The Lineout

The rollercoaster ride of the 2017 Six Nations continues apace this weekend, as Round 4 presents must win scenarios for all the teams but even more so for England, Ireland and Scotland. Ireland will want to keep the momentum going after their initial upset to Scotland in Round 1 by putting in a solid performance against Wales with preferably a bonus point win, and thus set up a grand finale showdown with England next weekend in Dublin. Wales’ chances of lifting the trophy this year are for all intents done and dusted, but they will still want to put in a big showing against Ireland in front of a home crowd expecting and demanding nothing less. Scotland travel to Twickenham finding themselves still very much in the hunt as title contenders this year, and if they were to pull off the unthinkable and beat England could find themselves topping the standings by the end of the weekend. England however still remain in the driving seat of this year’s Championship unbeaten and with a winning streak of 17 games putting them on track to challenge the All Blacks record-breaking run of 18 wins. A Grand Slam at stake and a world record to boot makes the pressure on England, even though they are at home this weekend, take on almost biblical proportions. Lastly France and Italy seek to use their remaining fixtures to salvage some pride and build a foundation for the future. France has less to worry about in terms of pride as despite only winning one of their matches so far, they have still acquitted themselves exceptionally well and given their opponents plenty to think about for next year’s tournament. France’s rebuilding process is starting to show some dramatic promise for next year and a good showing in their final two games will serve to solidify the considerable gains made this year. Italy showed against England that they are not without a few tricks up their sleeves, and despite their drubbing at the hands of the Irish, still have plenty of heart and passion coupled with some considerable talent when they get the right opportunities. Italy’s shot at the title is now well and truly over for 2017. Italy’s final two games at home to France and away to Scotland, will test their mettle to the fullest but hopefully leave them with something to build on for next year, while at the same time silence the increasingly vocal audience calling for their relegation from the tournament in favor of Georgia or Romania.

Wales vs Ireland
Friday, March 10th
Cardiff

As Wales play for pride, Ireland need a big win here and a bonus point would set them up nicely for their final showdown with England next Saturday in Dublin. Wales are no longer in the hunt for the title, but a home fixture in this tournament will always demand maximum effort as Wales seek to restore some of the pride in the jersey that to be honest has taken a bit of a beating in the last few months. Ireland arrive in Cardiff with a sense of confidence and purpose, while Wales need to find significant amounts of both qualities. Nevertheless it should still add up to an epic contest with both sides having everything to prove albeit for very different reasons.

One thing will be certain and that is that this match will have a physical intensity that will see both sides giving few quarters. Ireland in our opinion clearly has the superior front row in the shape of Captain and Hooker and Rory Best and props Tadhg Furlong and Jack McGrath. The Irish props have been immense in this tournament and have given their opponents a torrid time in the scrums. The Welsh trio of props Rob Evans, Tom Francis and Hooker Ken Owens are an able unit and in some ways Owens’ lineout skills are slightly more consistent than Best’s. Add to that the fact that with ball in hand Owens is no stranger to the try line and Ireland will have their work cut out facing up to the Welsh challenge. However, the Irish props have been such a destructive force with some exceptional stability at scrum time that we feel they have the dominant edge in this contest. In the second rows the battle evens out a bit more, though once again Ireland should also just edge it in terms of a more solid unit. Welsh Captain Alun-Wyn Jones has been one of the tournament’s most consistent players and is a seemingly indestructible force of nature for Wales. However, we don’t feel that his second row partner Jake Ball is of the same calibre. It is here that Ireland’s offering of Devin Toner and Donnacha Ryan should have the edge especially if Rory Best can ensure accuracy in his throws come lineout time.

In the back row, perhaps to the surprise of some, we hand the battle to Wales by the narrowest of margins. The wrecking ball unit of Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton for Wales have been one of the most consistently reliable aspects of the Welsh effort in this year’s Six Nations. Both players throw themselves into the contest with a complete and utter disregard to their own well-being and as a result their destructive abilities as well as securing valuable turnovers and go forward ball for Wales are exemplary. Add to this the fact that both seem able to last almost the full eighty minutes without any let-up in intensity and it is going to make it very difficult for Ireland’s duo of the exceptional Sean O’Brien and Irish superhero CJ Stander to contain them. With Sean O’Brien still not quite back to his explosive intensity since his return from injury, we consequently feel that Wales have the slight edge here. However, if O’Brien fires on all cylinders with Stander at his side then their ability as line breaking ball carriers is going to give the Welsh a long and painful day at the office. Lastly shoring up the back row is a contest between the wise and courageous head of Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip and the rampaging, tackle everything in sight youthful form of Wales’ Ross Moriarty. Although the Welshman has put in some epic performances of late, it is Heaslip’s experience and inspirational presence in the Irish side that should just see Ireland get the better of the contest between the two.

