However, in the end the winner was clear. Ireland's Peter O'Mahony, Italy's Michelle Lamaro and Wales coach Warren Gatland chose the Flower of Scotland, adding the words «special» and «incredible». Hearing the performance before Scotland's game against France, you could see where they were coming from. It was truly special.
I was lucky enough to attend a few games in Cardiff and also recently heard the French team chant «Marchons!» Marchons! At the Rugby World Cup last year, the following statement was made lightly: Scotland may have the best anthem of the Six Nations.
Admittedly, this seems a little sacrilegious, given the strong belief that Cardiff with the roof closed creates the best atmosphere of any Test match you'll ever attend. If you can somehow make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end while (seemingly) a million Welshmen and women around you bellow the last line of «O bydded i'r heniaith barhau», then you should list that ability to emotionally detach as skill on your resume. Or see a therapist. Perhaps both.
How then did the “Flower of Scotland” sneak into the fray and end up in the front row? It has been adopted as an unofficial anthem since 1990, first used before «The Grudge», a 1960s Corrie folk song that initially attracted attention for its, shall we say, straightforward lyrics referencing Scotland's victory over England and «the army of proud Edward » » at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
One important caveat: «The Flower of Scotland» is not as popular as other carols; The second a cappella verse, performed by Murrayfield to a sold-out crowd, is a deal breaker and takes things up a notch, giving the moment a unique anthemic quality.
The anthems of Wales, France and Italy are deliberately sung with maximum gusto to try and get you out of your chair, make you roar, and do it brilliantly. Flower of Scotland doesn't try to do this, which is why «funeral dirge» has become a popular criticism. He marches purposefully to the sound of bagpipes before carrying you away to the sound of thousands singing unaccompanied in unison.
If you're lucky enough to be in Murrayfield on Saturday, you're guaranteed to get goosebumps when the music stops. You're also more likely, given that it's the Calcutta Cup, to hear extra fruity screams sneaking in between the key lines in the second verse. As the great Jim Telfer told Telegraph Sport last year: “I don’t think it’s a particularly happy song at all and I don’t think it should be taken as a national anthem. But these words make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It brings people together.”
If France, Italy, Scotland and Wales are already recognized, what about Ireland? After the most popular rendition of the Irish Call in recent times, it would make sense for the Irish Rugby Football Union to sign eight-year-old Stevie Mulroney to a multi-year contract immediately. Does it deserve to be discussed as the best hymn among those already mentioned? Perhaps not.
These four true contenders for the title of «best Six Nations anthem» can happily be discussed for hours — preferably in the corner of a pub — but at least there is no need to discuss the worst of the Six Nations anthems: «God Save the King». Great in most formal situations, but compared to the rest as a pre-match motivator? Too short, too banal. No amount of extra bells and whistles before the start or at the end seems to have much effect, and among the six hymns it comes right at the end. The debate about making Jerusalem the unofficial anthem of English rugby has raged for many years and still deserves to be taken seriously.
What impact does all this have on the game itself? Absolutely nothing to do with it. However, Scotland can dominate England in two ways on Saturday; recent dominance in this rivalry, with England winning only one of their last six matches and having a significantly better anthem.
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