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Although variable, the fixtures act in the same way as Christmas or, perhaps with its similar backwards and forwards shifts in the calendar, Easter; they’re like close family birthdays or anniversaries – acting as signposts throughout the year – something to pencil into the calendar and look ahead to.
Every February and March, new ‘Chapter and Verse’ is etched into 6 Nations rugby folklore. The tournament signals that spring is on its way, a meteorological forerunner, like the scent of freshly mown grass in the air or a lone daffodil blooming on a roadside.
It’s unique. As exciting as football can be, cup competition – be it in the League Cup or FA Cup – does not throw up the same, reassuringly familiar fixtures year in, year out. The Football League, although following the same format as the 6 Nations is arguably too elongated and drawn out to match the intensity and passion of the annual 6 Nations fix. When decisions are against you, there’s no need to fret too much, and you’re reassured by the knowledge that there’ll be a chance for redemption at the same time the following year. If it goes well, the idea that there’s a chance to do it all again next year, to build a legacy, puts a spring in the collective national step.
Results aside, on the pitch, there are the heroic deeds and the villainous acts. Tries, tackles and talking points. In the stands, the concourses, the pubs and the clubhouses, you’ll find hope and despair, joy and dejection as the events unfold. It’s all there, collective experiences – some cathartic, some haunting - all shared with teammates, family and friends, and even strangers, much like life.
International Days out. What a time to be alive...
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