England may have lost the plot at Twickenham but grand slam winners could write another happy endingHow quickly modern rugby’s wheel of fortune spins. A few weeks ago Ireland were an irresistible force, enjoying such critical acclaim that back-to-back Six Nations grand slams seemed possible. Early last month it was England who were basking in the light, to borrow Billy Bragg’s classic line, of the 15 fame-filled minutes of the fanzine writer. And now? The 2019 Six Nations music is stopping with Wales gloriously on top. Related: No doubting that Warren Gatland’s Wales deserve their grand slam | Robert Kitson Related: Eddie Jones puts pressure on ‘tired’ Wales in push for Six Nations title Related: Alun Wyn Jones the pain-defying...
High-class defence and rare stamina make Wales second in the world and leave their Six Nations rivals struggling in their wakeThere is no such thing as an accidental grand slam. Winning five games on the trot in testing conditions against reliably motivated opposition does not merely require skill and nerve but, crucially, rare stamina. Anyone questioning Wales’s status as true five-star champions underestimates the uniquely treacherous climb they have just completed.Yes, Six Nations slam dunks are more frequent than they used to be but this was widely predicted in advance to be the most dog-eat-dog championship of all time. A supposedly impregnable Ireland had just beaten the All Blacks, England began like a bullet train in Dublin and by half-time...
The lock forward injured his left knee early on against Ireland but soldiered on, showing how formidable a captain he isAt least all that rain will wash the streets clean. By the time everyone is done in Cardiff, they will surely need it. The fans there had two good reasons for drinking on Saturday evening, which is two more than they really needed. The Irish were at it because they had a day they wanted to forget, the Welsh because they had one they never will.It was as if the city was hosting a wake in one room and a wedding in another. In the end 25-7 was not quite a record score. Wales had won by more four times...
All of our coaching staff were involved in the 2012 grand slam and they will have the players believing their hard work will deliver what they deserve on SaturdayWales will need to save their best for last against an Ireland team who have yet to hit top form, but I cannot see them losing. They have been criticised for not showing much attacking flair, but it is defence that wins tournaments and the way they held on at Murrayfield last weekend showed the character of a resilient side. Related: Wales unchanged for crucial Six Nations finale against Ireland I would love to be involved on Saturday having been in the squads for years, but to be successful you have to...
England should finish strongly but Ireland and their rusty half-backs look as if they peaked last yearAs Warren Gatland says, they have forgotten how to lose and it is amazing the way they are able to ramp up their performance levels when they need to. That comes down to the coaching staff and their ability to manipulate their players’ emotions, get them to a point and keep them there. It’s 12 wins a row, they will be absolutely thrilled by that and I think the fallow week comes at the perfect time for them. I know Alun Wyn Jones said they wanted to play this week, they didn’t want to lose the momentum, but my question would be can they...