heavyweight pack including three No.8s in the backrow and man-mountain Prop Uini Atonio. He clearly does not want to start by going backwards at the set-piece and breakdown. But that does not mean he will not want tricky wingers Virimi Vakatawa and Noa Nakaitaci to be thrown plenty of ball.

England have the attacking personnel to burst into the life from the first whistle and have kickers in Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly to punish ill-discipline anywhere in the French half. And even if they get a decent lead, then they are unlikely to settle for merely maintaining an advantage. Last year, England went into the break 16-0 up against Wales after a barnstorming early effort but were worried by the Red Dragons response in a 25-20 success. Jones also racheted up the pressure to perform for the full 80 minutes in November after some slack second-half defending against the Springboks.

Last year in Paris, England won the second half 14-9 so they will be hopeful of more in front of their own fans like they achieved against Australia in November and Ireland last February. England's bench also looks more dynamic in all areas than that of Les Bleus.

Anytime tryscorer bet of the game looks to be Jonathan Joseph. Joseph has a sensational scoring record of 13 in 29 Tests and seven in the last two tournaments. As well as his excellent sidestep and swerve, sprinter-like speed and angled support-runs, Joseph has been picking off intercepts (Italy last year, Australia in November) and Les Bleus have a different partnership in the absence of Wesley Fofana to the one that pushed New Zealand hard in November after falling short against a weakened Wallabies.

Ten years ago Italy stunned Wales in Rome for a second time since time in the Six Nations, the first being in the first round of fixtures in 2003. The Azzurri have also enjoyed opening day success over Scotland and France, while they fell agonisingly short in Paris last spring.

However, while ex-Harlequins head coach Conor O'Shea is taking a La Dolce Vita attitude to life and they sprung a surprise on a dispirited South Africa in November, it is impossible to ignore the fact that Wales have scored 61 or more points in the teams' last two tournament. Wales can cover an 11-point handicap ask.

There are multiple Red Dragons Front-Five injuries and Taulupe Faletau is not ready to return at No.8 but with a Lions tour on the horizon, all the likely Wales tour candidates will have been stung by their abysmal defeat by Australia and close run thing against Japan. They will know defeat to Italy will not go down with head coach Warren Gatland.

Temporary head coach Rob Howley has named a Back Row boasting three flankers in Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton and Ross Moriarty so there should be plenty of turnover ball. Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny rarely miss or turn down opportunities to kick at goal. Centres Scott Williams and Jonathan Davies are a club partnership that is playing well at present. There is pace out wide in George North and Liam Williams.

Both Scrum-Halfs in the squad Rhys Webb and Gareth Davies are regular tryscorers. Webb can score a third trid in three games against Italy.