Assessing England's impact in the Autumn Internationals

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

With England’s three match autumn series having now come to a close, it is time to reflect on what we have learnt and which players have excelled.

Despite being unable to replicate last year’s heroics of beating the irrepressible All Blacks, Saturday’s performance impressed many and was easily England’s best of the series. Even though they also achieved back to back wins against Australia and Argentina, neither performance was that impressive.

Beating a new look Australian side was important for England to show that progress had been made but was perhaps a touch fortuitous, with a contentious try the difference between the two sides. The Argentinian win showed very little, with England easily overcoming their downtrodden, inferior opposition.

Saturday’s performance against New Zealand, undoubtedly the best side in the world, was far more impressive, with England dominating large periods of the game, especially up front and has given England fans a fresh dose of optimism looking forward.

With the home World Cup now less than two years way, Stuart Lancaster will be starting to get a feel for his best team and squad, with the following players having done their chances no harm at all.

Dylan Hartley – The New Zealand born hooker impressed earning his 50th cap for England on Saturday, ending a perfect series for him. Whilst Lion and adversary Tom Youngs lost his mojo at the lineout, Hartley was committed in defence, impressive with ball in hand and impeccable at the set piece. Hartley has regained ownership of the jersey.

Courtney Lawes – Another Saints player who consolidated his position after falling down the pecking order earlier this year. The mercurial Lawes finally lived up to his billing, with bone shuddering tackles, dynamic line out work and athletic carries. Alongside the ever notable Joe Launchbury and Lion Geoff Parling, England look strong in the second row.

Chris Robshaw – After missing out on the Lions squad and having a summer away from rugby, Robshaw reinforced why he is the right man to lead England. He led from the front yet again with wholehearted commitment across the pitch, especially against New Zealand. His decision making seems to be improving, with the right balance being struck between taking points when on offer and going for the jugular. Ably supported by the equally impressive Tom Wood, the two are forming the basis of a formidable back row, capable of competing with the world’s best.

Billy Vunipola – Following his elder brother into the international reckoning, the Harrow schoolboy shone across the series with some fantastic displays of ball carrying. He never took a backwards step, drawing in defenders and consistently beating the gain line. His competition with Ben Morgan for a starting berth can only be healthy for England.

Mike Brown – England’s man of the series and the only back to really shine. Brown, who was played out of position throughout the Six Nations, made the full back role his own after three near faultless displays. He is ever dependable under the high ball, possesses a huge left boot and has a rare ability to find the smallest of gaps. Both Ben Foden and Alex Goode have done little wrong in an England shirt but Brown has undoubtedly made himself England’s first choice full back.

Looking forward, England are prioritising a Six Nations win and potential grand slam, with revenge for the thrashing they received in Cardiff high on the list. For this to happen, they will need to build on the last few weeks’ performances.

Up front, they appear to be heading from strength to strength, with healthy competition in most positions. However, the back line is a much greater cause for concern. Only Owen Farrell and Mike Brown would feel certain of a start in Paris on 2 February and Manu Tuilagi’s attacking impetus was sorely missed throughout the series, with England lacking the cutting edge.

Billy Twelvetrees did his reputation no harm, with some dynamic ball carrying but the jury remains out on Joel Tomkins. Solid in defence, Tomkins was totally ineffectual with ball in hand and showed he perhaps isn’t ready for this level yet. Whether he will get another chance to stake a claim remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Chris Ashton appears a mere shadow of the player he was a few years ago, his attack limited and his defence at times feeble. It seems likely that if young flyers Christian Wade and Marland Yarde can keep scoring countless tries for their clubs, then Stuart Lancaster will have to give them a chance, to add some excitement and finishing prowess to the currently lacklustre England back line.

It was evident that here lied the real difference between England and the All Blacks on Saturday. England dominated possession but scored one try to their three with the added quality in the final phase the difference and showing why New Zealand are the world champions.

Overall, it has been a positive series for Stuart Lancaster’s men, who appear a courageous and united group. The forwards are developing into a formidable force capable of competing with the best in world rugby, and, though the backs still need to improve if grand slams and world cups are to become a reality, the gap is closing. The red rose may rise again.

Freddie Turner, Sports Team

Autumn Internationals bring welcome relief from rugby politics

England will hope to repeat last season’s dismantling of New Zealand. Photo: BBC

With the furore surrounding the future of an elite European club competition, you may be forgiven for not noticing that the Autumn Internationals are nearly upon us. With the British & Irish Lions stars back for the Home Unions, the upcoming Test series will allow us to regain enjoyment in the game rather than the politics.

England kick off against Australia on 2 November at Twickenham, before playing Argentina and New Zealand. There will be no hiding place against such opposition for Stuart Lancaster’s team; with less than 24 months away from the World Cup on home soil, England need to turn impressive squad depth into a settled starting XV.

