Stuart Barnes's Six Nations verdict

ENGLAND v WALES

Brian Ashton can actually point to a decent half hour from England, one that would have sufficed to beat Italy but Wales found the mental edge the new management has promised and left the World Cup runners up looking the flaky lightweights in the top two inches. Wales won because England lost their drive and shape and because the balance of football skills was way short of the power displayed by the likes of the outstanding James Haskell and Andrew Sheridan. That was England’s problem and it opened a chink of light for a Welsh team which had been physically battered in the first half. Recent Welsh teams would have capitulated but this one hung in on the ropes and when England’s guard dropped had the speed of combinations which the English heavyweight lacked to knock out their opponents.

The bludgeon of the English game lacks the rapier that the Osprey back line brought to the second half. So much for the saying that forwards always wins matches. Not this one.

Ironically the result has left both managers under equal pressure. The rugby press and public should not buy the old peddled excuse that Italy away is a grade one win. Performance, with incision as well as bullying is required. It may require some brave selections. It promises to be as testing a week for Ashton as the one following that 36-0 defeat against the Springboks in the pool stage of the World Cup.

Warren Gatland shoulders the more welcoming pressure of immediate expectation. Having beaten England the nation will expect a thorough trouncing of Scotland. A defeat would be a considerable setback but if the management can manage national expectations towards the more realistic aspiration of any sort of win, it will have been quite some fortnight for the latest Kiwi coach of Wales

The Key man was James Hook. The fly half has produced more fluent performances, last year’s win against England was one, but the accuracy of his kicking to keep his team afloat when England threatened a deluge, coupled with his confidence to carry the game to England when the opportunity arose justified the glowing and growing reputation of this young man.

IRELAND v ITALY

Eddie O’ Sullivan can take the victory and little else from the first match of this season’s Six Nations championship. This was no fresh start after the travails of the World Cup, it was a continuation. Like Brian Ashton he placed his faith more in continuity than renewal and, like Ashton, has a whole heap of problems as his team prepare for France. Italy is not only a limited side but they are a rookie combination. Nick Mallett has only had ten days with the team and Andrea Masi – Saturday’s fly half – had never played a test match in this pivotal position. Throw the loss of the experienced Aleesandro Troncon and Italy’s own lamentable effort in the World Cup and it is no great surprise the Croke Park crowd delivered their verdict on a day one victory with a ringing boo that cannot have escaped the coach’s ears.

The game was won in the first thirty minutes whilst Italy was busy wondering if they were good enough to play at such a venue. They were but by the time they realised that the excellence of forwards like Santiago Dellape and the familiar faces of Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco in the back row Ireland had slipped into a handy ten point lead courtesy of Girvan Dempsey’s try.

Against opposition with a modicum of midfield penetration this lead would not have sufficed but a double digit lead against Italy goes a long way. Nick Mallett will take great heart from the organisational efficiency of the set piece and the fire power of the back row but there remains a void behind the scrum. Given the lack of bite, the decision to field a hard tackling centre in the defensive channel of number ten makes sense to such an extent that it appears, on reflection a mini masterstroke.

The dampening of expectation after another flat Irish showing means defeat may not be the end of the world should Ireland lose to France but the quality of the performance will surely be given maximum attention with the coach under the spotlight more than Brian O’ Driscoll or any other.

Mallett’s team will want some more urgency going forward in attack against England but the solid start buys him plenty of time whatever the outcome in Rome next Sunday.

The Key man was Eoin Reddan; without the incisive interventions around the base of the scrum and in the loose Ireland might just have ground to a halt in the final turgid fifty minutes of this stuttering start.

SCOTLAND V FRANCE

Youth came to the fore on Sunday with France convincingly beating Scotland. A lot of neutrals, yours truly included, wanted a side stripped of so much experience to produce a performance to question the unchallengeable assertion of the moment in this Hemisphere, which is experience, of all the qualities is the pre-eminent issue when it comes to test selection.

Marc Lievremont, a debutant international coach himself treated the test match aura with plenty of contempt with a selection including debut props, flanker and fly half, with a new captain to boot. From the first minute France showed that ambition and pace has a place at the high table of the international game. The quick tap penalties, the rapid line outs and the desire to bring the back three into the game all over the pitch was the technical highlight of the weekend. They were not perfect but they did enough so well that Scotland were left floundering.

It kicks them onto Ireland at home with a Grand Slam suddenly within their sights. They are not unbeatable but are bound to improve and this team will not allow themselves to be dragged into a slugfest which ill suits the subtlety of their creative play. Marc Lievremont, over and above the result has made a good beginning to his test career with France managing to win today whilst planning for tomorrow.

