Six Nations 2015 Round 3: 5 things we learned

1. Rugby is a simple game

Going into Sunday’s game in Dublin, all the talk was of how England had the more exciting set of young backs, but Ireland were so tactically astute that the visitors might not get the chance to show it. The game went almost exactly to script. Ireland had nearly 60% possession and territory, more passes and runs than England, but far fewer metres gained. They nailed the basics and starved England of a platform or field position from which to unleash the likes of Watson and Nowell, who looked dangerous intermittently. Joseph was nowhere to be seen – the speed with which he was shut down was obvious and further proof of Schmidt’s excellence as a coach. Every player outside Sexton in the Ireland back-line is a competent fullback, and coupled with Sexton and Murray’s pinpoint kicking, they won the aerial battle. They blew England out of the water at the breakdown and shaded the set piece battle. Once you’ve won those three areas, 90% of the time you’ve won the game. It’s not pretty, but should Ireland win the grand slam, how many of their fans will care? Whether it’s enough to win a World Cup, is a different matter…

2. Defeat from jaws of victory

It was a case of one step forward, two steps back for Scotland as they went down to the Italians at Murrayfield. It was, to be perfectly honest, a baffling result. The Scots have looked immensely resurgent under Vern Cotter, with an autumn campaign in which they looked confident in their own abilities pointing to greater things this Six Nations. And yet here we are again, with Scotland fans all but mourning another Six Nations campaign after three consecutive losses. Against Italy, as with the two previous games, they played some excellent rugby – much better than the opposition – only to shoot themselves in the foot at crucial times. The try from the penalty rebound was pretty much inexcusable, as was a missed touch in the final minute after winning a hard fought scrum penalty. It is these small mistakes that Scotland consistently seem to make, and they add up to losses when victories are well within their grasp. How you coach that kind of error out of a team, is not clear.

3. Time for change

What has happened to France? It is utterly baffling to pretty much every single pundit and fan how such a talented group of players can be playing so despondently. Sure, this team is some way off the top French vintages we have come to know down the years, and it certainly has its deficiencies – the engine room, most notably – but with the calibre of individual they have on the pitch, they should not be putting in such consistently mediocre performances. The buck surely has to stop with the coach. Philippe Saint-André was a fine player, capable of dazzling, but his charges now seem loathe to try anything approaching the flair their coach showed. They don’t look like they want to play for him, and his comments at the weekend would appear to indicate that he knows it. Quite why he thinks taking to the press to express himself is the right thing to do is as unclear as France’s gameplan. It would be no surprise to see them go winless for the rest of the championship, which would leave the FFR in a real quandary – sacking the coach this close to a World Cup would be unprecedented, but would they really have a choice?

4. A setback, nothing more

England were tactically outclassed in Dublin on Sunday, but they have still made strides in the right direction this championship. They are certainly still in with a very good chance of winning the title, thanks to their attractive points difference after demolishing Italy. They will rely on Wales beating Ireland in Cardiff, but with the Welsh looking twice the team they were when England themselves visited the Millenium Stadium, and Gatland looking to get one over his old team, that is far from out of the question. Scotland and France – both of whom are in a much worse place – are England’s remaining obstacles, both at Twickenham, which gives them an excellent chance of winning them both, and doing so well to end on a good points difference. A loss away to the tactically brilliant Ireland does not make this Six Nations a failure for England.

5. Return from the brink

Wales are in a similar situation to England, having also lost one game to opponents who out-thought them tactically, and executed more precisely on the pitch. The difference is, the Welsh have gone a long way to eradicating the memory of that opening day defeat at home to England with two hard-fought, thoroughly well deserved wins away to Scotland and France. England’s loss, meanwhile, is fresh in the memory. Wales’ win over France was the more impressive, with a moment of brilliance from the back-row and half-backs proving what this side of capable of. After seeing their game-plan nullified in round one by England, they were being largely written off but they have certainly thrown their hat back in the ring for title contenders. Next up is Ireland and their ability to identify a side’s strength and negate it. There is much talk of Wales’ lack of a Plan B, but surely if they are to beat Joe Schmidt’s team, who will have watched how Wales came up short when England out-thought them, they will have to try something different at some stage.

By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images