There are several positions still up for grabs, not least the captaincy, where Tom Wood competes with Chris Robshaw for the leadership role. Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt are injured, so Lancaster will likely position Billy Twelvetrees in midfield with one of the uncapped trio of Joel Tomkins, Henry Trinder, and Luther Burrell.

Selection will be an indication of the path Lancaster is looking to take England on; will he opt for the running rugby offered by the likes of Marland Yarde, Freddie Burns, and Mike Brown, or stick with the more solid Alex Goode and Owen Farrell? Two wins are highly possible, but a repeat of last season’s defeat of New Zealand is probably beyond them.

Wales, fresh from an historic contribution to the Lions’ victory in Australia, conclude their series against the Wallabies after facing South Africa, Argentina, and Tonga. With legitimate World Cup hopes, the men in red must now turn near losses against Southern Hemisphere teams into victories.

Warren Gatland’s side undoubtedly has the talent, but when shorn of their first team players, there is a distinct fragility to the squad, as displayed in the summer loss against Japan and last season’s Autumn whitewash.

Wales are hoping to rediscover their Grand Slam form. Photo:The Telegraph

Similar to England, questions over style will dictate selection, with Cory Allen, Eli Walker, and Liam Williams offering a different threat to the sheer power of the current backline, whilst reliable back-ups to Adam Jones and Mike Phillips must be found. Wales are capable of winning all four games, but equally capable of imploding and finding themselves in a dogfight against Tonga if not on song.

Scotland come off the back of a promising Six Nations and Summer Tour under Scott Johnson with fixtures against Japan, South Africa, and Australia. Temporary coach Johnson has instilled a powerful defensive effort, epitomised by Alasdair Strokosch’s performance against South Africa in June, as well as the hint of attacking flair. Their dogged defence, and the boot of Scrum Half Greg Laidlaw, could be enough to see them grind to another victory over Australia if they stifle the Wallabies’ flair.

However, with the World Cup in mind, Scotland may be better placed in giving further opportunities to the young players capped in the summer. There are some world class back row options available to Johnson, but the dynamic between the three must be right. Stuart Hogg will be missed through injury but Matt Scott ought to continue his recent good form, whilst Tim Visser is yet to transfer his scintillating try-scoring form for Edinburgh to the blue of Scotland.

There is the basis of a competitive side, but they remain in a state of limbo, with Clermont’s Vern Cotter set to take charge at the end of the season. Japan should be dispatched easily enough, but the other two games may be a step too far for this Scottish side at present.

Ireland also face coaching uncertainties, with former Leinster coach Joe Schmidt now in charge of the team. They play Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand. Undoubtedly the toughest task facing Schmidt is remoulding the personnel of the squad with the exciting talents that the Provinces, Leinster and Ulster especially, are producing.

The fight between Paddy Jackson and Ian Madigan as understudy to Johnny Sexton ought to be intriguing, and played out for years to come. The scrum, where they have struggled in recent years, is in need of work, as is in the lineout in Paul O’Connell’s absence.

This season will be Brian O’Driscoll’s swansong, but Schmidt must ignore sentiment if it impedes the team. The summer victories over USA and Canada provide little insight into the new regime, so all bets are off, although Ireland can certainly be said to have underachieved under Kidney since the Grand Slam and will fancy their chances against Australia.

New Zealand are in mercurial form, beaten only once since their successful World Cup campaign, making England’s victory even more impressive. The All Blacks’ incredible performance in Johannesburg was the proof that they are a very special team and will in all likelihood continue their unbeaten run this Autumn.

South Africa have developed an element of flair this season, with exciting new talents like Willie La Roux and J.J. Englebrecht. Traditionally, however, they do not travel well, so may be turned over if they are matched at the set piece and the breakdown, but their Rugby Championship form suggests they are developing nicely and will be incredibly difficult to stop.

Australia look fractured, yet as the Lions found this does not mean they are easily beatable; Ewen McKenzie’s recalling of Quade Cooper is key to their style and possible success. Argentina will be a very different beast to the one England’s second string decimated in the Summer, and Samoa will be difficult opponents for Ireland.

Phillipe Saint Andre, bemoaning France’s gruelingly physical domestic league, will hope for a better performance than last season, especially with their supposed Six Nations advantage in the season after a Lions Tour, whilst Italy will be looking to build on their improvement under Jacques Brunel.

Wil Jones, Sports Team

Is the Heineken Cup going flat?

Toulon, winners of the 2013 Heineken Cup. Photo: BBC

The end appears nigh for the Heineken Cup in its current format, with English and French clubs deciding to exit the competition after this season. The tournament (also known as the European Rugby Cup) which showcases the best rugby union club teams in Europe and has included local side Exeter Chiefs for the last two seasons, has been in existence since 1995.