The half back contest is fairly cut and dry in Ireland’s favor, despite the considerable talents of Welsh scrum half Rhys Webb who, like Tipuric and Moriarty, has impressed all tournament and fly half Dan Biggar. However, the brains trust that is Ireland’s Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray is almost without equal in Test Rugby at the moment. While injury concerns continue around fly half Sexton and his ability to last a full eighty minutes, he seemed to cope well in this aspect against France a fortnight ago especially in the physical aspects of the game. Irish scrum half Conor Murray has been on fire for the Men in Green for the last year and is one of their most potent attacking threats and an able adjutant to Sexton in terms of game management. Webb is elusive for Wales and requires constant attention from opposition defences but the Webb/Biggar partnership simply doesn’t have the consistency and big picture abilities of the Irish pair.

In the backs, both sides have plenty of players who could split opposition defences wide open and for all intents and purposes this is a relatively equal contest with Ireland perhaps having the slight edge in terms of unit cohesion. In the centres we actually rate the Irish pair of Robbie Henshaw and Gary Ringrose slightly higher than Wales’ Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams. Although Ringrose is still relatively new to Test Rugby, he has adapted remarkably well to the challenge alongside Henshaw who is now a proven commodity. Wales’ Jonathan Davies is an exceptional player but as a part of a centre pairing with Scott Williams seems to be lacking in confidence and purpose at times, something the Irish pair seem to have by the bucket load. On the wings, there is no doubting the quality of Wales’ George North but sadly as a result of some unpleasant knocks to the head over the last year is nowhere near his best and we can’t help feeling he needs time to get over his injuries, a luxury Wales seem intent on denying him. Liam Williams however, is one Welsh player who seems able to turn on the magic no matter how the rest of his team plays and we expect more of the same on Friday night, which will require his opposite number Ireland’s Keith Earls to be at his defensive best. We all know the remarkable skills and X-factor that Ireland’s Simon Zebo can display on the wing even though we don’t always see it at times. However, his defensive skills have improved dramatically over the last year and he should be more than capable of containing an out of form George North, while at the same time creating some magic of his own in terms of points for Ireland. Lastly at fullback, much debate has centred around Ireland’s Rob Kearney and Wales’ Leigh Halfpenny. Halfpenny has been one of the world’s best for a long time but the aura seems to be wearing off to the point where the accolade average seems to be more his stock in trade recently. Kearney had fallen off the boil dramatically in the last two years, but in Ireland’s outings since November of last year he has put in some big performances reminiscent of the abilities that made him European player of the year in 2012. Based on form we’d give the Irishman a better shot at justifying his reputation on Friday night than the Welshman.

If Ireland can get a convincing lead by the 60 minute mark then we are quite confident that their bench will finish the job and secure Ireland a much-needed bonus point. Wales have a good bench with lock Luke Charteris, number eight Taulupe Faletau, scrum half Gareth Davies and the up and coming Sam Davies at fly half providing serious firepower. However, the pedigree of Ireland’s reserves is just that much more frightening. We thought Niall Scannell had an excellent game in his first start at Hooker against Italy in place of Rory Best. Prop Cian Healy needs absolutely no introduction along with second rower Ian Henderson and flanker Peter O’Mahony who will all provide tiger like qualities when Ireland need them most. Fly half Johnny Sexton’s understudy Paddy Jackson is more than capable and is even a fine starter when Sexton is not available. We’re unsure about winger Tommy Bowe as he has not really stood out much of late for Ireland or Ulster but is more than capable of some searing breaks down the wing if given the right opportunity as well as being a master of the intercept.

It’s still going to be a humdinger of a contest with Ireland wanting to make a big statement ahead of their potential tournament deciding clash with England next weekend. Wales will make every attempt to derail Ireland’s Championship aspirations and in front of a home crowd baying for results they will be more than up for it. Expect a contest of bruising intensity, but one which Ireland should ultimately take by five points especially in the last quarter if Wales’ confidence starts to crack and a superior Irish bench applies the stranglehold on the match we expect them to!

