Six Nations Round Three Review: The French March On

It's an odd feeling when the Six Nations have finished for the weekend at 6pm on Saturday night. 

An odd feeling which I think I like. As I've previously said I'm a support of the Friday night game, over a Sunday mid-day game anyway. I would, however, liked a bit more entertainment. 

Not the greatest set of matches in round three of the years competition.

Both Saturday's matches were very tight affairs and were won by the team that managed to be more clinical. The Scots were very poor in Rome and the Italians fought and deserved their victory. 


Both Ireland and England had nothing much to shout about. I suppose Ireland have three tries and a win! England had a lot of possession but as we have been saying for many years could do nothing with it due to slow ball produced by the forwards and no imagination from the backs. When Wilkinson dropped a goal to take the lead towards the end of the game I thought they may scrap a victory but they were unable to hold on and got what they deserved really...nothing!

Friday nights match started slow, as France looked like they were walking it but the second half turned into a great show as the Welsh showed some fight. The French held on and it will take a lot for them not to march on towards the Grand Slam. 

It seems that this year's Six Nations maybe over as contest but anything can happen in the final stages as we have seen before...(think Cardiff) 

     

A risky decision to ditch the old guard at Twickers

A lot of talk ahead of England's clash with Ireland this weekend has been about whether will England drop Johnny Wilkinson after a below par performance against Italy in Rome 9 days ago.

That was never going to happen, it was just talk.

Less talk was made about who would be wearing the Irish number 10 shirt at Twickenham this weekend and most people will not be too shocked by Declan Kidney's choice for youth over experience after last years Grand Slam champions came undone in Paris in week two of this years Six Nations.

If it was not for injury Johnathan Sexton would have started the Six Nations against Italy. It would have been a good game for the promising youngster to get used to being Ireland's number one fly half. It would have given him a chance to find his feet in the competition.

England are not a team firing on all ciliniders but Twickenham is a big place, steeped in history and the pressure will be on the Leinster fly half - something that Martin Johnson's men will no doubt try and take of advantage.

Sexton may prove me wrong, he may rise to the occation but O'Gara could do that too...

Cipriani Rebels

There has been a lot of talk this weekend about Danny Cipriani's decision to leave Wasps and head down under to start a fresh with new Super 15 team the Melbourne Rebels.

Critics say the move means his England career is over. The 22 year old fly half has seven England caps to his name and some say he will get no more.

A new energy?

Stuart Barnes highlighted, on the Rugby Club, Cipriani's lack of "fight" in last weekend's Wasps victory over the Sale Sharks. The young man has talked about his depression since he was dropped out of the England set up - the move down under will be just what he needs to spark his talent back into his game.

Remember he is only 22. If he plays for the two years of his contract at the Rebels he will return to England still the right side of a sportsman's peak age, which some say is 27.

A learning curve?

The move away will be a great learning experience for him, he will move away from the club he has played at since he was 15 - learn new things and develop new skills (on and off the pitch). He will come face to face with the best in the business and be involved in a total different kind of rugby.

If all goes well England will be begging for him to be coming home to play for them.

I'm with Cipriani this is a really chance for him to prolong his England career, and a great move as long has he works hard and goes out to enjoy his game.

Wasps losing their sting?

The other questions that arise from this move is what is next for Wasps?

England winger Paul Sackey also announced he was leaving the High Wycombe based team at the end of the season for pastures new...

What is going on at the club?

Is it all change and rebuild? The club has lost it's grip on English rugby...and I still have to question the head coach role of Shaun Edwards and his commitments with the Welsh national team. They have enter the top four of the Premiership this weekend with a win against Saracens but it just doesn't seem right to me.

Did you see it coming?

POWELL KICK OUT OF WELSH SQUAD


One thing I remember about the immediate aftermath of the Wales - Scotland game this weekend was Andy Powell coming off the bench to congratulate his teammates - he looked like he had some mischief in his eyes....

the rest i guess now is history...


"Powell and another man were picked up at a service station at junction 33 of the M4 motorway, less than three miles from the Wales team headquarters at the Vale Hotel and Spa, on Sunday morning. Powell had spent Saturday night celebrating Wales's Six Nations victory over Scotland.

It is understood the buggy was taken from the Vale of Glamorgan resort. The other man was released without charge. Today, following discussions with the player himself, the Welsh management has decided to suspend Powell from the squad for the duration of the tournament, for behaviour contrary to the squad's code of conduct. "

(SOURCE telegraph.co.uk)

Powell is clearly a bit of a joker - anybody who has seen the behind the scenes DVD on the recent Lions tour would pick up on that...

