Final Up to date on 29 Mar 2022 7:42 pm (UK Time)
The Six Countries trophy is a prize nearly the ultimate. Each and every workforce is striving to take house the name, whilst the coveted Grand Slam whitewash stays probably the most final rewards in Ecu rugby. Besting each and every of your 5 warring parties throughout a gruelling set of global exams with out struggling a unmarried loss is a long way more straightforward mentioned than performed, then again, even supposing few have made it glance so easy because the French as they cruised to their first Six Countries name since 2010.
Then, after all, there are the single-match trophies that experience develop into gilded expressions of the importance the edges now position on those historical matchups, such a lot of nice rivalries expressed thru glittering silverware as well-known prizes such because the Calcutta Cup, the Millennium Trophy and the Centenary Quaich are all coveted for the particular bragging rights they now convey.
This yr’s match, then again, had the added spice of an upcoming International Cup in 2023, and whilst each and every aspect can have one ultimate Six Countries to behave as a information in assessing precisely how they’re shaping up, maximum can be hoping to had been in beautiful respectable nick entering this yr’s contest. As maximum avid gamers are most probably mindful, time strikes beautiful rapid at the global level.
England
Effects:
- England 17-20 Scotland
- England 33-0 Italy
- England 23-19 Wales
- England 15-32 Eire
- England 13-25 France
Event Score: 6/10
The place are England at the moment and the place are they going sooner or later? Those are the questions that proceed to swirl within the media hailstorm following any other disappointing Six Countries marketing campaign for probably the most a hit aspect within the festival’s historical past.
There’s been numerous doom and gloom spoken about England’s match, particularly in regards to the truth that (their conflict with Italy excluded) they just controlled to move the whitewash thrice. The issue with Jones’ aspect is that they appear to lack concepts going ahead, a one-note outfit best able to probing kicks for territory prior to suffocating groups with their barrage protection and dominant ahead pack. Whilst that is all superb in concept, in follow it has left the English browsing bereft of concepts when requested to in reality play with ball in hand, and even supposing Marcus Smith has had a very good match, he every so often looks as if an inventive peg in a slightly rigidly uncreative hollow. Of the entire match’s scrum-halves, Ben Youngs made the fewest passes with simply 169.
Nonetheless, this can be a aspect in transition and person who was once nearly as hampered because the Welsh outfit via accidents, sickness and the tempestuous nature of intense global rugby. Owen Farrell, Jonny Would possibly, Anthony Watson, Manu Tuilagi all lacking the whole thing of the match, whilst Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Joe Marler, Jack Nowell, Jonny Hill had been unavailable for a minimum of a few of this yr’s festival. Jones can have appeared to peer which of his kids inspired when given the danger, with Freddie Steward proceeding to be a revelation within the backfield and Harry Randall browsing sharp from the bench. Joe Marchant, in the meantime, a person who has now and again appeared nameless in an England blouse, put his hand up for variety for his sterling efficiency towards France.
Abstract: A difficult match to pass judgement on for an aspect in search of an id of its personal. England do have time to rectify issues prior to the International cup, however whether or not Jones can be afforded this can be a slightly other subject.
France
Effects:
- France 37 – 10 Italy
- France 30 – 24 Eire
- France 36 – 17 Scotland
- France 13 – 9 Wales
- France 25 – 13 England
Event Score: 10/10
I will’t call to mind a extra complete-looking workforce than the French at the moment. I rack my brains continuously looking for a weak spot that Les Bleus may possess, however each and every time I in finding the hunt fruitless. France are clean in assault, impenetrable in defence, they dominate the pack up to they excel in open play and they’ve a deep, wealthy bench from which to attract. Their previous flaws, from their fragile mentality to their patchy recreation control, had been pushed out in favour of a cocky strut of an aspect totally conscious about how awesomely proficient they’re. Ironically, that is probably the most, and the least, French aspect I’ve ever observed.