Italy vs France
Saturday, March 11th
Rome

While neither Italy or France are in the running for the silverware in this year’s tournament, this match still offers plenty to play for for both sides. Italy will want to build on their showing against tournament favourites England a fortnight ago, where they managed to avoid what were many were billing as a potential whitewash. France meanwhile will want to put in a devastating performance, while also giving some of their younger players a shot at Test match glory, that hopefully will highlight how far they have come as well as giving them confidence to end the tournament on a high in a final tough encounter with Wales, and thus lay down a real marker for next year’s tournament.

Both sides possess some bruising forward power, but the French pack has justifiably gained a daunting reputation so far in this tournament and Italy will have their work cut out containing them. Italy’s front row have shown that they are no pushovers in the shape of props Andrea Lovotti and Lorenzo Cittadini and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini. However, they will be hard pushed to match French props Cyril Baille and Rabah Slimani and hooker and inspirational Captain Guilhem Guirado. The French trio have impressed throughout the tournament and youngster Cyril Baille is a real talent for the future for France. Consequently, France should dominate the battle of the front rows. In the second rows, we hand the contest over to Italy as we simply feel that locks Marco Fuser and Dries Van Schalkwyk in particular pack some real punch for Italy and despite France’s Yoann Maestri able to rise to the occasion when needed, we just think the Italian pair have slightly more spark and grunt power as a unit. In the back row France once more experiment with youth and experience in the shape of flanker Kevin Gourdon, number 8 Louis Picamoles and youngster Fabien Sanconnie. Gourdon has been exceptional for France this tournament as has the veteran Louis Picamoles. Both these players provide France with some impressive physicality and ability to create opportunities for the rest of the pack to exploit as well as providing some solid defence. Italy have their own weapons here as well in the shape of their talismanic Captain Sergio Parisse at number 8 and flankers Braam Steyn and Simone Favaro. We have been consistent fans of Favaro and cannot say enough about Parisse’s extraordinary leadership qualities, but still can’t help feeling that the strength and speed of France’s Picamoles and Gourdon still provides an advantage that Italy will struggle to contain.

In the half backs, France’s offering of Baptiste Serin at scrum half and fly half Camille Lopez is clearly the established platform for the future while Italy’s unit is still a work in progress, albeit a promising one. Serin continues to be a revelation and although he didn’t have his best game against Ireland, he is still a talent that provides plenty of X-factor for France and some sublime distribution of the ball. Lopez possesses an accurate boot that will keep France ticking over on the scoreboard. Italian scrum half Edoardo Gori is an exciting player and can be guaranteed to put in a big shift but he just doesn’t quite possess some of the magical abilities of his French counterpart. Carlo Canna is a solid fly half for Italy who continues to improve but will be hard pressed to match Camille Lopez’s experience at this level, especially under pressure. Therefore expect to see France dictating the run of play in Rome.

The backs see a return for France of bruising speedster Virimi Vakatawa on the left wing along with his fellow Fijian Noa Nakaitaci on the right. These two provide so much pace and power that if they can keep ball in hand, which has sometimes been a problem, then Italy could be in for a torrid afternoon out wide. Add to that Vakatawa’s increasingly impressive defensive abilities and Italy’s Giovanbattista Venditti and Angelo Esposito are going to have to put in some very big performances but are unlikely to get the better of the two Frenchmen. In the centres it once again should be France’s day with Gael Fickou and Remi Lamerat attending to business. Both have had an excellent Six Nations especially Lamerat and will surely relish the opportunity of getting the scoreboard ticking over regularly on Saturday in Rome. Italy do possess the exceptional Michele Campagnaro at centre and expect him to create plenty of fireworks of his own, but we don’t feel his partner Luke McLean offers enough of a threat to give Italy any kind of advantage over the French duo. Lastly at fullback it’s hard to call as we don’t really rate Frenchman Brice Dulin, and Italy’s Edoardo Padovani has promise but lacks experience. However, of the two we actually feel that Padovani is the slightly more reliable, although not as flash offering and as result actually favor Italy’s chances here.

In short this should be a solid contest with both sides capable of producing some drama. Italy at home can often be a challenge and they will want to make a real statement in their last home game of the tournament. France however, despite the loss to Ireland a fortnight ago, just look further down the road in terms of their rebuilding process. France are going to be hard to beat on Saturday and given the talent lying in wait to finish off Italy on their bench, it should ultimately be France’s day by a comfortable margin of 14 points!

