Six Nations Week 3- A Four Horse Race

Going into week three Ireland and France were leading the RBS six Nations championship each having upset Wales and England respectively in the weeks past. This week set up three thriller encounters with Wales hosting France, Scotland facing Italy at home and Ireland travelling to Twickenham to face England.

Wales decimate France

It was a must win game for the defending champions who were yet to put up a convincing performance in 2014. France on the other hand had a chance to pull off yet another upset against and possibly take the top ranking at the half way point in the championship.

Wales took an early lead in just the second minute when Leigh Halfpenny slotted over thumping 48m penalty. Three minutes later Wales attacked from deep through Halfpenny and Liam Williams before George North exploited defensive hesitancy between French half back Jean-Marc Doussain and full-back Brice Dulin to pounce for the touchdown. Halfpenny uncharacteristically was off the mark with the conversion which left Wales with a 08-00 lead five minutes into the game. In the 9^th minute Halfpenny was back in the game knocking over another long ranged penalty making in 11-00.

France looked as though they had cut the deficit when wing Yoann Huget danced his way over the  Wales’ line, but play was called back following a knock-on by skipper Pascal Pape in the previous phase. Doussain and Halfpenny then exchanged penalties, but after Doussain missed his next shot at goal, his half-back partner Plisson took over and cut the gap with a penalty to 14-6.

Halfpenny in the last ten minutes of the half booted over two more penalties capitalising on the French technical indiscipline taking Wales into half-time with a solid 20-06 lead.

French coach Phillipe Saint-Andre brought about changes in the second half hoping to spark his team which just did not seem to respond. Wales continued to dominate the physical exchanges and hold on to their solid advantage.

Repeated scrum offences by both sides in the 50^th minute made an irritated Allain Rolland send Wales’ loose head Gethin Jenkins and French tight head Nicholas Mas to the sin-bin taking both teams down to 14 men. Just as both teams were back to 15 men French #8 Louis Picamoles was sent to the bin giving Wales a one man advantage in the pack.

Almost immediately Sam Warburton capitalised on the advantage in the back row to reach over the French goal line. Halfpenny’s conversion pretty much sealed the game for the Dragons giving them a solid 27-06 lead by the 63^rd minute. Wales then closed out the game with relative ease showing that they were going for a third straight championship.

Scotland snatch Victory from the jaws of defeat

Both Scotland and Italy came into this game off back to back losses and seemed hungry to prove their worth from the get go. Scotland had lost to Ireland and England whilst Italy went down to Wales and France in week one and two.

The Italians opened the scoring with Tomasso Allan splitting the posts from left field giving Italy a 03-00 lead in the 13^th minute. Ten minutes later the ever-reliable Greig Laidlaw levels things up from the tee. In the 31^st minute Allen knocked over a penalty from almost the identical spot as his first kick restoring the Azzuri lead.

On the stroke of half time Sergio Parisse, taking quick ball from a ruck and storming towards the goal line set up Allen to dive over from close range off the recycled ball. Allens conversion meant Italy had 10 point lead going into half-time.

Just five minutes into the second half Laidlaw cut the deficit when he knocked over a penalty after Italy were penalised at the breakdown. In the 53^rd minute Scotland spread the ball wide quickly and Lion Stuart Hogg released Alex Dunbar to sprint down the right flank and touch down in the corner. Laidlaw was just wide with the conversion bringing the score to 13-11 in favor of Italy.

A superb break from Scotland in the 67th minute, started by a beautiful back-line play, a few lovely offloads, before Alex Dunbar won a footrace to the line to score. First-five Duncan Weir having taken over the kicking duties with Laidlaw being substituted, converted and Scotland led by five with 13 minutes left to play.

Italy respond brilliantly in just three minutes and found Scotland’s defence wanting, they spread it wide and Parisse released Josh Furno to go over in the corner. Luciano Orquera from out wide, in near-silence in Rome, and the replacement held his nerve and found the target and Italy were back in front with 7 minutes to play.

With just seconds left in the game Duncan Weir stepped up to the plate as Scotland drove into the Italy 22 and set it up directly in front of the posts. The young fly half obliged and slotted in a beautiful dropped goal to give Scotland a much needed 21-20 win.

England crush Irish hopes

 Ireland travelled to Twickenham with hopes and dreams of taking a clear lead in championship and to remain the only unbeaten team so far. England however were pushed into a corner and had only one option and that was to win.

The first 23 minutes were played at absolute breakneck speeds with both teams throwing everything at their opponent’s solid defensive lines. Both England and Ireland came very close to scoring but a combination a good defense and unimaginative attack saw the scores remain deadlocked at nil all.

Finally England first-five Owen Farrell opened the scoring when he knocked over a penalty goal from 35m out. With England taking this marginal lead the game slowed down ever so slightly. Farrell slapped his second shot at goal against the uprights keeping England ahead by just three points. England skipper Chris Robshaw made a brave call on the stroke of halftime turning down the three points and opting to go for touch, which unfortunately came to no avail. England led 03-00 at half time.

Just 82 seconds after the interval Ireland raced ahead when Jamie Heaslip sent Rob Kearney darting through a hole at the breakdown on the 22 and the Leinster full-back easily evaded his opposite number Mike Brown.

Sexton converted and added a penalty, but the deficit was slashed to four points in the 53rd minute by Farrell following a great passage of play. Just three minutes later, the pivotal moment arrived with an outstanding try launched by Robshaw’s break through the midfield. Robshaw fed Harlequins team-mate Brown and just as the full-back was being hauled down, Danny Care grabbed his pass and raced in under the posts. With Farrell converting England now led 13-10.

England needed to summon on their depths of character as they repelled wave after wave of Irish attack over the last 25 minutes of the game.

A fortnight from today Ireland will play host to Italy whilst France travels to Edinburgh to face Scotland. And in the clash of the week England will take on the defending champion Wales at Twickenham. 

The results of this round in the RBS Six Nations means we now have four teams battling for the top spot. The only thing that is sure in this year’s Six Nations is that there will be no Grand Slam.

The table for the championship in below.