However, a dispute over the qualification process and revenue share means this season looks likely to be its swansong. The underlying issue is the structure of the tournament, which currently includes a minimum of ten out of twelve teams from the Pro12 league (which includes teams from Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) but only six out of twelve from the English Premiership and seven from the French Top 14 respectively.

This means that most teams in the Pro12 league are almost guaranteed qualification year in, year out, whilst English and French teams have to compete for the much revered places. Therefore top English teams, like the Chiefs, are at a disadvantage with far less chance of dining at European rugby’s top table, alongside the likes of stalwarts Leinster and Toulouse.

Qualification is not only important on the field but off the field as well, with substantial amounts of revenue coming from TV licensing and large gate receipts. The revenue split between the three leagues has also been deemed unfair by the English and French teams, who believe the Pro12 teams are at an advantage on and off the field.

This has led them to both make the decision to leave the competition as of next season and create a rival tournament. The new tournament, which will be called the ‘Rugby Champions Cup’ will be comprised of French and English teams but has said it will be open to negotiation with teams from the Pro12.

A Premiership Rugby statement said: “The competition will be based on the principles of qualification on merit.” It added, “It will have a strong competition format, equality between the leagues, higher commercial values for the teams and expansion into new European markets.”

It appears the split is final with Premiership Rugby chairman Quentin Smith reiterating that “the English and French clubs will not be involved in any competition operating under the auspices of European Rugby Cup (ERC) next season.”

Rugby fans will be hoping for a resolution to be found which allows the premier teams from across Europe to compete alongside each other. It would be a real shame for no united European club competition to take place for the first time in nineteen years, with fans missing out on the epic drama the tournament has provided.

Pub owners in Exeter may also be devastated at no longer having the prospect of being descended upon by an army of merry Irish fans, as per last year when Leinster were in town. They and many others will be watching on with great interest over the next few weeks to see what outcome is reached.

Freddie Turner, Sports Team

Wilkinson's Toulon win Heineken Cup

Toulon celebrate their Heineken Cup victory over fellow French side Clermont-Auvergne. Photo credits to telegraph.co.uk

Last week’s Heineken cup final took place in Dublin, but had a definitively French flavour. The combatants in this heavy weight clash were the much fancied chartreuse Clermont-Auvergne and the expressly money-laden Toulon, featuring ex-England star Jonny Wilkinson.

The game was a mouth-watering spectacle to the Northern Hemisphere’s rugby connoisseurs with Clermont, the favourites, having played some fantastic rugby to date and aiming to be the first team to win the competition having won every match.

If records were to be broken, then so were backlines, with Clermont making the most of early territory to pound the expensively assembled Toulon team with Wilkinson, Masoe et al. making important challenges.

The expected rain in Ireland never materialised, leaving clear conditions for running rugby which was headed by Clermont with the ever-present Aurelian Rougerie making impressive breaks throughout the first half, directed by the mercurial French scrum half Morgan Parra.

Clermont nearly made the breakthrough at 3-3 with Australian fly-half Broc James chasing his chipped kick through, outpacing Masoe but was unable to get the grounding much to the chagrin of the multitudes of Clermont fans.

Immediately into the second half though, Clermont got the breakthrough, Rougerie’s majestic run drew two defenders to allow Nalanga – the tournament’s top try scorer- to power down the line and score an excellent try. Parra was unable to convert however, putting the score at 8-3 to Clermont.

Rougerie’s brilliance shone through once more a few minutes later as he gracefully collected James’ through ball, before offloading back to him to run in straight under the posts. Parra converted at the second time of asking to give Clermont a strong nine point lead following a previous Wilkinson penalty.

Another Toulon penalty followed making it 15-9 and finely poised just after the hour mark. A strong run from the 22 by Wesley Fofana was matched by even stronger rucking by Fernandez Lobbe, the ever-present Argentine who managed to offload quickly to Delon Armitage, the ex-England full back to score in the corner, complete with a cheeky and perhaps unsportsmanlike wave to the chasing Broc James.

Wilkinson converted, maintaining his 100 percent kicking record in the knock-out stages, and with fifteen minutes to go, Clermont needed a score. The ferocity of their attack had been blunted by Rougerie leaving the field but they performed admirably hitting the Toulon defence time and again searching for that magical penalty to win them the match. It was not to be however, and Toulon held out with real grit to seal a 16-15 win.

Wilkinson who won European player of the year will be relieved, having not won a trophy since England’s much feted 2003 world cup win. His performance in the final was masterful, having lost some pace but not his eye for goal and his love of big tackles, if he stays fit a Lion’s call up will be very much expected.

Callum Burroughs, Online Music Editor

Stage set for England vs. Wales showdown

Photo credits to Chris Brown

After England’s quiet display against Italy last weekend, the stage is set either for England to triumph under pressure or for Wales to ruin the English party and come out on top. After a poor weekend all round in the Six Nations, the one positive that came out of it all is the set-up of a huge clash in Cardiff this Saturday with both England and Wales looking to be crowned champions and the former chasing that elusive Grand Slam.

