Can any of Ireland's rivals make Six Nations title a contest? 

England's Sam Underhill and Italy's Alessandro Garbisi during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire. 

The Six Nations championship is supposed to be a marathon not a sprint. That is not currently how it feels, however, after an opening weekend which has produced a runaway title favourite. If this was the Cheltenham Gold Cup many would already be putting down their binoculars and preparing to roar home a classic Irish winner with the rest of the field still way out in the country.

Nothing can ever be entirely certain on sport’s fast-spinning wheel of fate but no one present in Rome or Cardiff will be rushing to back any of the supposed rivals to Andy Farrell’s team. France were way off the pace in the first half in Marseille and the two other contests did little to suggest the remaining four nations are yet at the required level. Whichever way you shake it, it now looks distinctly like Ireland’s year.