Final day drama sees Six Nations title change hands multiple times
Trying to find words to describe the final weekend of the Six Nations was proving difficult, even before the teams stepped onto the field at Twickenham for the final stanza. Three games featuring teams that all played with abandon and enterprise left commentators and viewers bereft of superlatives. Whilst England might feel hard done by, Ireland were deserved tournament winners, combining excellent coaching with the accuracy and control of Johnny Sexton and Connor Murray to produce some impressive displays. If their key men stay fit they will be a genuine contender for the Rugby World Cup in September.
The day started slowly, with a tight and nervy first half in Rome. Wales made too many errors as Italy were typically chippy and difficult. Leigh Halfpenny provided the only moment of real quality, with a deft grubber through for Roberts to score, before being felled by a runaway Samuela Vunisa. Giovanbattista Venditti, owner of the tournament’s best first name, came up with something altogether sneakier as he found a gap in a previously stout Welsh wall.
The second half was a different story. Wales put on a clinic and despatched an Italian side who rather capitulated in the face of an all-out assault. All members of the Wales backline could be singled out for praise, as all displayed handling, offloading and support skills to put Italy to the sword. The pack generated more quick ball than they have all tournament to help rack up the score and set the tone for the rest of the day, Wales eventually romping home 20 – 61. This will have to go down as a disappointing tournament for Italy. Whilst they showed improvements in flashes, they are no closer to finding a long term solution in the 10 shirt, with neither Allan nor Haimona showing particularly well. Wales will rue one poor performance in Cardiff, but otherwise can be pleased with excellent results against Ireland and France.
The second act started with more of a bang, as Ireland set about tackling the Welsh deficit like George Osbourne on steroids. Early tries from O’Connell and O’Brien set the tone. They did not have it all their own way in the first period, as Scotland controlled the possession and territory and played some great stuff without ever finding the try-scoring pass, before Russell finally went over to keep things competitive. Long passages of play with line breaks, turnovers and multiple offloads thrilled the neutral, but Ireland’s superior finishing put them 20 – 10 ahead at the break.
Sean O’Brien, who had an eye-catching game with a number of lung busting breaks, got a second after the break, as did Payne, crashing through some poor Scotland defence. O’Brien’s back row partner O’Mahony was not to be left in the shade and was equally impressive throughout, showing his all court game. Ireland’s success under Schmidt has been built on their outstanding breakdown work, both technically superior and abrasive, and the work of O’Mahony has been key to this improvement. Scotland have been somewhat unfortunate to pick up the wooden spoon and Vern Cotter’s stewardship looks as though there is plenty to get excited about.
The grandest of finales pitted England, now facing an unedifying 25 point deficit, against a previously woeful French side. An outstanding try from Ben Youngs after just one minute lulled viewers into expecting a full-scale French meltdown. Yet the wheels threatened to come off England’s title challenge as France unhelpfully and unexpectedly decided to turn up. Tillous-Borde won a foot race with Dan Cole after England doubled down on their mistake to put France in front. Noa Nakaitaci did his level best not to score a try, but the TMO decided his heart (and more importantly foot), if not his brain, was in the right place.
This preceded a 10 minute spell in which France threatened to break English hearts and apart from Courtney Lawes attempts to decapitate Jules Plisson, England could not wrestle the momentum back their way.
Then all hell broke loose. Nine tries and a policy of optional defence gave us one of the most exciting Championship games in living memory. England ran from everywhere, France hammered them with the driving maul. Every time England looked like narrowing the Irish deficit, they would concede a try. A final passage of play with England needing a converted try to win the title ended somewhat anti-climactically with a soft penalty leaving England wondering what might have been.
Ireland do the double
Ireland made it a double as the women’s side routed Scotland 73 – 3 to take the title. Key players Niamh Briggs and Clare Molloy, who shone throughout the tournament, were outstanding for Ireland, who like their male counterparts finish deserved winners.
The U20’s Championship was decided at “Le Petit Crunch” in Brighton, with England prevailing to take the crown. The deciding score came from England’s try-scoring sensation Joe Marchant, who showed exceptional awareness to spin in mid-air and keep all his limbs in check to send England to victory. The 18-year old Peter Symonds College student and Quins Academy product certainly looks a star in the making.
Sarries end Chiefs dream of back to back LV titles
Saracens overcame Exeter Chiefs with a last gasp penalty to win the LV Cup in dramatic fashion, Ben Spencer slotting the kick to win 22 – 20. The Devon side could not pull off back to back victories as Sarries showed the grit, epitomised by the awesome Maro Itoje, to scrape home at the death.