The extent of the loss sets Scotland back and Cardiff becomes a place where victory at all costs is to be the mantra. Frank Hadden’s team were actually more positive than during the World Cup but in a contest of open skill, inevitably they were outclassed. Another issue will be the selection at fly half. Dan Parks divides the nation. He does kick beautifully from hand but his inability to test a defence and bring his midfield into the game suggests Chris Paterson should be restored for Wales in an attempt to find an injection of originality that was lacking in their back play yesterday.

The key man in this instance has to be the man in the stand. Manager Marc Lievremont revealed that sheer courage and conviction counts off as well as on the field. The shadow of the ultra cautious Bernard Laporte lifted as `allez les bleus’ rang out with a conviction not heard for some time.

Their example is one which England and Ireland should follow. Right now, where there is a close call in selection both camps veer down the path of experience. France chose the path less travelled and hopefully it will make all the difference. The teams which treated the commencement of this tournament as a continuation of the season have failed to find the higher gears whereas the sides, France in particular, and Wales - to some extent-  which treated the World Cup as a watershed and this as a brand new beginning have made the brighter start to the tournament. I am not religious but I will utter 'amen' to that fact.

Comments

[Tony Gold]

With England, although it is fair to say the team itself should show more nous about finishing a game, it is also true that to pull off the captain in a difficult period and give the responsibility to one who is obviously not having the game of his life is down to the coach. This does not detract from the Welsh effort, mental and physical, that was genuinely impressive. The appearance of non-Osprey players from the bench seemed all to the good.

[Maurice O' Brien]

While it was a joy to watch the new France emerge on sunday and Lievremont is to be applauded for his courage in his initial selection i'm a little less sure about this weekend in that six changes for the match against Ireland is maybe taking things a little too far could it be that Mr Lievremont is from the Rafa Benitez school of thought with changes for changes sake.

[miguel torres]

Balshaw will prove all the critics wrong. Lets get behind those selected!

[Nathalie]

ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!!

[Peter J Graham]

The standard of rugby, including the refereeing, was average for professional players. France shone through, although all the teams did well in patches. France's back three are probably the smallest in the 6 Nations, but they are the most potent, and there are lessons here for the others. I agree blending new talent with experience is the way forward, however the 6 Nations is a barometer of progress and winning at all costs, ugly or not, will continue to sway selection towards experience. Reducing the value of place kicks to 2 points would also open up the game more, and force teams to go for more tries.

[simon]

It was a typical welsh game - where wales can only play for 40 minutes - usually by then the match is normally lost. England looked a very exciting proposition - so they lost but when every fit you got a lot to look for. In respect to wales - make sure they pick shanklin in the centre

[David]

There was a massive difference in the refereeing of the breakdown in the Saturday game. Whereas the referee in Dublin penalised, and yellow carded, any interference by a player on the ground, the Twickenham referee allowed anything, many of the 1st half turnovers would have been penalised in Dublin.

[Steve Jones]

i felt that when england had wales on the rocks, they were not able to deliver the killer blow. this was down to poor decision making and poor execution.

[James Cant]

You're spot on with your comments mate. As a Scot, yesterday was a painful false dawn but a joy to see France play "French rugby" after so many years of sterile nonsense. England's young backs showed plenty of evidence of being able to do the same and I hope they have the courage to follow that path. And hats off to the Dragons with the big, big hearts!

[angus]

Spot on - agree totally that teams should embrace an "attacking ethos" and if necessary blood younger/ more athletic talent... England were turgid, there were numerous opportunities lost out wide if they had been aligned for attack (less flat) or looked for that option first before the safer, dull, kicking one (Flood/ Wilkinson guilty esp.). Real question marks over half-backs (Wilkinson looked lost in 2nd half and "burnt out", Gomarsall slow to release ball to backs and "over the hill") - likewise hooker (Reagan) and prop (Vickery).
Shame on Laporte for stifling the French flair while in charge, but partially, refreshingly unleashed vs. Scotland... re. argument above, Scotland should play Patterson at fly-half ahead of the insipid Parks if they wish to take their own game forward.
Ireland - confirmation after W Cup debacle that new coach/ fresh ideas needed.
Wales - need to improve set-piece and security of ball at contact areas if to progress and surely broaden selection outside of the Ospreys

[dogears]

the author should not have the right to approve comments. that amounts to censorship. it is for the editiorial staff to decide what goes in, otherwise why bother with readers opinions at all?

[Arous Edhacks]

Well the plundering of Pacific Island rugby players didnt pay off for you poms did it?