Six Nations is in rude health thanks to airing of national antagonisms | Andy Bull

The tournament has the world’s highest average attendance and full stadiums reflect a chance to indulge in idle chauvinism as much as the quality of rugbyThe onliest Frank Keating, late of these pages, used to have wicked fun writing about England. When the Wasps wing Simon Smith scored against Scotland in March 1985 it was England’s first try – imagine this – in a championship match at Twickenham for the best part of three seasons.Keating described this astonishing event as being accompanied by “a noticeable ruffle from under the tartan travelling-rugs, as colonels and crusty captains found t…