12 Six Nations moments that really mattered in 2024

Ireland's clean sheet against Italy, their first in the Five or Six Nations since 1987, looks a particularly good day's work in hindsight.

CHAMPIONS: Ireland’s Calvin Nash and Andrew Porter celebrate with the Six Nations trophy. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Marseille marvels:

Ireland weren’t perfect from the off on opening night. Jack Crowley had a kick charged down, a stray James Lowe boot led to a rampant return up field from Damian Penaud, but they were in full control by the time Paul Willemse saw his first yellow. Tone set.

Cardiff chaos:

The most madcap game of the Championship. Scotland led 27-0 after 43 minutes but had just one point to spare with minutes to go and Sione Tuipulotu moonlighting in the back row. They hung on but here were early signs of Scottish fragility and Welsh shortcomings.

Kick tennis and paradise lost:

Forget the controversy over Sam Skinner’s non-try at the end: weren’t France denied a clear penalty try earlier in Murrayfield? No, Scotland engaging in a bout of kick-tennis after the break was negativity in the extreme. A blight on rugby, Gregor Towsend called it. It cost them. Dearly.

The clean sheet:

Ireland’s first time to keep a Five or Six Nations opponent scoreless since 1987. A game that was met with something of a shrug at the time but it looks a better day’s work with the Azzurri’s rise since. Andy Farrell picked it out as the most satisfying of their five ties.

Robbie Henshaw and Ciaran Frawley during an Ireland Six Nations training session. Picture: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

No Hugo no problem:

Full-back was one area where the Irish depth chart looked worryingly shy. Then Hugo Keenan picked up a rare injury and Ciaran Frawley slotted in seamlessly. Jordan Larmour had a good run at 15 against Scotland later. Important inputs with the bigger picture in mind.

Scots wae hae:

Queen Victoria was still on the British throne the last time Scotland beat England four times on the spin. No player had ever scored a Calcutta Cup hat-trick until Duhan van der Merwe obliged here. Historic stuff and they looked comfortable doing it after a strong English start.

End-game drama:

France pounded Italy in the first-half in Lille but didn’t claim the points that merited. It set up a dramatic end game when Paolo Garbisi lined up an injury-time penalty to win it only for the ball to fall off the tie. Cue craziness. Garbisi missed and the game ended in a draw.

Whipping boys no more:

‘A Crazy Beautiful Italy,’ read the headline in Gazetta dello Sport after the Azzurri beat Scotland 31-29 for their first win of the 2024 tournament and a first home win in the Six Nations since beating Ireland in 2013. Only the Scots could fail to raise a smile.

England’s Marcus Smith celebrates kicking a drop goal to beat Ireland in the Six Nations. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

England reborn:

Ireland were almost unbackable going to Twickenham but they never looked comfortable despite having control of the scoreboard and the game at half-time and deep into the second-half. Marcus Smith went full Jonny Wilkinson with the drop goal to win it.

France are back, baby:

Terrible against Ireland, lucky against Scotland and Italy, the French eventually made hay against a weak and callow Wales. Nolann Le Garrec’s ridiculous 40-yard, no-look reverse pass across the pitch seemed to speak of a side finding its groove again.

Azzurri assurance:

Lorenzo Pani’s brilliant 46th-minute try against Wales in Cardiff blew the doors off this one, the conversion putting the visitors 18-0 up. The only pity is their two wins and a draw weren’t enough for more than a fifth-place finish. Wales propped up the pile.

Job done, just:

Ireland led by just four points after a late Scottish try in Dublin on closing night when the clock dipped into the red and James Lowe booted the ball out. A nervy finish for a side that seemed to lose its bounce as the tournament went on, but back-to back titles nonetheless.