Justin Marshall believes the Six Nations has edged ahead of the Rugby Championship in terms of quality following a thrilling 2026 tournament.
The former All Blacks scrumhalf hailed the standard of rugby on display, saying the northern hemisphere showpiece is “arguably better” right now, despite the south’s dominance at the World Cup.
France clinched the title in dramatic fashion, beating England 48-46 in Paris thanks to a late penalty from Thomas Ramos – a match widely regarded as one of the greatest in the competition’s history.
Marshall believes the spectacle, intensity and attacking intent throughout the tournament set it apart.
“You’re not seeing 9-6 or 12-9 anymore,” he said on The Breakdown. “Teams are playing rugby, and we saw a lot of points in those games. The whole competition was sensational.”
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Marshall pointed to the combination of history, fierce rivalries and evolving attacking structures as key factors behind the success of this year’s tournament.
He also suggested the Rugby Championship has lost some of its edge – largely due to the imbalance in the Bledisloe Cup.
“Probably the Bledisloe’s a bit damaging for the tournament at the moment because Australia haven’t been able to win that Bledisloe and the All Blacks have dominated them,” he said.
The Wallabies last held the Bledisloe Cup in 2002.
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While matches between the All Blacks and Springboks remain intense, Marshall feels the overall competitiveness in the northern hemisphere is currently stronger.
He singled out the Paris finale as a benchmark for modern Test rugby, praising both teams’ attacking structure and willingness to take risks.
“What I loved about this contest was it wasn’t in a way non-constructed. England worked hard for their points, their attack looked good, and then France with their ability.”
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Marshall also reserved special praise for France stars Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Antoine Dupont.
“Louis Bielle-Biarrey, oh my goodness gracious, man that guy can play. Dupont had his moments. He didn’t have the most magnificent game but then he creates stuff.
“It was an outstanding game of rugby, it really was. The whole competition was sensational.”
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Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
The post ‘Six Nations better than Rugby Championship’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Justin Marshall believes the Six Nations has edged ahead of the Rugby Championship in terms of quality following a thrilling 2026 tournament.
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