Hats off to Six Nations Rugby for having the foresight to schedule a down week in the 2018 Championship. It coincides with one of the most severe weather events in a generation. Simon Lewis used the pause to encapsulate the various whys, wows, wherefores, and what-nexts

The sight of Dan Leavy joining the victory celebrations as players mobbed drop-goal hero Johnny Sexton gave Tadhg Furlong a chuckle as Ireland’s post-match review got underway at Carton House.

I predicted last week that the opening six hours of rugby action that would launch this season’s Six Nations championship would prove very revealing and that’s exactly what transpired, writes Donal Lenihan.

Big heart and other sizeable parts of the anatomy were the characteristics Johnny Sexton’s team-mates Bundee Aki and Dan Leavy described as they paid tribute to their fly-half’s Six Nations last-gasp, match-winning drop goal against France on Saturday.

Relief, massive relief. What other emotion could Joe Schmidt have been feeling?

After a worrying Six Nations losing streak on the road, with only one championship success in the last five away fixtures — and that against Italy in Rome last season — Joe Schmidt cut a mightily relieved man to have got this opening win in Paris under his belt.

The Scarlets secured a European Champions Cup quarter-final place as Pool Five winners after toppling Toulon.

New Zealand apart, the order of world rugby is changing rapidly, says Donal Lenihan

New Zealand became the first team in international rugby to cross for 2,000 Test tries as they secured a 38-18 victory over France, who produced a spirited second-half display in Paris.

France have named inexperienced half-back duo Anthony Belleau and Antoine Dupont in the starting XV to face New Zealand tomorrow.

Is there any particular autumn international I’d buy a ticket for?

France 34 Ireland 13: First-half tries from Peter Claffey and James Ryan weren’t enough to secure Ireland’s first win in five Six Nations outings, as the French were too good at Narbonne.