Wales have edge over Ireland in Grand Slam battle, says Noon
If Wales beat penultimate opponents Scotland on Sunday week, and Ireland defeat France at Lansdowne Road 24 hours earlier, then the dream finale will become reality on March 19.
England, in complete contrast, can only gather morsels from the tournament’s top table, but Twickenham appointments with wooden spoon rivals Italy and Scotland should at least see them end their worst-ever Six Nations campaign on a winning note.
“It is obviously going to go to the wire,” said England centre Noon, assessing the championship’s possibly thrilling conclusion.
“Wales will provide a very difficult task for Ireland, especially with the game being in Cardiff as well. Ireland are playing well, but I think that Wales are playing a little bit better.
“I am sure it will be a great game to watch, and if both sides get their tactics right, it is going to be very close.”
England, meanwhile, have been left to rue their Lansdowne Road misfortune, created largely though South African referee Jonathan Kaplan disallowing “tries” from wings Mark Cueto and Josh Lewsey.
Both seemed harsh calls, Cueto being judged offside as he chased fly-half Charlie Hodgson’s kick, and Lewsey not being given the benefit of the video referee after appearing to touch down when he was driven over Ireland’s line. “I was just sort of recovering from a knock to the hip. I was struggling to run, to be honest, so I don’t think I could have been offside. I managed to get there and put the ball down,” said Cueto.
“It was a crucial time of the game, two or three minutes before half-time, and for us to have got a score then would have put us in a brilliant position for the second half.
“It’s massive disappointment and massive frustration. We made a bad start to the championship, losing our previous two games, and we know that we are not far off. To come so close was hugely disappointing.
“I wouldn’t say that I thought we were robbed. Decisions go with you, and they go against you, it’s just the nature of the game.”
While England’s Six Nations campaign will inevitably end with a whimper, rather than a bang, two closing wins will at least give Robinson and company some degree of comfort. “We definitely improved against an in-form Irish side,” added Noon. “We went to Dublin quietly confident that we would be able to compete, and I think we showed that.
“We have got to make sure we now take the form and positives into the Italy game. We are under no illusions that it is going to be easy, but we definitely need a win.”
The statistics do not make for pretty reading, with England having equalled an 18-year low of four successive championship defeats, including France in Paris last season.
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