Disciplinary issues mar Super Rugby weekend
On the opposite side of the equator Super Rugby continued apace, with wins for the Waratahs (28-13), Crusaders (57-14), Bulls (25-24) and Sharks (12-11) winning against the Brumbies, Cheetahs, Force and Chiefs respectively. The game in Durban between the Sharks and Chiefs saw a whopping three red cards handed out, in what is surely one of the tastiest encounters of recent times. The Hurricanes continued their impressive form beating the Highlanders away 13 – 20 and the Lions upset the Rebels in Melbourne 16 – 20.
Try of the Weekend: Virtually impossible to choose as there were so many options, but Scott Williams’ final effort was a fine example of using turnover ball effectively. Great fend from Davies as well.
Video credit: RBS 6 Nations
Villain of the Weekend: Homophobia in the game. Nigel Owens receiving abusive tweets and Jacques Potgeiter using homophobic slurs against the Brumbies has taken the shine of an otherwise wonderful weekend for the game.
Hero of the Weekend: Without a doubt Irish rugby. A men’s and women’s Six Nations double and two hammerings of Scotland made for a famous weekend for Irish rugby.
By Patrick Cheshire (@jpcheshire)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
29 replies on “Best of the weekend: Super Saturday restores faith in Six Nations”
Jamie Heaslip should be the Hero. The tackle that led to the disallowed try.
Villain, homophobia definitely, but mention of Haskell here. Needless yellow at a point England had momentum.
If people are going to call for bonus points, can we also call for relegation too?
But… Jesus Christ what a Saturday!
Surely room for this week’s “Owenism”?
Like a stern parent, using the full name “Christopher!” to put an end to Robshaws questions.
That was definitely a contender for “Moment of the weekend”. And it worked so well!
I raised it on here previously, but I really think that the bonus point system should be employed in the 6 nations. Long term, it will encourage NH teams to move towards a style like Saturday (not quite as expansive but closer!) and also feels far more meritocratic to me.
The only negative is the GS issue – but with a bonus point offered for that then this problem goes away.
I don’t like the BP system. It’s so cold and clinical and I especially do not like any system that gives a team who lost a pt, no matter how well they played or how close they came to the winning side. BPs would have robbed us of Saturday when it was points on the park that mattered, not classification of them.
I would prefer the first tie breaker to be head to head record, followed by points difference. This Saturday’s astonishing sequence of events aside, when the title is decided on points difference, its often a case of who can pile 50 on Italy. While this is ok, the head to head record between the top sides should matter. Of course that wouldn’t have effected this weekend, since Ireland beat England beat Wales beat Ireland.
I’m not much of a fan of the idea of a losing BP, but I think in reality it adds something. Certainly the situation around Scotland/Italy this year would have become more interesting with a losing BP system in place.
On your last point, for me it is why the BP system is much better. Saturday was great – but incredibly rare. More often than not the points difference is based on who beat the worst side by more, which doesn’t separate teams fairly enough for me. The BP system gives sides more control over their own fate, as opposed to being victim of a massive result (e.g. Italy getting pumped by a bunch of points).
I also dislike BPs because they codify the idea that scoring is what rugby is all about. As much as I loved Saturday my fave game of the tournament was Wal v Ire and my fave bit of that game was the 20 min camping on the line. No BPs would have been awarded for that play but it was the most stirring rugby I have ever seen.
I’m fully aware that many will scoff at my idea that rugby isn’t all about scoring, I’m part of the problem of making the game boring, etc. I just disagree. I don’t see football moaning about 1-0 wins. It’s how you got there that can be boring or exciting, not the final score. One of the most boring games I ever saw was the ABs putting a ton on Spain in the WC.
Couldn’t agree more Brighty. This weekend was fantastic and topped by a superbly entertaining final game
BUT – the best game this 6 Nations was Ireland v Wales and I’d rather watch that kind of skillful, tactical, brutal contest over defense-optional, super rugby-esque, high-scoring, try bonanzas
I actually agree with you and Pablito about the type of rugby I prefer. However I don’t agree that the BP system opts against it over the points difference system we currently have.
I tend to lean in the direction of conservative play in a rugby match, but I would prefer to see some tries. Having a BP at the 4 tries point incentivises a team to play good rugby, manage the team properly and score those tries that provide a level of entertainment. But you don’t get the massive advantage when putting a ton of points on Spain like in the example you used.
Whilst Saturday was a lot of fun and entertaining etc. I was losing my mind at the way England were managing the game – the points difference system led to a madness day of daft rugby which I don’t much enjoy.
Caveat on that is that I did miss the second half of the Wales game and the whole Ireland game due to the fact that I was playing rugby – so they may have been far more structured than England.
Hero of the weekend : Nigel Owens for his “Christopher!” when he got tired of Robshaw’s constant chuntering. Using his full name in that “schoolboy being told off” manner was priceless. Add in his dressing down of Petulant Mike and it was classic.