After a game where England looked to be outplayed, overpowered and dominated, there is no doubt that Stuart Lancaster is left with some almighty selection headaches. The young players blooded in what appeared to be a relatively easy game played well, yet the changes to the team resulted in an unsettled England side at times lacking that clinical edge needed to achieve the Slam.

In a game of changing momentum at scrum time England seemed to lack the dominance they had in their earlier games and buckled under pressure from Italy on certain occasions. The ongoing debate over the England centre partnership will also rage on after Sunday’s match.

Arguments claiming the partnership is too one-dimensional were fuelled with England showing a lack of attacking flair and the Tuilagi crash ball not being as effective as in the past. Unfortunately for Billy Twelvetrees, who may be the one to give the English backline that playmaker it needs in the centre, he came on too late in the game to make a real impact.

He came on at a time when English backs were very much against the wall and had a purely defensive role as Italy threw wave after wave of attacks at the English defence as the game drew to a close. It could be argued that the one-dimensional nature of the English centres results in the likes of Ashton, who had a very quiet game, to underperform as he is struggling to get his hands on the ball.

Too many bad decisions – Flood cutting a hard angle in the first half and getting held up rather than feeding the overlap, or a bad pass, Robshaw popping it deep to Goode in the second half rather than passing it down the line – meant that England failed to make the most of at least two very clear try scoring opportunities.

As a result of this, and the excellent play by the Italian side who were always building momentum, England seemed to be chasing the game despite leading for almost the entirety of the game. As Stuart Lancaster said in a post-match interview with the BBC, commenting on the English accuracy not being good enough, “the last pass” too often failed to get to the right hands to capitalise on these chances.

They lacked the dominance they had over the French, Scottish and Irish and Italy seemed on top for the majority of the game despite the score line. England did defend well, especially in the closing plays where the Italian pressure was formidable and it took a huge defensive effort by the English to hold them out. However, this appeared to be largely scramble defensive as England seemed incapable of slowing the momentum of an in-form Italian side.

In the build-up to the game, England kept reiterating they were only focused on Italy. However, it seems that was not the case. It’s easy to be complacent, and I believe there was a little of this, as what should have been a relatively simple fixture was overshadowed by a growing pressure to perform and supply the English fans with the long awaited Grand Slam which has not been achieved in a decade.

Despite the apparent doom and gloom and the huge challenge of facing a Welsh team re-finding its form in the cauldron that is the Millennium Stadium, all is not lost. Most of the players given an opportunity to fight for their place played well, the comeback of Tom Croft who gave England another excellent opportunity at the lineout is a huge positive and, on the whole, the English defence proved itself under very testing conditions.

It also relieves some of the pressure on England. Yes they are pushing for the Grand Slam, but now most will agree that going into the final game against Wales in Wales they are the underdogs. The pressure of a grand slam, although in some ways will be more intense than ever, is also somewhat lifted.

A shaky performance against the under dogs of the Six Nations may be exactly what a confident young English side needs, providing a reality check and perhaps giving England the motivation they need to deliver the nation’s first Grand Slam in a decade.

Mike Stanton

 

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Six Nations: Week 4 report

Wales head into their final game with a slender hope of taking the title. Photo credits to Simone Ramella

After the break last weekend, the Six Nations returned with Scotland hosting a resurgent Wales, France still hoping for their first win of the tournament against Ireland, and England hoping to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive with a win against Italy on Sunday.

The first match of the weekend saw Scotland take on Wales in wet and miserable weather. It was perhaps little surprise then that the match was dominated by penalties, mistakes, and the sound of referee Craig Joubert’s whistle. In fact, the game is likely to be remembered more for setting a new record for the number of penalties in a Six Nations match than for any of the rugby on show.

The first half was dominated by the boots of Leigh Halfpenny and Greg Laidlaw, and they traded blows until Wales managed to take one of the few try-scoring opportunities they created. A powerful break by George North was carried forward by the Welsh pack, and after some sustained pressure on the Scottish line, Hooker Richard Hibbard was able to force his way over.

The second half was not much of an improvement and Halfpenny continued to rack up points for Wales, 23 of them in all. Ultimately, this proved to be the difference between the sides as Scotland failed to keep their discipline. A forgettable game ended 18-28 to Wales, who kept their weak title hopes alive.

Ireland then took on France in an infinitely more exciting encounter in Dublin. The French fought back from 13-3 down at half-time to score ten unanswered points and snatch a deserved draw.

The first half saw Ireland dominate for long periods, and they were rewarded when captain Jamie Heaslip went over following a devastating maul by his fellow forwards. This and the boot of youngster Paddy Jackson, in for the injured Jonathan Sexton, saw Ireland take a commanding lead at the break.

