#360Rugby: Billy Vunipola becoming world’s best, Rhys Priestland wins Six Nations plaudits

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  • England's Rhys Priestland and Wales' Rhys Priestland.

    After a pulsating first weekend of Six Nations action, Andrew Binner and Matt Jones take a look back at the lessons we learned and a welcome return for Murray Strang to UAE rugby.

    Vunipola en route to becoming world’s best

    In the run up to Scotland’s opening clash with England much of the media focus was on the battle of the flanks. Two of England’s blindsides against the home side’s two scavengers.

    However, the battle was effectively nullified by the man standing between them for England, who propelled England over the gain line with frightening ballast, like a white-clad jackhammer.

    On a day where Scotland will loathe going down as brave losers once more, the Saracens No. 8 best embodied the difference between the two sides on the day with his superior power, aggression and accuracy.

    In appointing Billy Vunipola as vice-captain it is clear that Eddie Jones sees him as one of the best in the business.

    Time will tell whether Big Bill’s aerobic capacity will hinder him from fulfilling such a prophesy or not, but given that his Welsh cousin Toby Faletau and Italy’s captain fantastic Sergio Parisse could also lay claim to that mantle, the Six Nations will be a fair barometer.

    Wales can be happy with their Dublin draw

    Despite the fact that Ireland vs Wales went down on paper as a stalemate, Wales were the best team on the day and emerge with more glory than their one point may suggest.

    Such is the partisan atmosphere in Six Nations fixtures that harvesting any sort of return from an away fixture (excluding Edinburgh and Rome) is seen as quite a feat.

    With a game that was billed as the audition for the next British & Irish Lions coach (both Joe Schmidt and Warren Gatland have distanced themselves from the position publicly but don’t be fooled), the action on the pitch was first-class.

    In particular, special praise must go to Welsh backs Rhys Priestland and Jamie Roberts.

    Priestland’s inclusion in Gatland’s Six Nations squad raised more than a few eyebrows but he steered the Welsh ship superbly in difficult circumstances (after an early injury to Dan Biggar), scoring 11 points and nailing nine tackles.

    Roberts too looked to have rekindled his devastating form of old and lead the defensive line with brutal efficiency.

    France still searching for identity

    If you told any rugby fan ten years ago that in 2016 Italy’s missed kick to win a game at the Stade de France was met by jubilant French players, they would have thought you insane.

    In fairness to Italy (read Sergio Parisse) they were not bad on the day, but the home side seem to have gone from a very rigid team with little offensive tactics under Phillippe Saint-Andre to a very fluid team with equally few attacking moments to write home about under Guy Noves.

    Former Toulouse boss Noves seems to have been hit by the French coaching curse of forgetting everything that made them a success, once they have the top job.

    With a solid front row and a bulky pack, France should be blowing teams like Italy away but in attack there just seems to be no cohesion whatsoever and needless unforced errors simply played into Italy’s counter-attacking hands.

    Noves has survived his first test but with a tough assignment at home to Ireland around the corner, the French faithful will be much more demanding in round two.

    Strang proves he is still UAE’s top 10

    Jebel Ali Dragons might have lost their way a little in the last 18 months but there was a familiar face back steering the ship against Abu Dhabi Harlequins at the weekend.

    Murray Strang returned against their fierce old foes at Dubai Sports City, back in his accustomed fly-half role and completing a third consecutive 80 minutes after a sustained period out of action.

    Scotland may have lost to England in the Six Nations but it was all smiles for former Dark Blues sevens cap Strang who, despite going down to former club Quins 36-22, is just happy to be fit again and part of a Dragons team looking like they are on the right path once more.

    “I’m getting old now so it’s been the first time in a while I’ve managed to stick three games together in a row,” said Strang.

    “Three sets of 80 minutes and if the body can last a hit-out like that against the Quins then there’s still a little bit left in the tank.”

    Extra Time

    If there was ever an English Premiership side that Eddie Jones should be trying to imitate when devising England’s attacking game plan, it is that of Harlequins. Often let down by sloppy play in the tight, the Quins attack can be one of the most efficient units in the league and with plays like this up their sleeve when they are missing guys, this could be a dark horse for the title.

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