Ireland wrapped up the Six Nations title on Saturday while England were beaten again.
After Wales wrapped up the fourth weekend of the championship with victory over Italy, we assess the fortunes of each team…
IRELAND
Good: The Six Nations winners have put themselves in a glorious position to earn their place in a small club and seal only the third Grand Slam in the country’s history next weekend. Joe Schmidt’s side were clinical, relentless, ruthless against Scotland as they took their four tries with conviction. No other Irish player has scored more tries in a championship than Jacob Stockdale (six tries in five matches) and there’s still one more round to go.
Bad: Everything has gone to the best possible script for the Men in Green but the weight of history and what they could achieve at Twickenham, could play on their minds. It’s not a bad problem to have but the Irish need to remember the full job isn’t done yet.
ENGLAND
Good: When the Red Rose went quick ball first and didn’t worry about their structure, it gave the players the chance to have a broken field and use their footwork. The English showed flashes of their attacking exploits, but Eddie Jones’ men need to add another 40 percent to their performance if they are to have any hope of beating Ireland in the final round.
Bad: A far cry from the team that won back-to-back titles – with two defeats in four matches this championship. They gave away too many penalties – a record 15 which is the most of the Jones era – and looked deficient in attack and couldn’t unlock a granite-like French defence. The back-row balance is a massive area that needs to be addressed.
WALES
Good: Warren Gatland showed the serious depth available in his squad after making 10 changes to his squad. To see the likes of George North, Hadleigh Parks and Elliot Dee shine in the bonus-point win shows the class on offer in the Dragons set-up. They have the chance to secure second place with a bonus-point with against France on Saturday.
Bad: Lacked ruthlessness at times during the first period after such a storming start. The Dragons need to be composed with ball-in-hand for long periods, cut down mistakes and discipline (two sin bins and Liam Williams lucky not to get a red) if they are to seriously challenge the likes of Ireland and the Southern Hemisphere teams at next summer’s World Cup.
SCOTLAND
Good: Gregor Townsend’s side showed creativity and had chances to go ahead in Dublin, and ask questions that weren’t asked of Ireland in the tournament yet. Although they might look at the scoreline and see a comprehensive defeat, there were signs of class that the Scots need to work on to improve after the championship.
Bad: It’s unfortunate that a burgeoning team like the Scots have been so appalling on the road this championship – with three defeats in five. They butchered three try-scoring chances against the Irish, including an early opportunity for Stuart Hogg that could have put a different reflection on the contest.
FRANCE
Good: The win over England will get them back into the top eight of the world rankings – after falling behind Fiji and Argentina. Les Bleus showed the French Flair that has been missing in their game in recent years, hammering the English with every opportunity. Victory over the Red Rose represents a significant boost to their overall morale, with the physicality of their back-row providing a serious thorn to their success.
Bad: A thumping victory in Paris but Jacques Brunel’s side haven’t solved anything yet. They failed to make an impact for nearly 50 minutes of the match and only came to light when awarded a penalty try. Made some critical errors, including burning a serious try scoring chance from a five-metre scrum after the break.
ITALY
Good: The Azzurri’s structure and work through the phases looked positive and will add confidence to the work of Conor O’Shea and his backroom team when sitting down to review the championship next week. To see the elusive Matteo Minozzi touchdown for another try will be another key positive.
Bad: Their game plan was littered with mistakes in the second-half and virtually fell apart as Wales upped the intensity. Loose defending and an inability to keep the ball moving cost them as the game progressed. The failure of Sergio Parisse to have any impact on proceedings did little to inspire them and their heads subsequently dropped. They have one final chance to end the campaign on a high against Scotland next week – a team who has failed to win on the road this season.