This proved not to be enough, however, as France pressed in the second half against an increasingly lethargic Irish side. Outstanding number-eight Louis Picamoles forced his way over the line from close range late on to bring France within two points of drawing level. Fly-half Freddie Michalak then held his nerve to land the vital conversion which drew them level. France are still looking to avoid a last place finish in the competition, but this result will certainly give them heart going into next week’s game with Scotland.

Italy made the trip to Twickenham for the final game of the weekend, with England looking to continue their march to a first Grand Slam in ten years. Expectations suggested a walk-over for the English, but it proved anything but. Ultimately, the boot of Toby Flood, replacing the injured Owen Farrell, gave England a hard-fought victory over an organised Italian side.

At half-time England had a comfortable 12-3 lead, but a second half try from Luke MacLean and kicks from fly-half Luciano Orquera made it a tense finale. Flood’s penalties were enough to see England home, but not without having to defend stoutly against Italy in the closing stages. England were ultimately able to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive as the match finished 18-11 in their favour.

The Six Nations tournament reaches its conclusion this weekend (March 16-17).

Sam Davies

Six Nations: Week 3 Report

Scotland and Ireland battling it out. Photo credits to Paddy McCann

Week three of the RBS Six Nations saw Italy become unstuck by Wales, England keep alive their grand slam hopes by beating  a rejuvenated France, and Ireland prove that you can lose a match despite having 80% territory and possession as Scotland came away the surprise victors.

The weekend got under way in a wet and windy Rome with Wales under pressure from the start. The Italians barely left their own half and responded with a couple of penalties from fly-half Kris Burton, leaving the score at 6-9 at half time.

Full-back Lee Halfpenny was exemplary in his kicking display, and was a deserved man of the match. The first Welsh try was opportunistic, with Jonathan Davies capitalising on loose Italian defence. Throughout the game, Italy looked disjointed and only a shadow of the side that beat France so unexpectedly at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Azzuri were average in the face of the Welsh scrum – Martin Castrogiavanni was sin-binned for a scrummaging offence – and with Italy down to 14 men, Welsh winger Alex Cuthbert ran in a cleverly worked try aided by play from the middle by Mike Philips. A final score of 9-23 to Wales was representative of the entirety of the play that was in Wales’ favour, and showed their consistent potential lying second in the table and only two points behind England.

Later, the day saw England take on France at a freezing Twickenham. Tempers flared throughout the first half, giving weight to the age old Anglo-French rivalry.  They belied their inexperience to come back from 10-9 down at half time and a first half where England were clearly the weaker side.

France looked rejuvenated, with Fofana’s expertly worked try standing out as the highlight of the first half.  Parra had a neat game at fly-half, missing only a few penalties; his in-play decisions were well thought out. Tuilagi and Bastareaud provided power in the centre at the back for their respective sides. England were further helped when France took off some of their best players in exchange for the likes of Michalak and Szarzewski.

Tuilagi’s try came completely out of the blue, and proved to be the break that England needed with the score then standing at 20-10 in their favour. Despite missing a tricky conversion for Tuilagi’s try, Owen Farrell’s kicking and play making phases further illustrated why many believe he is the ‘new Jonny Wilkinson’. The match finished 23-13 to England.

French coach Philippe Saint-Andre conceded; “So many times we tried impossible offloads and lost the ball in the contact area. England didn’t do amazing things, but they were accurate and we were not accurate enough”.

England kept alive their hopes of a first Grand Slam in a decade, while France continue to languish at the bottom of the table with zero points – surprising considering their status as pre-tournament favourites, based on their form in the Autumn Internationals where they ran out impressive wins over Argentina and Australia.

Sunday saw the attention turn to Edinburgh. Scotland had never won back to back matches in the Six Nations before, and despite the Ireland side being ravaged by injury, they still entered the encounter as favourites.

Scotland spent much of the first half in their own half showing an impressive and consistent defence, with a total of 70 tackles made in the first 40 minutes.  Despite the domination, Ireland failed to capitalise on their chances, and at half time the score stood at 0-3, their only consolation a penalty by debutante fly half Paddy Jackson.

The Scottish lineout was impressive, capitalising on the height advantage given to them by the 6’9” Richie Grey. Despite going down to 14 men in the first half when prop Ryan Grant was given a harsh yellow card, Ireland seemed unable to break through.

The second half brought more chances for the Scots, with four penalties kicked by Laidlaw, and heavy pressure on the Irish touch line.  It was the Irish however who scored the one and only try of the match when Gilroy ran over from close range aided by a Rob Kearney pass, though Jackson missed the conversion.

Ireland spent the final 10 minutes practically encamped on the Scottish touchline but they were reckless and sloppy, making simple errors. The final score was 12-8 to Scotland, meaning they lie third in the table still with a chance of winning the tournament.

