The 2025 Six Nations is off and operating after an action-packed first spherical of fixtures. Sky Sports activities assesses the victories for Eire and Scotland, and alarmingly acquainted defeats for England and Wales…
Eire belatedly rediscover mojo however questions stay at No 10
For the primary half of Saturday’s win over England, Eire’s assault regarded flustered, rushed and missing a lot in accuracy it was laborious to imagine this was the identical facet who had gained the final two Six Nations championships.
The main choice speaking level in Eire heading into this one was who interim head coach Simon Easterby would choose at fly-half: final 12 months’s starter within the victorious championship marketing campaign Jack Crowley or the brand new child on the block in Sam Prendergast.
November had seen Prendergast chosen by Andy Farrell to start out in opposition to Australia, however Crowley emerged off the bench to play a significant function in turning issues round to win that Check.
In the long run, Prendergast was a shock decide to start out in opposition to England and it proved the fallacious name in a show actually missing in high quality. A lot of the events he acquired the ball he kicked possession away, kicked aimlessly and much too lengthy – placing his personal facet beneath strain – whereas he missed twice off the tee by way of conversions – the primary a very poor strike.
Crowley got here on within the 58th minute in Dublin and Eire instantly regarded extra settled and into their circulation. Even England head coach Steve Borthwick commented on it on the post-match press convention. “The change at 10 was a fairly important one. They performed rather well when he got here on within the ultimate a part of the sport,” he mentioned.
The answer right here would certainly seem going with Crowley from the beginning for subsequent week’s conflict away to Scotland, however there appears extra at play. Prendergast performs for Leinster at provincial degree like many within the Eire beginning workforce and clearly the Eire teaching employees see one thing they wish to stick with. Enormous query marks stay.
England lose one other lead regardless of constructive showings in first half
For giant intervals of the primary half, England have been faster, slicker and extra bodily than Eire in lots of sides of play.
Indiscipline in defence meant they surrendered the potential to construct greater than a 7-0 lead – Marcus Smith the person picked out for a sin-binning after a workforce warning – and the second half then performed out with utter dominance from Eire.
England have been blown away with 22 unanswered Eire factors to fall 27-10 behind and there was no manner again, regardless of a late push which introduced a dropping bonus level which will but show important. You solely have to take a look at the 2020 Six Nations when England eked out a late Spherical 1 dropping bonus level away to a rampant France which ended up being important within the ensuing title race.
For Borthwick on Saturday, he selected to focus on the distinction in expertise between the perimeters and the constructive one couldn’t discern that from the beginning: “For those who take a look at right now’s sport, you are taking a look at two completely different groups. Eire are a workforce which were collectively for an enormous period of time, practically 1200 caps. England are a workforce that is constructing during the last six months and have simply over half that variety of caps.
“For those who watch the beginning of that sport, you do not see that distinction. You see an England workforce that wishes to play aggressively, desires to maneuver the ball, and we took a step ahead with our assault. We’re disenchanted, however there are components the place we have proven progress during the last 10 days in coaching camp.”
France with a returning Antoine Dupont at Twickenham subsequent week…England must discover a manner of sustaining constructive spells of play inside Checks. They’ve now misplaced seven of their final 9 since defeating Eire at dwelling in final 12 months’s championship.
Scotland, you’ve got been warned
“We’ll must be so much higher if we wish to do something on this event.”
Amid jubilant full-time scenes within the stands of Murrayfield, Finn Russell did not mince his phrases.
On the face of it, Scotland’s Six Nations marketing campaign had received off to the right begin, Huw Jones’ hat-trick inspiring a 31-19 victory over Italy.
However a scratch beneath the floor may have unearthed issues {that a} workforce extra succesful and scientific than Italy would have undoubtedly exploited.
Russell’s feedback have been directed to each him and the collective, with the fly-half culpable in Scotland’s give up of a 19-6 half-time lead when Juan Ignacio Brex intercepted his free cross to finish Italy’s dramatic comeback with a breakaway attempt.
The style during which Scotland extinguished Italy’s revival, securing a bonus-point victory within the course of, was to be admired, each for its precision and emphatic nature.
Few groups can maintain a candle to the expertise they possess out extensive, however even the likes of Jones, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe could have their work lower out pulling off an identical escape act in opposition to higher opposition.
Wales face generational Italy conflict after France thrashing
The scoreline advised a drubbing, a one-sided affair, and in lots of ways in which was true.
A thirteenth successive Check defeat was inflicted in record-breaking style as seven-try France claimed their biggest-ever Six Nations victory over Wales.
Wales prevented equalling their heaviest defeat within the event, a 54-10 loss to Eire in 2003, by a solitary level in Paris, however that was scant comfort for Warren Gatland and his workforce, who journey to Italy for a round-two conflict that has taken on generational significance.
“For me, this sport subsequent week is the largest in Welsh rugby for the final 15-20 years. It’s a enormous, enormous match,” former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar instructed ITV.
Even at this early stage of the event, defeat in Rome would certainly go away Wales on target for successive Six Nations wood spoons for the very first time.
And if that wasn’t alarming sufficient, with Eire, Scotland and England to come back, figuring out the place Wales will convey this file dropping streak to an finish will increase in problem if the Azzurri prevail.
Six Nations fixtures: Spherical Two
Saturday February 8
Italy vs Wales (2.15pm)
England vs France (4.45pm)
Sunday February 9
Scotland vs Eire (3pm)
British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports activities
Sky Sports activities will solely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Checks in opposition to the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven solely stay.
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