England vs Scotland
Saturday, March 11th
Twickenham

At the beginning of this tournament although a Calcutta match encounter between these two old rivals was always something to look forward to, with Scotland’s victories over Ireland and Wales it has suddenly taken on a whole new dimension. England are on track for a Grand Slam, but Scotland suddenly find themselves in genuine contention for the Championship should they topple England at Fortress Twickenham on Saturday. It  will be no mean feat and a huge challenge for Scotland, but there is the slightest hint that history could be made on Saturday should they pull it off. While England still remain favourites to lift the trophy and despite stuttering badly at times during this Championship they still remain unbeaten, not only in this tournament but in their last 17 outings since their ill-fated World Cup. It is hard to imagine Scotland doing the unthinkable on Saturday if we look at it rationally, but if it is based solely on heart and spirit then you just never know what might happen. Either way it has suddenly become the most eagerly anticipated match to date of a Six Nations that increasingly refuses to follow the script.

Scotland know that the challenge facing them is immediate right from the get go and up front especially in the physical battles. However this is an area which they have managed to contest remarkably well despite their injury list. However, in the front rows at Twickenham Scotland will be hard matched to outmuscle England on Saturday. England’s prop division of Joe Marler and Dan Cole provide some serious strength and experience along with Hooker and Captain Dylan Hartley. Scotland’s offering of props Gordon Reid, Zander Ferguson and hooker Fraser Brown will challenge to their best of their ability but the experience of the English trio should easily give them the advantage, particularly if England’s Marler and Cole can keep their discipline under pressure. The battle of the second rows should be of epic proportions. England’s Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes have been outstanding for England, but then the Gray brothers have been equally impressive for Scotland. There will be fireworks aplenty here in an equal contest but one in which the power and experience of the English unit should just have the edge. However, in the back rows we actually hand the advantage over to Scotland which may come as a surprise to many, especially given the presence of England flanker and force of nature Maro Itoje. However, despite Itoje and his partner James Haskell’s remarkable skills we feel that the sheer terrier like qualities, endurance and unpredictability of Scotland’s John Barclay, Hamish Watson and number eight Ryan Wilson will just edge the day for the Scots here. If these three can hold their own against England for as long as possible then England are going to be under more pressure than they would perhaps like till number eight Billy Vunipola makes his first Test appearance off the bench after injury. We have yet to see anything from Nathan Hughes who will start at number eight for England that should give Scotland any cause for concern.

In the half backs we also feel that Scotland may have a bit of an edge. Scrum half Ali Price and fly half Finn Russell had a truly exceptional game for Scotland against Ireland a fortnight ago, whereas England’s Ben Youngs at scrum half and George Ford at fly half have stuttered too much on occasion. Ford in particular seems to be experiencing an erratic run of form and if Owen Farrell has the kind of wobbles he experienced against Italy then Ford’s confidence will take a further hit. We don’t deny that the English pair are world-class on their day, and should they fire on Saturday then it could well be all over for Scotland by half time, however we haven’t seen it yet this tournament whereas we really like what Scotland are able to produce in this department and as a result give them the narrowest of nods here.

In the backs it is an exceptionally tough contest to call. England clearly has the more experienced centre pairing in Owen Farrell and Jonathan Joseph, however, at the time of writing injury concerns were a potential issue for Farrell even though we think it highly unlikely he will have such a dip in form as we saw against Italy. He seems to have developed into a much cooler customer than in days gone by in big pressure matches like this one. Scotland’s Alex Dunbar and exceptional newcomer Huw Jones, who set the world abuzz in Scotland’s November Tests, possess some serious skill and Jones when allied to the Hogg/Seymour strike axis can be lethal. Nevertheless, we can’t help feeling that the English pairing are the more effective especially under pressure. On the wings the contest between England’s Elliot Daly and Scotland’s Tommy Seymour should be outstanding. However, it is some of the Scotsman’s footwork and passing skills which lead us to believe that he is likely to emerge the better of the two. Meanwhile, we feel that England’s Jack Nowell possesses a speed and elusiveness that Scotland’s Tim Visser will simply not be able to contain. Lastly at fullback it is hard not to give Scotland the clear advantage in the shape of one of the players of the tournament, Stuart Hogg. Every time Hogg gets the ball Scotland manage to produce a passage of play that leaves defenders scrambling and warning bells sounding from Dublin to Rome. England’s Mike Brown is a feisty bulldog with an exceptional work rate but he simply doesn’t create the kind “what do we do now” moments that cause confusion amongst opposition defences that his Scottish counterpart is capable of. Ultimately this contest of the backs will come down to Scotland’s X-factor up against England’s experience and big game management skills.