The competition returns in two weeks’ time with Scotland v. Wales, England v. Italy and Ireland v. France, which should be an interesting encounter given both sides experienced narrow losses this weekend.

The Six Nations continues on March 9.

Lucy Gibson

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Six Nations: Week 2 Report

Scotland taking on Italy at Murrayfield. Photo credits to Daniel Richardson

Though the second round of fixtures in this year’s Six Nations championship failed to live up to the explosive start the tournament enjoyed a week ago, it nevertheless served up some intriguing results. England established themselves as favourites for the title with a well-fought victory in Dublin; Scotland gained an impressive win over Italy; whilst Wales showed immense character in overcoming a woeful French side in Paris.

Having beaten France in extraordinary fashion seven days ago, Italy now took on Scotland at Murrayfield and went into the game full of confidence with many people viewing them as favourites to grab only their second away win since they joined the championship in 2000. Scotland, in contrast, entered the fixture on the back of a convincing defeat at the hands of England in the opening week.

Come the final whistle, however, Scotland had produced a comfortable victory over the Azzurri courtesy of some clinical finishing and poor errors from the Italian side. Italy’s half-back’s, so effective and controlling against the French, crumbled under pressure from an exceptional Scottish defence and were unable to give their team any foothold in the game at all. By contrast, Greg Laidlaw and the Ruaridh Jackson were able to dictate play with both their kicking and running games. This culminated in Scotland scoring the opening try courtesy of a good finish by Dutch-born winger Tim Visser. At half-time the Scots led 13-3.

After the break Italy tried to get into the game, but what had worked last week in Rome was ending in simple errors here at Murrayfield. Matt Scott was able to score for Scotland after half-time with Laidlaw adding the conversion. Italy’s woes were summed up when fly-half Orquera butchered a certain try by throwing a pass that was intercepted by winger Stuart Hogg who ran eighty metres unopposed to touch down. Orquera was quickly substituted for Kris Burton, ending a dismal performance.

Italy were punished further when Lamont scored from turnover ball, and despite a consolation try for back-row Alessandro Zanni in the closing stages, there was little to cheer for the Italians. Scotland secured a 34-10 win that was as vital as it was impressive, largely through their fierce defence. They will hope to build on this in the next games.

The evening game on Saturday saw Wales travel to Paris to face a French side still reeling from their unexpected loss to Italy last weekend. Both sides had made losing starts to the campaign, and a lack of confidence was evident throughout the encounter. An extremely tight game was only settled by George North’s late try and saw Wales post their first win in eight games, and Rob Howley’s first since taking charge.

Defences were on top for the most part of the game and neither side was able to create many try-scoring opportunities. Wales engineered one, seizing it excellently and gaining the win their defensive work warranted. Both sides, usually noted for their extravagant running play, were understandably cagey in the first half and penalties from Michalak and Halfpenny made the score 3-3 at the break.

Both added another in the second half to make it 6-6 before a try finally came when North crashed onto a kick through by Dan Biggar to score in the corner. Halfpenny was able to add the conversion from the touchline, before also nailing a penalty and securing the Welsh victory by 16 points to 6.

The final game of the weekend saw England and Ireland take the field in Dublin. Both had secured impressive wins in their opening matches of the tournament and the winner here would undoubtedly be seen as the favourite to go on and win the tournament. The match was played in difficult conditions, and much of the play reflected this with no tries being scored for either side. England were ultimately able to master the situation better and played with greater composure and control than a vastly more experienced Irish side.

Throughout the encounter neither side looked like scoring a try and it was thus up to the boots of Owen Farrell and Ronan O’Gara (on for the injured Jonathan Sexton early in the match) to provide the points. Though Ireland were able to work themselves into promising positions on several occasions, basic handling errors prevented them from gaining real momentum.

Some of these errors were caused by the ferocious England defence, but the Irish will still be disappointed with their lack of composure when they entered England’s 22. Even Brian O’Driscoll, playing despite the birth of his first child earlier in the day, knocked-on under little pressure and conceded field position to England in the second half.

O’Gara and Farrell took the scores to 6-6 before England’s James Haskell was sin-binned in the 56^th minute for deliberately playing the ball on the ground. Roared on by the Dublin crowd, this seemed to be the moment where the game would swing in Ireland’s favour. But some good defensive work and with Owen Farrell able to gain field position with his kicking game, England were able to weather the storm and go into what would prove to be an insurmountable lead.

Two penalties made it 12-6 to England, and this is how it stayed until the final whistle. Ireland can blame their inability to maintain their composure close to the English line for this defeat. England, however, put in a valiant and professional performance to earn their first win in Dublin for 10 years and mark themselves as favourites for the championship.

Sam Davies

Six Nations: Week 1 Report

France taking on Italy. Photo credits to Matteo Pieroni

The 2013 Six Nations Championship got off to an exciting start with wins for Ireland, England and Italy during the opening weekend.

