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...
A remarkable recent dearth of British & Irish Lions caps will end if Scotland maintain their Twickenham standardsIt is an understatement to say Scotland have not had the lion’s share when it comes to the British & Irish Lions. In the Six Nations era, one player has started a Test match, the prop Tom Smith who was an ever-present in the 2001 Test series in Australia.Since then, Scotland have supplied, and then infrequently, players to the bench. On the past four tours, they have had six replacements, three of whom came on: the second row Richie Gray was the last, 13 minutes from the end of the final Test in Australia eight years ago. Related: Six Nations: talking points from...
Scotland’s master blender was at the heart of everything they did in their deserved Calcutta Cup victory over EnglandWhen a rivalry has been maturing for 150 years, the taste of success is always intoxicating. For Scotland this was as special as they come, a Calcutta Cup moment to toast for many decades. Up went Gregor Townsend’s arms at the final whistle and an entire nation rose with him. After 38 years of failing to conquer Twickenham, it is finally England’s turn to stare mournfully at the bottom of an empty glass.It was totally deserved, too. Any other result would have been a travesty. Could this yet be Scotland’s year? There are still four rounds to go and Paris will be...
The contrast in the fortunes of the former teammates could not have been more striking during Scotland’s famous successMost players will tell you they don’t remember too much about their debut games, that, looking back, it all seemed to pass by in a blur. You hope for Cameron Redpath’s sake that he will recall every second of his. Chances are that however many games he plays for Scotland by the end (and you can bet, on the strength of this performance, it’ll be plenty), there won’t be many better, or more famous than this, Scotland’s first win at Twickenham since 1983. Related: Duhan van der Merwe helps Scotland score historic victory against England Related: England 6-11 Scotland: Six Nations player...
Players will not admit it, but the prospect of selection for tour of South Africa will be on their minds in this year’s tournamentDon’t let anyone tell you any differently – as much as the players won’t want to say so publicly the chance to push for the British & Irish Lions squad is already on their minds as the Six Nations begins. They would not be human beings if it wasn’t and, while it really goes up a notch around the time of the second fallow week, making that touring party is occupying thoughts now.At the start of their respective Six Nations camps, the players will have been subjected to one of the weirdest experiences of their careers –...