In general one thing getting worse in rugby is the backchat. Ireland’s game had Garces and 15 assistant refs in green. Screaming “maul!!! It’s a maul!!!!” every time they held a player up for a micro second didn’t do O’Connels reputation any good. Childish and embarrassing. Rhys Webb also seems to have a gob on him and I was worried that Biggar was reverting to form with some of his backchat. It needs to be stomped out now. 10 yards and yellow cards.
Hero of the tournament : Barnes for showing what happens when you ref the breakdown and the maul properly. Ireland are coached to “bend” the rules superbly on the ground and in mauls (plenty of more tactically astute people than me have covered this here https://theblitzdefence.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/the-return-of-the-rolling-maul/ and here http://t.co/1yfiQQgvSq ) It’s clever of Ireland to go right up to the edge of the laws in the same way as Richie McCaw is clever, but it’s so refreshing to see it policed properly and hence rugby breaks out.
Nearly villain of the weekend – The French player who tried to run the ball out from his own line in the 82nd minute and nearly got turned over!
The Brown telling off had me in stitches. Head bowed “Yes sir, sorry sir, yes sir…”
Brighty, I have heard a few people mention this – the French running the ball from their own line when the time was up. However – surely at 20 points down with the last play of the Tournament, you’re not thinking about anything other than grabbing another try. They had nothing to lose. Ireland did of course, but that’s not how they think is it?
Yes Blub, even at the time I was thinking that the French don’t care if England get enough pts, they just want to sort out their pts/game. It was the rest of the rugby world screaming “kick it out!!!”. 🙂
..whilst at the stadium I was shouting “run it”!
😉
“was the rest of the rugby world screaming “kick it out!!!””
Et tu Brighty?
(This as classy a pun as I can get)
I can’t help myself. Every time England threaten to win the championship I see an image of Will Carling in my head and start cheering for whoever is playing against them…
Not sure it’s getting worse, we can just hear it now I suspect – the Irish have tried to ref their own games for a while and Harlequins have a bit of a rep for it too, which might explain Owens getting exasperated with Robshaw & Brown.
What has happened to the good ol’ 10 yards for backchat? You rarely see it used nowadays and it would certainly sort out the constant whinging at the ref in double quick time
Funny to see Petulant Mike reverting to form with his “only one team had proper opposition this weekend so it wasn’t really fair” type comments. 1 good season and the poorly behaved boy from the Aus tour resurfaces …
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/six-nations-england-full-back-mike-8899623
I know most on here already disagree with Mike but I still feel it needs saying … England played Italy and Scotland at home. Didn’t tank them or play them away like Wales and Ireland did. So to say that the pts diff was therefore somehow unfair shows a staggering lack of awareness and sense. The table stands fair.
I was pretty disappointed with some of the defending by Italy and Scotland at the time, but then I saw England’s efforts and thought “jeez”. A few glass houses will have broken pains following the weekend.
His comments are petulant and really quite pathetic.
However, the comment regarding format at the end almost suggested I have a lack of awareness and sense myself in questioning the system (I do write this knowing full well that there’s every chance my recent posts have not even crossed your mind whilst typing). Hope that is the case at least, as I’ve questioned the system for years now (on here for well over a year), regardless of this 6 nations and the way it fell for England.
I wouldn’t put questioning the system and Mike’s bleating about quality of oppo on the final day in the same ballpark Jacob.
I don’t like the Home away argument because as much as we had Italy and Scotland Home Wales had England and Ireland. It swings in roundabouts.
The table is a fair reflection, let’s leave it at that without any of the “Wales were away to Italy so did better” or “England played a better team” etc.
And I know you are just responding to comments from an England player, just wanted to stick my two pence in.
I completely agree Snewe. I was using it as an example of just as daft an argument as Mike is making e.g. next you could start comparing weather on different weekends, etc.
Well Andy I have been calling for some sort of promotions delegation for years and it has to come!
Not against promotion relegation per se, but it needs to be carefully handled. A prime example of this is London Welsh in the Aviva Premiership.
This year Scotland would have been relegated for Georgia (I think they have finished all this years matches). Would this not get us another whipping boy? For all that they lost every match, Scotland were in with a decent chance of winning at least 3 out of 5 (given the HT score at Twickenham maybe that should be 4/5).
Last time they met Scotland beat Georgia 15 – 6. I am sure Georgia have improved, but so have Scotland since the last World Cup.
If you included a requisite playoff in the summer/autumn for the bottom place that might work. Either neutral territory or even at home for the country seeking promotion.
I didn’t know Nigel Owens is gay. homophobic abuse is so pathetic.
Clearly you missed his put down of, I think it was, Dave Ward after a poor lineout throw. It was along the line of “I’m straighter than that one”, just audible on the ref mic.