With the Six Nations fast approaching it's time for pundits far and wide to give their carefully crafted predictions and opinions on how this year's championship will play out.
Despite the knowledge that both Scotland and Italy look vastly improved this year, Ireland and England are being tipped as the most likely candidates for a Grand Slam this time out, and that is certainly who 2003 World Cup winner Ben Kay things have the best chance of going all the way.
But that doesn't mean he thinks either side will do it, in fact, Kay has predicted that Ireland will fall early to Scotland, but then muster up the begrudgery to deny England a Grand Slam in the final match.
After admitting that he's no use at predictions, Kay made his prediction and coupled it with a baffling statement that claimed England winning all of their prior games and then meeting Ireland in a Grand Slam decider, something they clearly want to do, would be the worst possible thing for them.
I genuinely think that a Grand Slam will be difficult for anyone.
I always struggle with predictions, I actually had Scotland beating Ireland at home in the first game, just with the momentum that Glasgow have had. It could be a bit of an ambush early on in the tournament for Ireland.
If England do manage to go undefeated through the championship up until the last game, that will be the worst thing that could happen for them. The last thing England will want to be doing is playing a Grand Slam decider against a team that couldn’t get the Grand Slam and would delight in nothing more than stopping England.
Hmm...
If you offered Eddie Jones that scenario right now, he would bite your hand off. The worst thing that could happen to England would be losing all of their games and coming to Dublin facing a battle to avoid the wooden spoon, rather than facing Ireland with a chance to win the Grand Slam. As impossible as that seems.
We know what he was trying to say, in that it wouldn't be ideal for an angry Ireland side with no pressure on them being the only thing between England and Grand Slam glory, but, he said it would be the worst thing possible, which is the opposite of the truth. An alternative fact, if you will.
Also, that momentum that Glasgow are carrying does include three recent losses to Munster.
Scotland will certainly be a tough test, there's no doubting that, but momentum? Surely Leinster and Munster players have a bit of wind behind them too?
To be fair, he did admit he struggles with predictions. Kay is rather good on the BT Sport panel, it's just these comments made us do a double-take.
