Article: Four WMs’ Six Nations forecasts and fund rugby players, Joe Hill, Giles Marriage, Nick Hyett and Simon Jackson reveal their Six Nations calls, along with some investment forecasts and the rugby stars they think would make good fund managers.

Simon’s thoughts in the article:

What are your predictions for the Six Nations?

I think that France will end up winning the tournament, with Ireland and Scotland finishing second and third (not sure who will be second out of the two!).

I think Wales will be the winners of the wooden spoon this year as they continue their transition.

England will be in the middle of the pack and will do well to win three or more games.

Who do you think is the team to beat this year?

France – the way the top French teams are playing domestically makes them the team to beat.

What is the biggest issue that this generation of wealth managers faces that needs to be tackled?

I would say the ever-increasing need for advice, particularly post the consumer duty regulations, and for an ever-increasing number of individuals and families. This means that further enhancements are required to improve productivity, ensuring wealth managers continue to provide positive advice for all their clients moving forward.

Which rugby player would make a good fund manager, and why?

As we are focusing on the Six Nations, I thought I would choose a player playing in the tournament. The player I would go for is Maro Itoje who has recently become England captain. Being captain means he has leadership qualities and would be able to drive all members of his team. He plays most games fully which means he continually performs, under pressure and fatigue, which is another key attribute.

Finally, being a lock means that he must understand the line-out and scrums, defence and attack, for both his team and the opposition. Taking this into account along with his knowledge of the game would be a great feature for fund management.

Which fund do you think will score a try in 2025?

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