The first match in Cardiff was an entertaining spectacle from start to finish as Ireland held off a spirited Welsh comeback to win 30-22. After announcing that this would be his final Six Nations earlier in the week, all eyes were on Brian O’Driscoll and he duly delivered by setting up the first try.

A lovely team move saw the ball spread left before O’Driscoll jinked past one defender and released Simon Zebo to score in the corner. This was converted by Jonny Sexton and he soon added another 3 points when debutant Andrew Coombs conceded a penalty in front of the posts.

Ireland smelt blood and soon surged even further ahead. Rory Best charged down a Dan Biggar clearance before releasing Jamie Heaslip who fed the ball to Zebo. He acrobatically kept the ball alive with a cheeky back heel and eventually fed Cian Healy to touch down and give his team a 20 point lead at the interval. When O’Driscoll crashed over from short range for his 26^th Six Nations try, all looked lost for the Welsh as they trailed 30-3. However, the introduction of Justin Tipuric livened up the hosts and they soon had their first try on the board through Alex Cuthbert.

The tide had turned and pressure from Wales saw two Irish forwards sin-binned for ruck offences, creating an opening for the gap to be narrowed. Leigh Halfpenny obliged with a try in the corner before Exeter Chiefs prop Craig Mitchell also went over from close range. It was not enough however and Ireland held on for an important victory.

Despite dominating territory and possession, it was a disappointing day for Rob Howley’s men who have now lost eight successive matches and head to Paris needing a big improvement to challenge the French. Ireland host in-form England next and will have to replicate their first half performance to stand any chance.

England also got off to a winning start at Twickenham, putting in a clinical performance against Scotland. An Owen Farrell penalty gave the hosts an early lead but the crowd was soon silenced when Stuart Hogg pierced a gap in the defence to allow debutant Sean Maitland to score his first international try.

After both sides traded penalties, England took control of the match as the first half wore on. The forwards hard work paid off when Chris Ashton was able to charge over from close range. Farrell added the extras and another penalty to give his team a comfortable 19-11 lead at half time. After the break, it was the turn of Billy Twelvetrees to score on debut in a similar fashion to Ashton’s earlier effort. Farrell converted before spreading the ball wide for Geoff Parling to score in the corner.

Although Scotland hit back through a wonderful individual try from Hogg, it was England who had the final say as substitute Danny Care burrowed over in the final minute for a final score of 38-18. It was a dominating display from England to retain the Calcutta Cup and coach Stuart Lancaster expressed his delight with the result while stressing that they must ‘continue to build on it’ against Ireland next week. Scotland now head into their crunch match against Italy needing a victory to keep their hopes alive.

The biggest shock of the weekend came in Rome where Italy overcame fierce rivals to France to get their campaign off to a perfect start. The Azzurri got up and running after just five minutes as captain Sergio Parisse finished an excellent team move by going over in the corner for a converted try.

France hit back straight away as Louis Picamoles beat two defenders before barging over the line. The teams exchanged penalties before another excellent counter attack from France led to Benjamin Fall running in under the posts. A further conversion and penalty from the boot of Frederic Michalak meant his team led 18-13 at the interval.

The hosts came out strongly and were soon back ahead when Luciano Orquera offloaded beautifully to set up Martin Castrogiovanni before adding the extras. The lead was extended to 23-18 through a Kris Burton drop goal and this is how it stayed until the final whistle as huge amounts of French pressure could not find a way through a disciplined Italian defence.

It was an excellent start for Jacque Brunel’s side and they will now want to push on and prove more people wrong during the rest of the tournament. France on the other hand will need to do some soul-searching and regroup ahead of their big match against Wales. It was an excellent first weekend of action and hopefully the entertainment will continue for the rest of the tournament.

The Six Nations continues on February 9.

Simon Dewhurst

Six Nations 2013 Preview

Scotland and Ireland doing battle at Murrayfield. Photo credits to Paddy McCann

The Six Nations gets underway this weekend and it promises to be an exciting few weeks as the northern hemisphere’s finest fight for the title. The autumn produced some results that few would have predicted as reputations were both made and dented against the touring southern hemisphere sides. The next few matches offer a crucial chance for teams to set the foundations for the 2015 World Cup. With the Lions Tour to Australia on the horizon, this year’s tournament is perhaps the last chance for those eligible to play down-under to stake their claim for a place in Warren Gatland’s team. More pressingly, however, teams like England need to work on what they achieved in the autumn, whilst Wales and others will be looking to rebuild and move on from their dismal showings against southern hemisphere opposition. The tournament favourites must be France, but as form seems to mean very little to the French, the championship could be extremely open.