So when I heard the story on Sunday I was not surprised and like John Indverdale who delivered me the news (not one on one you understand) I laughed.

Funny though it was, it was not a clever thing for the man to do.

Harsh Punishment?

I don't think Gatland and co where left with much option.

The former Wales number 8 Micheal Owen had a good point today Gatland brought Powell into the squad and gave him a chance - and this was not the right way for Powell to repay him.

The future for the backrow forward?

I'm guess the Cardiff Blues player will get another chance...wont he?

He really excelled when he came on the international scene at the beginning last season - but he has rather faded with the Welsh team ever since.

He is not a natural number 6 (where he has played this Six Nations campaign) and I expect Osprey's flanker Jonathan Thomas to step into that role and Powell won't be missed...

So time could be up for the former Newport and Scarlet's man.

Powell has come back before though...

After a bright start to his career at Newport he nearly gave up the game after failing to make a impact as a youngster in France and then at Leicester.

After a brief step back from the oval game at 23 he returned to Wales to join the Scarlets. He also struggled to reach his potential at West Wales' side - where he got into trouble by missing training and the like.

A move to the Cardiff Blues in 2005 and taking his chances when Xavier Rush got injured at the Blues he broke the international scene.

He came back bigger and better - and in his own words "matured". He may need to rethink that and maybe the game that has slipped away in the past couple of months maybe reborn.

It's a balancing tip really that could go either way.

Sunday Paper Review

A quick look at what the UK Sunday papers are saying after Saturday's action.

The Sunday Times

Magic moments fail to mask Wales's failing
Stuart Barnes

Barnes fairly argues that the Welsh miss Mike Phillips and lays into the his replacement Gareth Cooper and captain Ryan Jones.

Brian O'Driscoll dethroned by Mathieu Bastareaud
David Hands

Hand's claims that the Frenchmen out played his Irish opposite number. A fair assessment? Maybe...but other factors played more of a role in the french win. The dominance of the home sides half backs and the lack of quick ball for last years grand slam winners.

Scary fact - Bastareaud was 11 when BOD scored a hat trick at the stade de france.

Non Stop Emontion as Wales Finish on Top

Six Nations Reviewed

Wales 31 Scotland 24
Millennium Stadium - 13/2/2010

This is what the Six Nations is all about. Non stop emotion from start to finish.

The BBC often launch their Six Nations TV trails with emphasis on the "passion" and the "drama" that comes with one of Rugby's oldest competitions. The Cardiff crowd and those watching at home got exactly that this afternoon - passion followed by late drama.

"gutted"

The Scots will be gutted - they fought hard and played very well for most of the game to create a platform from which they should have gone on to win the game. They clearly were hurt by the injuries in their backline - both Chris Paterson and Tom Evans going off with injuries.

When replacement hooker Scott Lawson was sin binned with just under 10 minutes remaining the Welsh just out powered a tiring Scottish team - to add more problems Phil Godman was also sent to the sidelines in the final minutes. All this meant that the Scots could not close out the match.

Key Turning Point

Has to be Scott Lawson's sin bining. Momentum was already with the Welsh and this just increased it.

Top Players

Dan Parks played a great game. It was only before the tournament some where saying he would never play in a Scotland jersey again. He commanded the number 10 jersey like it had been his for years...or should have been.

On the red side, the Welsh wizard Shane Williams had a great game. Wales looked to him a number of times to magic something up and with the final try he did. James Hook also played well at 13 - backing the Scottish defence often.

Game Rating

9/10 - superb.

Questions still remain....

The Welsh at points looked very lost...what has happened to the side of 2008...on paper they look exceptional but seem to be missed firing or misguided.

BUT

Could this be the turning point for the Welsh as lady luck shines on them...

Rugby Mad Final Thought

Some of Warren Gatland's pre match negativity against his opposition (this included slating England and Scotland) doesn't help his team's cause when they play badly. I have a lot of respect for the kiwi but he frustrated me this week.

Stats

Wales
Tries - Lee Bryne, Leigh Halfpenny, Shane Williams.
Cons - Stephen Jones (2)
Pens - Stephen Jones (4)

Scotland
Tries - John Barclay, Max Evans
Cons - Chris Paterson
Pens - Dan Parks (2)
DG - Dan Parks (2)
Sin Bin - Scott Lawson, Phil Godman.

Att: 70,000
Ref: George Clancy (Ireland)