AFTER THE IRELAND squad went through a problem-free Captain’s Run at Aviva Stadium this morning, Andy Farrell’s players retreated to the Shelbourne Hotel, where they’ll have put their feet up and tuned in to two notably low-quality affairs.
As a post-World Cup fug continues to hang over the Six Nations this was not a classic day of entertainment from the four teams on show. After Scotland let a prime opportunity to beat France slip, England left it late to keep their long winning run against Wales at Twickenham intact.
Neither game will have given Ireland any great cause for concern.
England have a 100% record with two rounds played but this team are still dragging themselves through games under Steve Borthwick.
Victorious? Yep. Happy? Sort of. Glorious? Certainly not.
For much of England’s 16-14 victory over Wales their attack looked decidedly blunt, the game eventually won when their pack began to gain the upper hand against a tired looking Welsh side.
This was a meeting of two teams who still look unsure of themselves, the glimpses of quality on show followed by long periods of error-ridden, uninspiring passages of play.
The hosts actually started with purpose and intent at Twickenham but then seized up against a youthful Welsh team, who brought plenty of fight before their challenge faded.
By half-time Warren Gatland’s side were up 12-5 thanks to a penalty try and well-taken Alex Mann score, leading at the break in a Six Nations game at Twickenham for the first time since 1980 – England’s sole try coming from a Ben Earl charge off the base of a scrum.
Across the opening 40 minutes Wales enjoyed 68% of the territory and played 14.2 minutes of attacking rugby compared to England’s 4.9, and the home team made 117 tackles to Wales’ 37 while losing both Ollie Chessum and Ethan Roots to yellow cards.
Crucially, in the second half England kept all 15 men on the pitch and as the game wore on their pack began to overpower their leggy visitors, who saw their setpiece crumble.
Fraser Dingwall’s try pulled them back into it and when Wales lost Mason Grady to the bin, George Ford was on hand to kick his team into the lead for the first time on 71 minutes – his boot being the main threat England carried on the day.
As Wales saw their lead slip they struggled to fire a shot back in retaliation. Having scored no points in the opening 40 against Scotland last week, before 26 without reply in the second half, this time they wracked up 14 points in the first but didn’t score at all in the second. That won’t cut it when they head to Dublin in round three.
England will take confidence from the win and while they don’t look likely to put on a show for their supporters anytime soon, Felix Jones’ suffocating defensive system is beginning to take hold. Twice here they held out Wales as the visitors went through 20-plus phases with no reward. Still, you’d back Ireland to solve that puzzle when they visit Twickenham on 9 March for what could be a Grand Slam decider.
England are winning games without playing well, but they’re also making hard work of beating teams they should be seeing off more comfortably.
Earlier, Scotland and France fumbled their way through a largely forgettable encounter at Murrayfield which only truly sparked to life in the final moments.
Scotland will ask themselves how they lost it. France will wonder how they managed to win.
The home side will be aggrieved with the decision not to award Sam Skinner a try at the death, but the real concern should lie in how they allowed France back into the contest. For much of the game Fabien Gatlhié’s side showed no real desire to kick back from last weekend’s utterly underwhelming display against Ireland.
France looked laboured and at times, disinterested, until the game turned in the second period.
It was surprising Louis Bielle-Biarrey didn’t start against Ireland and in Edinburgh the electric Bordeaux winger marked his return to the team with the standout moment of quality as the game entered the final 10 minutes – dashing down the left flank to collect his own kick and score the decisive try.
It was reward for anyone who sat through the preceding 10 minutes of kick-tennis, a period where Scotland appeared happy to sit back on their six-point lead.
There had been talk of a potential Scotland Grand Slam charge before this game but a champion team would have killed the contest.
Still, the ending felt cruel. While it was unclear if Sam Skinner had grounded the ball Nic Berry’s on-field decision of no-try immediately stacked the odds against Scotland, while also putting himself in a difficult position. It’s one of the many unsatisfactory aspects around how the game is ruled, and a deeply unsatisfactory way to end any game.
And so Scotland were left to rue what could have been as France breathed some life into their Six Nations campaign.
“We can still dream of the title as you never know what could happen, this sport is unpredictable,” said France fullback Thomas Ramos.
Ultimately it proved a good day for France, but Ireland will be sleeping soundly ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Italy, where they are heavily fancied to bag another bonus-point win.
The defending champions remain the team to catch.