The one factor that would stand of their method now turns out both to be complacency or the harsh hand of destiny. It’s value noting that France’s harm record was once moderately small, the important thing avid gamers that they’ll had been determined to stay are compatible, from Dupont and Ntamack to Alldritt and Woki, all pulled thru utterly unscathed.
What’s so spectacular about France is that their qualities as an aspect imbue the ones in their avid gamers and vice versa. Gael Fickou has at all times been quietly remarkable, however his defensive paintings towards England at the match’s ultimate day was once not anything in need of titanic, whilst Antoine Dupont is so freakishly robust for his dimension that he’d be bending iron bars if he had been over six foot tall.
Forwards corresponding to Paul Willemse, Cameron Woki and Gregory Alldritt, in the meantime, are so cell, athletic and just right with their arms that they might slot into the backline with out ever breaking a sweat, the latter making probably the most carries in all of the match with 65. France are a complete rugby workforce stuffed with flexible, well-rounded athletes able to doing the rest and the entirety. The one different aspect I’ve ever idea that of prior to? New Zealand, 2011-2015. Sacré bleu!
Abstract: France had been at all times going to be the workforce to overcome entering this yr’s Six Countries, and boy did they reside as much as the hype. What’s horrifying, although, is the concept that this might be just the start.
Eire
Effects:
- Eire 29 – 7 Wales
- Eire 24 – 30 France
- Eire 57 – 6 Italy
- Eire 32 – England 15
- Eire 26 – 5 Scotland
Event Score: 8/10
Eire have simply been getting higher and higher not too long ago, their Autumns Countries Sequence appearing placing them as certainly one of the freshest aspects going into this yr’s blockbuster Six Countries. Whilst the boys in inexperienced may no longer have long past directly to win the entire thing, there was once definitely that they had been the one aspect able to pushing France the entire method, the epic conflict between the 2 aspects in Dublin at the 12th of February necessarily deciding the name in the second one spherical of fixtures.
Nonetheless, a house international locations Triple Crown isn’t to be sniffed at, neither is a issues distinction of 105, via a long way the match’s absolute best. Eire scored probably the most issues with 168 and conceded the fewest, a 57-6 victory over Italy, in addition to 29-7 and 26-5 wins over Wales and Scotland respectively, making sure the numbers glance very rosy for Andy Farrell’s males.
Nevertheless, beating the most productive is all that issues, and it’s right here the place Eire fell simply brief towards the match’s eventual winners, the most productive recreation of the championship determined via a margin of simply 6 issues and serving as a reminder of simply how shut Eire are to difficult for the highest. However, Eire have indubitably shed their popularity as being a conservative aspect constructed on attritional assault and a water-tight protection, scrum part Jamison GIbson-Park making via a long way the mot passes within the festival as the boys in inexperienced appeared continuously to play with ball in hand. For the entire communicate of France’s silky talents, it was once Eire who had been the match’s true entertainers. Train tar Éirinn!
Abstract: Best bettered via the most productive, Eire have proved unequivocally that they’re an aspect this is in point of fact going someplace.
Italy
- Italy
- Italy 10 – 37 France
- Italy 0 – 33 England
- Italy 6 – 57 Eire
- Italy 22 – 33 Scotland
- Italy 22 – 21 Wales
Event Score: 7/10
They did it! They after all did it! Italy’s seek for that elusive Six Countries victory is after all over, a surprising last-gasp attempt securing a well-known win at Cardiff and making sure that the Azzurri’s critics are, for now no less than, silenced.
Italy’s match expectancies are, after all, other from maximum different aspects. Whilst Wales would possibly heve been quietly making ready for a sub-optimal appearing, England, France, Scotland and Eire can have been heading into this yr’s match striving for without equal prize. Italy, then again, had been in some ways preventing for much more: their very own survival. With talks of eliminating the Six Countries ring-fence, together with aspects corresponding to South Africa or Japan, the ongoing luck of Georgia within the Rugby Europe Championship and Italy’s woeful file in contemporary tournaments, the force has been at the Azzurri to justify their endured inclusion in rugby biggest championship. Marginal defeats and courageous batterings weren’t going to be sufficient.