However, for us whichever way you cut it this match will be won or lost from the benches and it is here that England is just packing far too much firepower. The Vunipolas are a force of nature in their own right and Scotland simply has no response to these two bruising giants on their own bench. English replacement scrum half Danny Care has proven time and again how quickly he can turn the pace of a match as have the power and pace of centre Ben Te’o and winger Anthony Watson. Te’o in particular has been instrumental in sealing matches for England in this Championship in the last quarter. Scotland has some capable firepower on their bench and in particular second rower Tim Swinson has really stood out for us, but they simply don’t have the calibre of England’s weapons in waiting so as a result we expect England to have the last laugh here.

Make no mistake this match should keep all of us on the edge of our seats and spilling our beer in living rooms and pubs across the globe on Saturday, especially for the first hour. However, as the inevitable attrition takes place as Scotland throw every last ounce of willpower they possess in containing an increasingly rampant England at home in front of a fervent Twickenham, we fear it will ultimately be a bridge too far for this highly talented and inspirational Scottish side. Once England bring their big guns off the bench, England should ultimately pull away by 6 points or more in what should still hopefully prove to be a thrilling encounter! That’s if things go according to script, something that so far in this tournament has not quite happened with the kind of regularity one would expect – either way strap yourselves in and if you’re of the betting persuasion you might want to hold off on this one.

In probably the most unscripted tournament in years, Round 3 of the 2017 Six Nations served up plenty of thrills and continued to set the stage for an epic final two weekends in March. Scotland provided a spectacular start to the weekend’s proceedings by proving once and for all that the resurgence in Scottish rugby is clearly no mere flash in the pan as they put in a solid effort against Wales even without some of their key players. Wales were once more left to wonder why a team of such obvious talents is struggling to get results. Ireland as many expected, at home in Dublin and with the return of world-class fly half Johnny Sexton, put in a clinical display which ultimately negated the significant forward power that France possesses as well as their increasingly dangerous running game. Lastly at Twickenham, Italy decided to use the rule book to their advantage and for the first forty minutes caused England to scratch their heads as they tried to figure out what sort of contest they were involved in. While it was brilliant play by Italy in avoiding the whitewash and potential cricket score that many were predicting at the hands of tournament favourites England, it ultimately backfired on them in the second half as England emerged from the break with a clear idea of the weaknesses presented by the Italian game plan and consequently exploited them to the full. It was another exceptionally exciting weekend of Test Rugby which once more showed how close this year’s competition is and the fact that none of the sides can take anything for granted. As the tournament heads into its final two weekends, England’s position at the top of the table starts to look more than just a little fragile as Scotland and Ireland remain in clear contention for the title. Much like the cliff hanger tournament of the 2015 season we are unlikely to know the winner until the final whistle of the final match on the last weekend!

Scotland vs Wales
Final Score – Scotland 29/Wales 13
Murrayfield

We predicted that the game between Ireland and France was likely to be the firecracker of the weekend but in the end this match ultimately kept us on the edge of our seats and spilling our drinks much more than the contest in Dublin. What perhaps was most exciting was the fact that on paper and given the injury list that Scotland was managing, other than home advantage, in many ways Scotland were the underdogs. Consequently the exceptionally brave and skillful performance the Scots produced with such heart made it all the more worthy spectacle and a great advertisement for the global game. Wales will once more be left wondering why a squad boasting so much world-class talent cannot get the results it should be getting when they matter most, and in a game where they were essentially outclassed and outplayed, more questions than answers will be raised about the coaching styles currently being used by Wales and interim Coach Rob Howley’s abilities.

Unlike in their victory over Ireland in the tournament opener, Scotland did not catch Wales napping in the first half and Wales looked more than comfortable for much of a closely fought half with the Welsh ending the half with a narrow lead. As predicted Welsh back rowers Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric were proving adept at breaking up any Scottish attempts at rhythm and causing havoc at the breakdowns. However, one concern that Scotland had going into the match was put to rest within the opening few minutes. With talismanic Scottish Captain and scrum half Greg Laidlaw sidelined for the rest of the tournament all eyes were on Ali Price’s call to start in only his first Test start at scrum half, despite two previous caps on the bench. Price did not disappoint and, as we suspected he would, provided some real urgency and pace to the Scottish attack and often quicker ball to his colleagues than Laidlaw produces with his more conservative style of play.

