The players of the tournament, the outstanding matches, best and worst moments and team of the championshipRobert Kitson: Conor Murray. Epitomises the team Ireland have become: classy, smart, consistent, strong, versatile. Probably the world’s best scrum-half. Related: From Ireland’s win to England’s loss, the Six Nations was settled in Paris | Paul Rees Related: Six Nations: England v Ireland on St Patrick's Day – in pictures Related: Conor Murray gives Ireland reason to dream of making it big in Japan | Gerard Meagher Continue reading...
Ireland and England’s campaigns were summed up by their final few seconds in the French capital, with Ireland surging to victory and England losing after a fumble at the breakdownThe outcome of the 2018 Six Nations was settled in Paris. It was where Johnny Sexton, on the opening weekend, delivered a precious away victory for Ireland four minutes after time was up with a 45-metre drop goal after his side had taken play through 41 phases, and it was where England surrendered their crown, fumbling at the breakdown in the last play of the game after France had wasted an opportunity to end the match. Related: Conor Murray gives Ireland reason to dream of making it big in Japan |...
England head coach may have compromised his Lions future with his ill-judged, unfunny remarks about Ireland and WalesIt is just under two months since Eddie Jones signed a two-year contract extension as the England head coach until 2021. His team had won 23 from 24 Tests and everything in the Twickenham garden was spectacularly rosy. “I’m enjoying it,” he said, reflecting on his first two years at the helm. “But as we know in sport things can change very quickly.”Just how swiftly has been underlined at England’s team hotel this week. Successive defeats by Scotland and France and Jones’s unfunny attempted “jokes” about Ireland and Wales have transformed the mood. Related: Eddie Jones’ extended deal shows the RFU grasping succession planning...
France must not get carried after beating England, while Ireland will need to bolster their defence at TwickenhamWhen the post-match debate centres on whether England were poorer in Murrayfield or Paris, there is definitely trouble at mill. They never looked remotely likely to score the four tries required to retain a mathematical interest in the Six Nations title race and it would have been distinctly rough justice on France had the visitors sneaked home late on in Saint Denis. One or two England players felt afterwards they might have received a penalty for French defenders going off their feet at the final ruck under the posts; it would still not have erased the horrors of the previous 79 minutes. In...
Maro Itoje is not looking his freshest in the Six Nations and Mako Vunipola has also gone quiet after the exacting tour to New ZealandOne of the most interesting sequences in sport is threatening to repeat itself yet again. Every four years, during the Six (or Five) Nations season immediately following a British and Irish Lions tour, it is as if lead weights have been attached to the legs of one nation and restorative oxygen pumped into the dressing-rooms of the rest.Spot the common theme in the following list of champions in post-Lions years since the late 1960s: France, Wales, no winner, Wales, Wales, France, Scotland, Scotland, Wales, France, France, France, France, Ireland. It is necessary to spool back 55...