Wales

The Welsh come into the tournament off the back of a truly awful autumn campaign in which they lost every match they played and looked a complete shadow of the side that won the Grand Slam in last year’s tournament – vast improvement will be necessary if they are to replicate that achievement. Wales will be hoping that Dan Biggar is able to bring his regional form into the national side and perhaps reignite their faltering backs.

There is no doubting Wales’ quality, particularly in the backline where they have previously combined power and speed to devastating effect. Yet what they seemed to be lacking in the autumn was a sense of self-belief. No doubt the absence of Warren Gatland had something to do with that, and they will miss him again this tournament. If they are to challenge for the title a strong start will be necessary to reinvigorate the squad and get back some of that lost confidence. With this in mind, their first game against Ireland at the weekend may prove vital to their performance over the whole tournament: win it and that self-belief may come streaming back, lose it and the prospect of facing France, Italy and Scotland away from home begins to look extremely daunting.

Prediction: 2^nd

England

England will fancy their chances this time around having ended the All Blacks twenty match unbeaten run at Twickenham two months ago. That was an exceptional performance, and if they can repeat that for five games, they will easily win the Grand Slam. Though not impossible, it’s nonetheless improbable. Though England took apart the world champions in the autumn, they also lost to both Australia and South Africa, and Stuart Lancaster has been quick to dismiss the effect of that win over New Zealand. What is guaranteed is that the win in the autumn has put the squad under expectations that they have not experienced under Lancaster so far.

The last twelve months has seen improvement from this England side, but it has not been vast. Since Lancaster took over they have won six, lost five and drawn one of their 12 games. An opening game against Scotland is a good fixture for England to begin their championship, and assuming they win that they should be able to push on and have a decent tournament. Though a Grand Slam seems unlikely, if England managed to channel some of the performance against New Zealand into the next few matches then they may well be able to mount a title challenge.

Prediction: 3^rd

France

The tournament favourites have a squad full of quality and depth in most positions; with this in mind anything less than a tournament win would be a failure for Les Bleus. Under Philippe Saint-Andre, the squad is much more settled and have been rewarded for this with results. In the autumn, the French crushed Australia and easily defeated Wales’ conquerors Samoa. Those results showed that perhaps this French side can be consistently excellent rather than sporadically spectacular.

Much will depend on the form and, perhaps more importantly, the mood of fly-half Freddie Michalak. At his best there are few better and he is capable of winning games on his own. At worst he is a drag on the entire squad and prone to sloppy errors. The mercurial ten will need to perform if France are to fulfill their grand potential in the coming weeks. Having only managed fourth place last year, this time out the French crowd are likely to have much more to cheer about.

Prediction: 1^st

Ireland

Like Wales, Ireland had a pretty wretched time in the autumn and coach Declan Kidney is under considerable pressure to get some good results soon. Their tournament could rest on the outcome of their first match this weekend against Wales in Cardiff. If Ireland pick up a couple of wins from their first two games they have the capability to win the tournament – this is a big ‘if’, however.

One big factor that should raise Irish hopes is the return of the talismanic Brian O’Driscoll, the most experienced player in the Six Nations. Though he has not been given the captaincy (that honour has remained with Jamie Heaslip) his leadership as much as his considerable skill-set will reinvigorate the squad no end. Despite his return, the Irish side could still have a difficult tournament if they do not get off to a good start. This could ultimately cost Kidney his job.

Prediction: 4^th

Scotland

The last 12 months for Scotland have been something of a roller-coaster ride. Having lost all their games in the Six Nations last year, they managed three victories from three in the southern hemisphere in the summer, including a sensational victory over Australia, before they recorded three autumn defeats, the last coming against Tonga. This was enough to force Andy Robinson to resign as head coach and has left the team with lots to think about as they go into their game with England at Twickenham this weekend.

Scott Johnson has taken over from Robinson and will hope to give the Scots the attacking edge they have always lacked, as well as restoring their confidence in themselves. In fifteen games in the Six Nations under Andy Robinson, Scotland managed only two wins and a draw. All the signs point to a similar story this year. They begin with a daunting trip to Twickenham and will likely struggle to find any solace except against Italy who they will expect to beat. The lack of expectation may help Scotland spring a surprise, but it is more likely that dearth of attacking talent will be their undoing once again.

Prediction: 5^th

Italy

The Italians will hope that teams freeze in Rome and they are able to surprise a few with their abrasive style. Sergio Parisse is their one world class player and he will lead from the front as he always does. Trips to Italy for Wales and Ireland may prove difficult if they do not bring their ‘A’ games, but the expectation is that the Italians can eventually be worn down and their frail backline exposed by quick rugby.

Italy will undoubtedly target their game with Scotland as the one to win. This is exactly what they did last year when they avoided the ‘wooden spoon’. But this year that fixture will take place at Murrayfield, and it is for this reason that it is likely the Azzurri will finish bottom of the pile.

Prediction: 6^th

Sam Davies