Men's Six Nations 2023, Week Two

This week started with the big match, but then had two matches with lots of interest for different reasons.

Ireland v France

For the first time ever, we have world number 1 v 2 in a six nations clash. That’s got a lot to do with how long NZ held the No. 1 position, and recently SA too. This match looked like 1 v 2, it was fast, intense and brutal but pretty clean. France had cleaned up their breakdown and tackle woes, the yellow card for Antonio could easily have been red but, equally, it wasn’t hugely malicious - it was a tackle that hit into the body and whiplashed the head forward into the shoulder rather than an attempt to rip the head off. (If you’re Irish and say it was a shoulder hit with a tucked arm, should have been red, I think you have a case, but I will remind you the ref's decision is final.)

All the stars, on both sides, produced their moments of magic. Some of them were flashier than others, the Penaud try, and all the build up to it, but a bit of his magic in defence too. Dupont’s tackle, but some of his runs too. Doris carrying for over 100m. Ramos only missing one kick (and that fell about a metre short of the centre mark of the crossbar). The list carries on.

Although there was a 13 point margin on the scoreboard, this was a game of very fine margins. The odd bounce of a ball here, a tackle there, a lineout going askew in the middle. That was the reality of the difference, and those little edges went Ireland's way this time.

Scotland v Wales

Where the earlier game was all might and main, skill and power, this game was more of a curate's egg. When Scotland were accurate, and they were sometimes, they created some really amazing tries. And then they would create some really ugly plays within moments that made me wonder if they’d all be swapped for body doubles while I wasn’t looking.

Wales showed a lot of the same positives and negatives as last week. They created chances, more entries to the 22 than Scotland in fact, but couldn’t convert them. Their lineout defence was great but their new defensive system is shaky as you continue to stress it. It’s hard to tell if that’s completely a fault of the system or the new players and new combinations though. Wales blooded more new players than I was happy with before the match but, looking at it, even in defeat, they looked like they belonged playing test match rugby. If they’re given more time, they’ll do better both as they gain personal experience and as they work together as a team better. There are older heads with more to worry about than the youngsters if we’re being honest.

Scotland produced flashes of magic amongst a sea of scraps. Wales tried to drag Scotland down, into an arm wrestle and mostly managed, and managed to create their own moments were but for that last little moment they could have done so much better, again. Will having two weeks, next week is a rest, enable Gatland to build those systems up so they’re working better? That’s the hope, we shall have to see what the reality is. There were signs of improvement, let’s hope there are more. Likewise, Scotland have faced two sides in various levels of disarray and produced a pretty complete showing one week, moments of excellence the next. Their remaining challenges are going to be bigger, the defensive systems more bedded in (yes, even Italy’s) so it will be interesting to see if they manage to create those moments or if better defences manage to limit their undoubted attacking flair and if better attacks manage to dent them more than England and Wales have. In the mean time, Scotland have contributed some really huge moments of joy and elan to this year’s championship.

England v Italy

This was an odd match. If you look at the score, you’d think it was really one-sided, and in some ways that’s true. But the three most exciting moments came from Italy, as they flowed into attack, twice scoring great tries. Likewise, although England finished their scoring with a try from a winger, everything else was created and scored by the forwards, mostly from a lineout and a driving maul. Clearly this worked for them, but it’s an area Wales have defended strongly in both matches so far, Ireland and France are good there too. England could easily lose their remaining games if this is all they’ve got.

The Farrell, Lawrence, Slade axis seemed to be a mixed bag. Lawrence looked good on both sides of the ball. Slade looked ok, but didn’t have a lot to do. No glaring errors, but not many touches. Farrell though… kicking for touch and goal, even kicking for territory, he was fine. But attacking tactical kicks, omg he was awful. They were too long, too slow, too aimless or all of them. If Capuozzo is jumping and successfully defending a cross-field kick to Steward, who is 20 cm taller than him (and much better positioned to take the kick from the beginning), there’s definitely something wrong. In fact, the best attacking, tactical kick, certainly for England, came from a flanker!

Italy have problems. I commented last week that I felt the referee kept Italy in the game. This week that didn’t happen, and England bullied Italy up front. Sometimes the Azzurri stood up to it but too many times they didn’t. As England grew more fatigued, the Italian backs, their speed and elusiveness, came to the fore and they looked much brighter and really Italy finished the stronger.

Happy Coaches

Farrell has to be right up there. His Ireland side had never beaten Galthié’s France. Tick, job done. Can they go on and win the grand slam? We’ll have to see. At the moment, Scotland in Edinburgh in round 4 seem like their biggest hurdle but whether that is the case or not, will depend on whether Scotland can produce against the really good sides. It is all moot if Ireland crash out in the QF stages of the RWC again of course but, for now, Ireland have cemented their place as the number one side in the world.

Townsend. Every commentator and pundit in the world, even bad ones like me, has been saying “Scotland have never won their opening two games in the 6N era” and “they raise their game against England, then fall off” and so on. They did fall off, but they produced enough moments of magic to beat the team in front of them, and to remove the Wales/Gatland hoodoo as well. Three in a row might be a stretch, but the second box has been ticked, and a lot of bad records for Scotland and Townsend have been erased.

I think Borthwick comes in third. England have started to look like they have an identity and, while they can’t bully Ireland and France, hopefully not Wales like this, it’s a start. However, Italy defended anything else the English tried, except one move, really well and that’s cause for concern.

Galthié. Yes, France lost but until the last few minutes it was really close and, barring a few bounces of the ball, it could have gone the other way. France were also much improved from last week and, if they meet Ireland again later this year, it will be in France, not Ireland. Sometimes it’s easier to learn lessons from defeat as well.

Gatland. The new boys performed well but a lot of the issues from last week remain. A lot of that is new faces, new combinations, new systems and players not managing the stresses of all those on the pitch as well as older heads, established combinations and a settled system would be. But Gatland is focussed more on the RWC than the 6N and although he’s not going to be overjoyed, some of what he did worked, there were some signs of improvement as well. Still not happy but not I the depths of misery.

I’m going to put Crowley under Gatland. This was a big falloff from Italy, and they never seemed to respond to England’s tactic. And they really only had the one. Maybe they had a plan B and never needed it, plan A worked just fine for this match. The times they could bring their players to play, England struggled to cope, just as France had last week. As with Gatland and Galthié it’s not all doom and gloom, I just think that this was the worst setback of the three.

Looking Ahead

Next week is a rest week. In a fortnight we have

1. Italy v Ireland and while I hope Italy continue to improve it would be a real shock for the ages if they beat the Irish. Ireland to win comfortably, but Italy to score some lovely tries.
2. Wales v England This is a tough call. Wales are definitely behind England in their rebuilding but the one area where they’re strong is lineout defence. And that’s really the only place England have been strong. Can Wales stop this attacking strategy at source? Can Wales, with a fortnight to train, finally get their attack to function in the last five metres as well as in entries to the 22? Can England create another source of points? Honestly, I’m going to pass on this one. Both coaches are basically throwing names at a wall and seeing who sticks, particularly Gatland - it’s a strategy with an aim to build a squad for France in the autumn that I understand but it makes predicting the team at the end of February really hard. I have no idea who will run out, how they’ll play, or anything, so making a prediction now is just beyond me.
3. France v Scotland France need to win this to get their preparations for the RWC back on track but a loss to Ireland in Ireland is not a disaster. Scotland have produced one great performance and one performance with moments of magic. Can they go further? I’m thinking no. Scotland might score a pretty try or two, but France should win this.