We’re over halfway through the Six Nations, and Ireland look in pole position to seal another Six Nations title after their victory over Wales at the weekend.
As all the coaches go back to camp for a one week break, it gives them the chance to reflect on the campaign so far and what they need to do to finish the campaign on a positive note.
With two matches remaining, we look at what each nation needs to do to consider the championship a positive one.
Ireland: Winning the Grand Slam will be the ultimate goal for Joe Schmidt’s side as they prepare for their final two matches against Scotland and England.
Although cutting down the Red Rose at Twickenham will provide a thorny issue, the Men in Green look poised to secure a third Six Nations title under Schmidt.
Strong carries, excellent work at the breakdown, keeping the penalty count low and putting the defending team under pressure will also keep the management content when they review the campaign – especially with a trophy on the table.
England: For Eddie Jones, the defeat to Scotland will be a significant regret when he dissects the good and bad points from the campaign.
But in order to finish with a flourish, England need to speed up the breakdown and attain a level of dominance up front.
They were destroyed against the Scots and this proved further evidence that the back-row issues have not been resolved.
Courtney Lawes, Chris Robshaw and Nathan Hughes were simply played off the park in Murrayfield. Sam Underhill needs to start.
Wales: Despite defeats to Ireland and England, it’s been a positive campaign so far for the Dragons – with defeats coming by a combined margin of 16 points.
Blooding youngsters like Elliot Dee and Josh Adams in the final games will add some gloss when Warren Gatland looks back at the end of the championship.
Re-introducing Taulupe Faletau and George North to the starting team should also be a significant bonus – the latter of who looked solid with ball in hand when featuring against Ireland.
Scotland: Two wins will be Gregor Townsend’s aim for the remaining games after their stunning victory over England – but only one looks likely with Ireland in such impressive form.
Keeping Greig Laidlaw, Finn Russell and John Barclay firing will also be key – as the trio are chief lieutenants in a burgeoning side.
When reflecting on the campaign, the Scots can be proud of their performances against the Red Rose and France – but disappointed with the comprehensive defeat to Wales on the opening day.
Italy: The Azzurri may finish the championship without a win, but Conor O’Shea will be content with how his side performed in the second half of the Ireland game and for spells of the defeat to France.
However, in order for the team to finish on a positive note they need to be able to stay competitive for the full 80 minutes against Wales and Scotland.
On an individual level, unearthing a quality player like Matteo Minnozzi is sure to be one of the formidable takeaways.
France: For a team sprinkled with talent, Les Bleus remain one of the rugby’s biggest enigmas.
For the FFR and Jacques Brunel to agree on a positive campaign, they need to maintain intensity for the full games against England and Wales instead of playing with panache for 40 minutes.
Hoping the players drafted in for the suspended eight will perform well will also be high on the priority list for Brunel.
