Literary Travel in London, Florence and Rome
Guided by the pages of influential writers, we explore the imagination behind the most romantic of European cities.
As January moves into February, the excitement levels in the world of rugby begin to increase as a new 6 Nations Championship comes into view. Spread over two months, the championship is a festival of power, speed and aggression, as some of the world’s best rugby players are pitted against each other.
The question is, who will win this year’s 6 Nations?
England, under Head Coach Eddie Jones, is ranked as the No 2. team in the world at the moment. However, some slightly lacklustre and unconvincing displays in the Autumn Internationals mean that the odds-on favourites might struggle against some of the more passionate Home Nations.
A resurgent Scotland – who powered past Australia 53-24 in the autumn – are playing some of the most attacking, free-flowing rugby under the guidance of the mercurial Gregor Townsend.
Wales have struggled of late, and while narrowly overcoming South Africa in the autumn, they are not the penetrative, try-scoring machine they use to be.
Ireland’s form has been unpredictable at best. Fresh off the back of demolishing the Springboks in the autumn, they then struggled past tier two teams, Fiji and Argentina. Although England also made heavy weather of finishing off the dogged Pumas.
France has always been capricious, but has been struggling recently. Especially after defeats by the Springboks and All Blacks in the autumn, and only managing to scrape a draw against Japan. When at their best, they have the talent to take any team in the world, but this year they might struggle to make an impact.
Finally, let’s look at Italy. In the last decade, they have come on in leaps and bounds, and could cause an upset (and regularly do) to any team in the tournament. Will they hold the wooden spoon again this year? You wouldn’t bet on it.
Stay with Rocco Forte Hotels at Brown’s in London, The Balmoral in Edinburgh or Hotel de Russie in Rome to make sure you soak up the atmosphere of the tournament and we will ask our concierge to find you tickets to some of the crunch matches of this year’s Six Nation’s Championship, including:
Sunday 4th February – Italy v England in Rome
Saturday 10th February – England v Wales in London
Saturday 10th February – Scotland v France in Edinburgh
Saturday 24th February – Scotland v England in Edinburgh
Saturday 17th March – Italy v Scotland in Rome
Saturday 17th March – England v Ireland in London
Soccer Stadium © iStock/efks
Rugby Ball Kick © iStock/skynesher
You may also like
Inside the Donna Franca Suite at Villa Igiea
Vivacious, glamorous, powerful. Few figures encapsulate the effortless grandeur of the Belle Époque quite like Donna Franca, our Sicilian muse. Famed for her petite frame, thick dark hair and an exquisite fashion sense that has endured for over a century, Franca was the epitome of an era that placed beauty and high fashion at its forefront.
A Quiet Reset: Exploring Low-Stimulation Wellness
This year, there's a quieter approach to wellness emerging. Something gentler. Wellbeing that requires no instruction, that can be woven effortlessly into daily life and sustained, or improved, while on holiday. The kind that leaves you feeling restored without quite knowing when it happened. Wellness that happens around you rather than to you.