In a frenetic opening twenty minutes the momentum swung back and forth between both sides but as predicted Wales were getting the better of the physical exchanges especially through Warburton and Tipuric. As a result, it would be Wales who would get the first five pointer of the match through winger Liam Williams who is a consistently reliable attacking platform for Wales no matter how the rest of his team plays. On this occasion however, Williams benefitted from some fine passing across the park from the rest of his teammates ultimately putting him into space and across the white line for Wales, with Welsh scrum half Rhys Webb and fullback Leigh Halfpenny providing key supporting roles. Rhys Webb would go on to prevent an almost certain try from Scotland in the dying minutes of the first half, as the strike axis of Scotland’s fullback Stuart Hogg, winger Tommy Seymour and centre Huw Jones started to really hit their strides in a counter attacking move from deep in the Scottish half that showed off some dazzling footwork and passing skills from the Scottish trio. Webb’s heroics ably supported by his forwards in a world-renowned Welsh defensive effort would see Wales head into the break leading 13-9. The warning signs were clear though from Scotland and fly half Finn Russell’s boot was keeping Scotland well in touch on the scoreboard.

In the second half it was all about Scotland, as they simply dominated the Welsh in every aspect of the game and managed to win the second half 20-0. The Scots weren’t just good in the final forty minutes, they were outstanding and surely must take great heart from the quality of their efforts as they head into a crucial and very challenging encounter with England at Twickenham next weekend. If Scotland can produce the kind of second half they put on display against Wales when they meet England, it is going to end up being a barnstormer of a contest with the final result very difficult to call.

Scotland came out of the tunnel in the second half with a point to prove which they did emphatically. They simply outplayed Wales in every aspect of the game and showed the inability of Wales to adapt when things start to unravel for them. What’s more despite appearing the weaker of the two sides on paper in the physical aspect of the game, Scotland in the second half managed to completely negate Wales’ physical authority. Scotland picked up the frenetic pace of the opening twenty minutes right from the get go in the second half. The Scots struck early with fullback Stuart Hogg and winger Tommy Seymour once more providing some dazzling attacking skills as they got them on the board and into the lead. From that moment on even watching on television you could sense the crowd at Murrayfield start to raise the roof as yet another historic win for Scotland seemed on the cards. Wales didn’t give up but their execution just wasn’t as crisp as that of a very fired up Scotland. In the final quarter that man Hogg would once more have a say in assisting Scotland across the Welsh try line as a lovely flick pass saw him put winger Tim Visser across in the corner.

Scotland ended the match strongly and Finn Russell’s superb kicking kept the scoreboard ticking over till the very end as Welsh discipline began to fade. Scotland ended the match with a comfortable win at the end of the day and a massive confidence booster going into their toughest game of the competition – a showdown with England at Twickenham this Saturday. It had been another complete Scottish team performance and one in which Scotland’s injury concerns going into the match appeared null and void as Ali Price had a huge game at scrum half, while Finn Russell made sure that Greg Laidlaw’s kicking boots were not missed. Flanker John Barclay had a superb outing as Captain in place of the injured Laidlaw while number eight Ryan Wilson and replacement flanker Hamish Watson played out of their skins. They will need to do it all again this Saturday at an even higher level of intensity and commitment, something this team really seems to want to do to send outgoing Coach Vern Cotter off on a high note and recognise the contribution he has made to the remarkable journey Scottish rugby has taken under his tutelage in the last two years.

Wales meanwhile know they have a great deal of soul searching to do as they prepare to meet an Irish side who are finally showing the promise that had them ranked as favorites behind England. Wales are a good team, of that there is no doubt and they possess some extraordinary talent. When a team can boast names like Warburton, Moriarty, Tipuric, Williams, Halfpenny and Webb it is in more than capable hands. The problem seems to still lie in a lack of coaching direction as to exactly what type of game Wales is trying to play and how to execute it. Although resolute under pressure especially in defence Wales still seem unsure of themselves and lack confidence in their purpose especially on attack. The game against Ireland at home in Cardiff should still be an epic encounter, but Wales really need to use the passion of the home crowd to give them the confidence to develop that killer instinct needed to put away an Irish side starting to build momentum just when they need it most.

Here are the video highlights from the RBS Six Nations site on YouTube.

Ireland vs France
Final Score – Ireland 19/France 9
Dublin

Ireland, fresh off a staggering 63 point haul over Italy, came into this match knowing that having got their Six Nations campaign back on track, keeping momentum was going to be absolutely essential against a rapidly improving French side. France had given tournament favourites England a nasty scare in the opening round and then gone on to a convincing win over Scotland, the team that had given Ireland such a shaky start to this year’s Six Nations. It was always going to be a tight affair between two sides who have a long history of spoiling each other’s parties.