With simply two mins to move towards Wales, Italy had been another time staring down that acquainted barrel, Josh Adam’s silky rating reputedly bagging victory for the house aspect till Ange Capuozzo’s surprising run arrange Edoardo Padovani to slip in unchallenged for a surprising win on the Millennium Stadium. A attempt value 1000 Six Countries trophies.
Abstract: A chain of familiarly courageous defeats appeared to make this yr’s Six Countries industry as same old for the courageous Azzurri till Ange Capuozzo’s jaw-dropping antics etched his aspect’s title into the historical past books. Forza Italia!
Scotland
- Scotland 20 – 17 England
- Scotland 17 – 20 Wales
- Scotland 17 – 36 France
- Scotland 33 – 22 Italy
- Scotland 5 – 26 Eire
Event Score: 4/10
As soon as once more, very disappointing. Let’s be transparent right here, this isn’t an excuse for an anti-Scottish diatribe, however sure truths nonetheless want airing. The truth that Scotland are disappointing, slightly than outright laughable, deficient or unworthy, best signifies that I, and such a lot of others, be expecting extra from them.
I’ve long past into a lot more intensity relating to Scotland’s match and the course through which they’re in the long run headed, suffice to mention the previous demons are as soon as once more rearing their unpleasant heads. Scotland’s match can have began so effectively, however beating England within the Calcutta Cup method little or no when you’re not able to hold that momentum ahead into different video games, Scotland transport 121 issues all the way through this yr’s Six Countries, with best Italy conceding extra. In assault, in the meantime, the Scots appeared disjointed, steadily forcing play to their detriment or else making deficient choices that can have ended in try-scoring probabilities.
It isn’t truthful to unmarried out unmarried avid gamers, however Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell can be upset with their respective campaigns. Excluding controversies off the pitch, neither in reality carried out to their complete doable. Having two usually titanic figures fail to in point of fact display up at the giant level is like eliminating two of your ceiling’s supporting pillars. Issues quickly get started browsing a coloration wobbly.
Abstract: Scotland confirmed their same old promise with a made up our minds victory over England, however the standard loss of self-discipline and match-winning nous has as soon as once more made this an workout in sadness.
Wales
- Wales 7 – 29 Eire
- Wales 20 – 17 Scotland
- Wales 19 – 23 England
- Wales 9 – 13 France
- Wales 21 – 22 Italy
Event Score: 4/10
Taking into account Wales had been final yr’s winners and an aspect with probably the most proudest and maximum storied histories in all of global rugby, a 4/10 may appear beneficiant making an allowance for the Welsh ended up in 5th position with simply 7 issues, a issues distinction of -28 and their first-ever loss to Italy in a world check since 2007.
But I’ve a real admire for the grit and backbone proven via this Welsh aspect. Admittedly, grit and backbone on my own don’t imply a lot in the event that they don’t translate to exact victories, however making an allowance for Wales went into this yr’s festival with a workforce ripped aside via accidents and sickness, they in no way made a shame of themselves.
Wales’s victory towards Scotland was once a case of sheer strength of mind, particularly in protection, they driven England laborious, they usually very just about snatched a outcome towards the most productive workforce within the match, even the sector. Shedding to Italy has the alarm bells ringing, no longer aided via Dan Biggar’s inflammatory advice that probably the most aspect’s avid gamers will most probably by no means don the crimson jersey once more, however for a workforce taking part in with one of these handicap, there are positives to be discovered. Dewch ymlaen Cymru!
Abstract: Wales’ place within the desk is also not up to flattering, however for an aspect so hampered via accidents, this was once an admirably courageous Six Countries appearing towards near-impossible odds.
