Three-in-a-row? Not according to this lot.

22 pundits from the BBC, The Guardian, and The Telegraph were asked who would win the 2016 Six Nations. None of them picked the champions.

Joe Schmidt has chosen his team for the opening clash with Wales on Sunday but, according to the British media, he might as well not bother putting so much craft and thought into it because Ireland’s chances are doomed apparently.

In fact, of the 22 experts that gave their views on the tournament, only three of them saw fit to put Ireland finishing in the top two – and one of them was Irish legend, Keith Wood.

Five of them had Schmidt’s men hovering just above Italy in the wooden spoon stakes. That’s right, the disrespect and the disregard is real.

Who will win the Six Nations?

BBC

Jonathan Davies: Wales

Jeremy Guscott: Wales

Keith Wood: Wales

Andy Nicol: Wales

The Telegraph

Mick Cleary: Wales

Steve James: Wales

Ian McGeechan: Wales

Daniel Schofield: England

Gavin Mairs: Wales

Brian Moore: Wales

Tom Cary: Wales

James Corrigan: Wales

Giles Mole: Wales

Charlie Morgan: Wales

Oliver Brown: England

Richard Bath: Wales

Paul Hayward: Wales

The Guardian

Robert Kitson: Wales

Dean Ryan: Wales

Michael Aylwin: Wales

Andy Bull: Wales

Paul Rees: Wales

Where will Ireland finish?

BBC

The Telegraph

Mick Cleary: 3rd

Steve James: 3rd

Ian McGeechan: 4th

Daniel Schofield: 3rd

Gavin Mairs: 2nd

Brian Moore: Joint 3rd – 5th

Tom Cary: 3rd

James Corrigan: 5th

Giles Mole: 3rd

Charlie Morgan: 5th

Oliver Brown: 3rd

Richard Bath: 3rd

Paul Hayward: 4th

The Guardian

Robert Kitson: 3rd

Dean Ryan: 3rd

Michael Aylwin: 5th

Andy Bull: 2nd

Paul Rees: 4th

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10