While it may not have provided as much excitement in terms of open running rugby as the contest in Scotland, it still highlighted some undeniable skill from both sides and in particularly Ireland’s tactical edge with the welcome return of fly half Johnny Sexton. While his understudy Paddy Jackson is becoming increasingly capable in the role, there is no denying that with Sexton on the field Ireland invariably takes on another dimension. France clearly had plenty of intent when it came to attacking rugby it was just that, as has been their Achilles Heel in the last year, the execution needed to finish off some dazzling moves is still a work in progress at times. Nevertheless it would be France who would be first on the board through the boot of fly half Camille Lopez in the first quarter through a penalty kick. France in the first twenty minutes produced some superb displays of running rugby which ultimately lacked the finishing needed. However, they were looking dangerous and led on the scoreboard 6-0.

It was on the half hour mark that Ireland finally started to hit their straps as fly half Johnny Sexton made a spectacular break and provided one of his incredible pinpoint kicks on the fly and at speed, with some desperate French defence just narrowly getting to the ball before Irish winger Keith Earls, and thus stopping a certain try in the corner for the Irish. Ireland’s continued determination to wrest control of the game firmly in their favor would ultimately see them dominate the rest of the half ending with a fine pressure try from scrum half Conor Murray as his forward pack mounted a concerted assault on the French white line. Ireland were back in charge at 7-6 as referee Nigel Owens sent the teams to the tunnel for half time but they were keenly aware of how hard they had been made to work for it.

As the second half got underway, Dublin’s inclement weather attempted to spoil the proceedings but still failed to dampen the intent or enthusiasm of both sides. Ireland kept up the pressure especially in terms of the physical contest and the French began to tire and lose their composure. Sexton would increase the lead as French discipline began to slip. Then with half an hour left to go Sexton would, from 30 metres out and despite a swirling wind, slot a superb drop goal and suddenly it was Ireland who were firmly in control. France would then proceed to throw everything they could at an Irish forward pack that simply denied them a say in proceedings. Ireland were clearly focusing on the win and less about chasing points despite the introduction of the bonus point system in this year’s Championship. Consequently, they simply stopped the French attacks dead in their tracks while at the same time not risking any flash moves of their own especially as the weather continued to deteriorate. With ten minutes to go, France made the questionable decision to kick for points rather than touch even though they were trailing by ten points. Although fly half Camille Lopez gained France a valuable three points making it a seven point difference, it was hard to imagine France making up the deficit required to win the match with six minutes to go in front of an ecstatic Irish crowd. As Ireland called in the reserves from the benches, Sexton’s replacement Paddy Jackson quickly got Ireland back to a ten point lead with a fine penalty kick.

From there it was all over as Ireland once more got back in the driving seat and came close to bagging another try in the final two minutes. However, as the clock wound down into the last minute, Ireland decided they had had enough and the need to risk bodies ahead of a gruelling away fixture with Wales was simply not worth it. The ball was kicked into touch and Ireland ultimately emerged the comfortable winners. Ireland know that they will need to get closer to an unbeaten England on points difference for the final two matches, but in challenging circumstances against an increasingly dangerous looking French team they had kept their composure and played the smarter game of rugby. France will rue opportunities missed and a lack of finishing at crucial moments, but will still take heart that the systems they are putting in place are starting to deliver results. France is back in business after the heartache of the past four years, and it is great to see French teams playing with such enthusiasm, committment and flair once more. There is still plenty of work to be done, but don’t be surprised to see them be serious contenders for the title next year.

Once more here are the video highlights from the RBS Six Nations site on YouTube.

England vs Italy
Final Score – England 36/Italy 15
Twickenham

Some called this match one of the most bizarre displays of rugby seen in a long time. England Coach Eddie Jones seemed veritably incensed by Italy’s tactics and struggled to even describe it as a game of rugby, after his players spent the first forty minutes desperately searching for a rule book on the sidelines. Even referee Romain Poite was consulted by the English players as they sought to understand the Italian tactics, causing one of the best lines of the tournament so far from the Frenchman – ““Sorry, Dylan, I am a referee, not a coach.” For the Italians it was a clever albeit perfectly legal ruse in a game that we sometimes forget has layers of complex strategy set to throw even the most experienced players off their guard. By simply not contesting the rucks and not committing players to the breakdowns, Italy allowed themselves to never really be in an offside position. While it worked well in the first half for Italy, as a bewildered English team desperately sought to understand what was taking place on the pitch, it ultimately backfired on them in the second, as England caught on to what was happening and the fact that it was leaving Italy vulnerable to any sort of English attack at speed if they could keep the ball moving quickly. England quickly took charge and the most potentially embarrassing banana skin of the tournament was avoided. However, Italy can take heart that at least for the first half they at times made the tournament favourites look like school boy amateurs.

