Ireland produce a gem

 

The only area where Wales had parity with Ireland was when Jake Ball ran on, a man who’d offer Gordon D’Arcy some serious competition in a beard off. But apart from that, It was Ireland all the way, man for man, in the lineouts, the scrums and the in the mauls. Garda are conducting an enquiry as Sam Warburton,  Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau were seen entering the stadium, but went missing after the anthems. Ireland were organised, clinical and tactically proficient, while Wales, weren’t. That has to be one of most dismal flat performances out a Welsh team in ages,  and one of the least reactive coaching performances as well , with Hook, Webb and Tipuric kicking their heels one the sideline while the carnage unfolded. And as one of my Welsh acquaintances tweeted, ‘What has Priestland got to do to be dropped, pull down his pants and do a poo on the pitch?’ Wales were one from two this time last year as well, though, so things could turn around still. Not time to put the champagne on ice for Ireland just yet, but you never know…

While the competition for the 6Nations champions heats up, Scotland have already laid down a marker for the wooden spoon. They’ve put in the training for it,  are well on course at this stage, and it will take an epic effort fromm Italy to snatch it from them..  I suppose the best you could say about the match against England was that they managed to lose at a slower rate as the match went on. England look burly and up for it, but not very clinical, you would have expected them to rack up a much better score than that. All things being said though, England look like they are going to provide the biggest test of the 6N for Ireland.

France and Italy wrapped things up for the 6N, with an erratic match in Paris. There was lots of toil and puff in the first half, but neither side has anything much to show for it. Then Louis Picamoles and Wesley Fofana got the show on the road for France, with a few individual moments of magic.  After that, the match descended into Frances’ favourite style, the farce, with sendings off and an Italian try. The French could go all the way, or just as easily collapse in a heap.

RBS Six Nations
Ireland 26 - 3 Wales 
Scotland 0 - 20 England
France 30 - 10 Italy