Can anyone unseat Ireland at the top? Who will make the difference in the final two rounds? And can Italy win a game?
Ireland will claim a first Six Nations title since 2015 if they achieve a bonus-point victory over Scotland and England fail to do so in Paris. There was certainly an element of fortune to their victory against France but, as seen in recent years, away wins anywhere but Rome are at a premium – and they followed it up with an emphatic win over Italy and a powerful performance against Wales. Andy Farrell will not be happy with the six tries conceded in those matches but perhaps the most impressive thing about Ireland is how they have coped with injuries. Indeed, Andrew Porter, Dan Leavy and Chris Farrell were among their standout players against Wales after benefiting from others’ misfortune and, while Farrell is now also injured, Garry Ringrose’s return is timely.
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