Six Nations Talking Points: Ireland's ugly win adds to IRFU's coffers, England slayed in Rome
BRIGHT LIGHTS: Andy Farrell walks the pitch before the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Wales at the Aviva. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
The Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship has stolen the thunder on “Super Saturday” weekends over the past decade plus, but the most recent might have been its finest hour.
A roller coaster in Edinburgh proved to be an elongated bout of motion sickness for Les Bleus, while England’s last great record crumbled to ruins in Rome.
Wherever you looked, the annual competition of dramatic tribal twists delivered over 24 memorable hours in March.
Andy Farrell labelled it as “resilient”, and, no matter how tepid Ireland’s performance was on Friday night; you have to imagine it will stand to them in the all-important next 18 months. Both from an experience standpoint, but also, in the IRFU’s coffers.
If Ireland manage to overcome Celtic cousins Scotland on Saturday, hoisting a Triple Crown in the process, then they will finish at least second in the table. That would bank them a healthy £3.5 million (just over €4million).
Should the unlikely happen, and ‘Le Crunch’ becomes ‘Le Bottle’ thus handing Ireland a third title of the Andy Farrell era, then that figure rises to £6.5 million (almost €7.5 million).
Even that is not massively unlikely. France must win to end Ireland and Scotland’s title charge. A draw may not even be enough. And however strange it seems, ‘Les Bleus’ are sure to be weighed down by intense scrutiny this week.
That’s why there’s always a value in grinding out wins. As sweet as Twickenham felt, it’s turning imperfect performances into victories that could see Ireland come home both financially and mentally richer, and at the perfect time.
Rugby is full of stars, but now there’s a Venetian wonderkid making European rugby his playground too.
Benetton star centre Tommaso Menoncello epitomises all that is good about this era of Italian rugby, one of groundbreaking highs, with another glass ceiling shattered at the Stadio Olimpico in round four.
There was a ‘cometh the man, cometh the hour’ aura around the 23-year-old’s late carry to set up the game winning try. Playing in a heavy game, burdened by a strange wave of expectation; it looked like Italy would come up short, until Menoncello stepped up.
If you get the chance to watch the try back, and I recommend you do; just watch the velocity of the carry. Racing onto the trail line, kicking up a gear to steamroll Elliot Daly, then finally finding his composure to give the assist.
That was a play from the gods, delivered with the added gusto of removing a major monkey off their back, beating England at the 33rd time of asking. Queue the noise, fervour and ballistic celebrations… And fear the gladiator who slayed Goliath.
Calling Murrayfield’s classic one of the all-time great championship matches would not be hyperbole. A 50-40 thriller broke two records, as well as French hearts:
Most points Scotland have scored in this fixture; and an unenviable most points scored in a Six Nations game, for France.
The end to end thriller looked set to tee up the final day’s play with a perfect balance. Leading 47-14 inside the final quarter meant France would enter the last game in second place, a point behind the Scots. But, in true French fashion, they won the game 26-3 from there, snatching a try bonus point to move back ahead.
Now, once again, it’s all eyes on Paris. Whoever wins in Dublin will need a full five points to have any chance, but France’s impressive +79 points difference means that any win, even by a point, is almost certainly enough for them to go back to back for the first time since 2007.
It’s so difficult to comprehend just how quickly things change in this sprint tournament. England’s 48-7 thumping of Wales in round one played out exactly as everyone expected. A Grand Slam challenger beating down a minnow. But now it’s flipped massively.
Since that game, England were on the demoralising end of trashings to Scotland and Ireland before finally coming undone to the Italians. Instead of a slam showdown in Paris next Saturday night, we are now waiting to see if France will be reading the obituaries of this brief spell of the Steve Borthwick coached juggernaut.
On the flip side, despite also being winless over the same period, Steve Tandy looks as safe as anyone in his job. Inheriting a mess handed to him by the WRU, the former Lions assistant coach has struck a chord with his countrymen.
They showed flashes against France before losing from the jaws of victory against Scotland. Their reaction meant more than that performance, backing it up by stifling Ireland in Dublin, and deserving to leave with more than zero.
The last of the weekend’s action took place in Cork, as Virgin Media Park again played host to the Ireland Under-20s, this time as they welcomed Wales. After three enthralling encounters, you would be forgiven for expecting something more blasé.
Then, like in Edinburgh earlier, a classic unfolded in front of our eyes. Andrew Browne’s impressive squad ran out 48-33 victors, in a performance worthy of keeping the hearts and minds warm as the frosty air rolled in.
It also serves as a gentle reminder that age-grade sport, be that GAA, soccer or rugby, is often some of the most unbridled fun you will find all season. So far this Six Nations Ireland have scored four tries or more on three occasions, and conceded four or more three times too.
Purists may feel detached; but it goes to show that the kids are alright at dictating the direction the sport is heading in.
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