Six Nations: nation by nation

France

Worthy Grand Slam winners. France won all 5 games and only looked vulnerable in the second  half against Wales. France combined a powerful pack with typical Gallic flair behind it. Will be World Cup favourites on their own patch.

 

Ireland 

Runner-up was about right.

They lost the key game in Paris but things might have been different had the game been played in Dublin.

The problem for Ireland is age. Johnny Sexton is 37.

They have the best front row when fit in the tournament.

 

 

England

Coach Eddie Jones will rightly be under the cosh. Some of his selections were baffling: Joe Marchant was initially picked on the wing; Freddie Steward was moved to the wing in the hope that yesterday v France Marcus Smith’s cross kicking would make French wing Villiers – who is much shorter than Steward – vulnerable.  It never happened.

How many poor games must Ben Youngs play before Jones realises he is over the hill?

Jones’s game management was equally ill-judged. Joe Marler was taking line out throws for the first time in his career; with the England pack desperate for more heft Joe Launchbury the Wasps second row strongman and Alex Dombrabdt were only late subs v France. Marcus Smith was once subbed.

Jones now has two successive poor Six Nations Championships and lost a World Cup Final in the last 3 years.  He is neither the man for the next World Cup nor to oversee a transition in England’s team.

He must go.

 

Scotland

A Scottish friend of mine summed it up well. If Scotland can beat”the auld enemy” their fans are are happy with their season.

They never real featured after beating England at Murrayfield.

 

 

Wales 

Went from champions to fifth place.

That says it all.

 

 

 

Italy.

Won our hearts with their first win after 7 years yesterday v Wales.

It was the best response to the nonsense that South Africa should join the Six Nations in their place.