Confident France, led by the ebullient Antoine Dupont, pose a daunting challenge for Andy Farrell’s injury-hit side Ireland have never started a Six Nations campaign with back-to-back defeats and if they could choose a side to play after last weekend’s reverse in Wales and the loss of a core of experienced players, a resurgent France would be last on the list.Les Bleus are the favourites for the title following England’s defeat to Scotland, but France are still on a voyage of discovery. “You have to be prepared for any challenge, anywhere and against anyone,” says Fabien Galthié, who spoke about Ireland’s settled style of play before noting that the presence of Billy Burns and Jamison Gibson-Park at half-back – the...
England must improvise, France and Scotland can thrill, Ireland need drive, Wales will focus on results and Italy look to youthThe champions are the favourites despite being without five leading forwards for part or all of the tournament, but the last time England won in Cardiff and Dublin in the same campaign was in 2003, when Eddie Jones was coaching that year’s World Cup hosts, Australia. Continue reading...
After the sterile Autumn Nations Cup, low-risk rugby union has to be ditched in order to win over fresh convertsThe Six Nations starts less than two months after the conclusion of the kick-and-chase festival that called itself the Autumn Nations Cup. The sterile environments in empty stadiums stripped heat and passion from matches, but the general unwillingness to run from deep was not a symptom of Covid-19 but the continuation of a trend towards defence and low risk.Even the Scotland head coach, Gregor Townsend, who as a player was known for his daring and invention, said he did not think style was important and that the best way to give supporters a lift was to win. He felt the lack...
Rugby’s rich history reaches down the decades but was the wing’s spectacular score against Ireland the best by an Englishman at Twickenham? Er, discussClose your eyes and the shape of it should start to come back to you, even if the details are a little hazy after all these years. It was Fabien Galthié’s kick, a chip into New Zealand’s half. And it was Andrew Mehrtens who came running across to cover it, while Taine Randall tracked back from the front. Christophe Dominici started five yards behind, but was gaining all the time. The bounce was loopy and awkward and for a split second everything slowed down while the ball hung in mid-air between the three of them. Then Dominici...
The World Cup finalists suffocated Ireland but the challenge is to develop their attack to match a defence with few peersSeventeen years have now elapsed since England won their first – and so far only – Rugby World Cup on an unforgettable night in Sydney. All the social media flashbacks remind us of the “white orcs on steroids” who, universally popular or not, were definitely ahead of the game in their era. Every subsequent English team, unfairly or not, is fated to be measured up against them. Related: Jonny May's magical try makes you realise why you fell in love with game | Andy Bull Related: Eddie Jones credits Liverpool's role in Jonny May's wonder try for England Continue reading...