Nevertheless, despite the Italian tactics England still had the upper hand in the first twenty minutes, but were being made to work hard for it. However, sustained English pressure especially through their forward pack would see Dan Cole crash over the Italian line amidst a sea of white and blue shirts for the first points of the game. Still the Italian tactics were confusing the English and they were struggling to come to terms with how to combat them, prompting English Captain Dylan Hartley and flanker James Haskell to seek some coaching advice on defence from French referee Romain Poite. The Italian tactics and some consistent pressure from the Azurri were causing England all kinds of problems and they were clearly having a bad day at the office compounded by a myriad of unforced errors, and kicker and centre Owen Farrell having an uncharacteriscally awful day with the boot.

Italian fly half Tommaso Allan got Italy’s first points on the half hour mark through a superb drop goal, and then it was another basic schoolboy error from England which saw Italy get their first five pointer on the stroke of half time and head into the tunnel leading 10-5. Allan took a penalty kick which bounced off the posts as the entire England team took their eye off proceedings and completely missed the ball rebounding into the waiting arms of Italian winger Giovanbattista Venditti who blasted through a set of half asleep English defenders to score a try of almost comic like genius. A bemused and clearly frustrated England team headed to the tunnel while the Italians could hardly believe their luck.

A fairly stern tongue lashing had obviously been the order of the day from England Coach Eddie Jones in the changing rooms at half time. England emerged with a clearer sense of purpose and turned their frustration into some clinical execution especially in the final quarter. England got quickly onto the scoreboard through scrum half Danny Care as he picked his way through the loose Italian defences deep in the Italian half. The scores were only level however, after Owen Farrell missed yet another shot at goal. A few minutes later winger Elliot Daly would get England’s next set of points through a fine try out wide, which this time Farrell was able to convert. With the score at 17-10 to England the game appeared to lull into some kind of a stalemate until Italy once more got their foot on the gas and wrongfooted the English defence. Italian centre Michele Campagnaro, who is no stranger to England as a result of his exceptional work rate at Exeter, proved what a danger man he is as he completely shredded the English defences brushing off no less than four English tackles to score a well deserved try for Italy on the hour mark. The tension began to mount again as the unthinkable began to seem a distinct possibility with Italy only trailing 17-15.

With ten minutes to go, England finally found the rhythm that had eluded them all match as the England bench made its presence felt. Winger Jack Nowell who always takes some stopping was put into space and all of a sudden it was England ahead 22-15 despite Farrell once more missing the conversion. However, England would strike again in quick succession through centre Ben Te’o and then Jack Nowell would seal Italy’s fate in the 79th minute with Farrell this time succeeding with both conversions and ultimately putting England out of sight by the final whistle at 36-15.

England secured the much-needed win and the luxury of a bonus point, but had for the most part made it look ridiculously hard against an Italian side playing with plenty of heart and a better understanding it would seem of rugby’s rule book. Some have called Italy’s tactics cheap but you can’t fault them for using the game’s nuances to their advantage and ultimately avoiding the whitewash by England that many, including ourselves, had been predicting. England ultimately got the job done, but their sloppiness at times and initial inability to adapt to the Italians’ tactics must be causes for concern for Coach Eddie Jones as they prepare to take on an exceptionally motivated and very dangerous Scottish side this Saturday, even if it is in front of a home crowd. It is highly unlikely that England, given the talent they possess, will be as poor on their next outing. However, an inability to adapt at times and some porous defence will continue to be a source of concern if they are to keep their campaign and potential Grand Slam efforts on track in their last two daunting encounters. At home to a fired up Scotland and a final match away in Dublin against Ireland who are rapidly building momentum, are going to provide England with the sternest of Tests and a real testament to how far this team really has come under Coach Eddie Jones. England will be more than up to the task, it simply remains to see if Scotland and Ireland will allow them to get the job done. Either way it is building up to an epic final two rounds of what has been an enthralling Six Nations!

Once more here are the video highlights from the RBS Six Nations site on YouTube.