Category: Sports News

Even with Ireland once again top, a middle England, and Italy and Wales battling at the bottom, the tournament still thrills

At first glance not an awful lot changed during the men’s Six Nations championship this year. Ireland and France occupied the table’s top two positions, as they did in 2023, with Wales and Italy in the bottom two and England and Scotland once again the meat in the club sandwich. Ireland, for the third year in a row, had the meanest defence and only the winless Welsh, strangely, managed to score more tries than last year.

Yet if this was not a vintage Six Nations in absolutely all respects, the old tournament is enjoying a refreshing renaissance. The competition is now so tight that 10 of the 15 matches were decided by four points or fewer, including all three of the final-round games. If Netflix cannot stitch together an award winning series from the stunning “Super Saturday” footage alone it should abandon its fly‑on‑the‑wall cameras and walk away.

Ireland retained their Six Nations title after a tense 17-13 win over Scotland in Dublin

4 mins. An organised start from both sides, each taking a couple of carries up before dispatching the ball with the boot of their scrum-halves. Rinse, repeat.

There’s a slight variation when Ireland spin to Lowe and his kick is charged down by Christie rampaging out of the line with a block.

England, France and Scotland can still lift Six Nations trophy with Gregor Townsend’s men harbouring some regrets

Only sad old men in pubs indulge in “coulda, shoulda” talk, but we are legion among Six Nations followers, so why not? Dublin coulda, shoulda been a grand-slam decider.

As it is, we will almost certainly witness Ireland’s procession towards a second consecutive Six Nations title. Even if they lose.

• Tough task ahead with Ireland winning last nine successive ties
• Gatland ‘loves’ pressure of avoiding wooden spoon with Wales

Gregor Townsend admits Scotland will have to “do something special” in Dublin as he challenged them to score at least 20 points against Ireland and give themselves a fighting chance of a first triple crown since 1990.

Scotland are heading to the Irish capital looking to save face after a shock defeat in Italy last weekend all but ended their hopes of winning the championship and left them staring at the possibility of finishing fifth if results go against them on Saturday.

From Le Garrec’s mega pass to the mesmerising Menoncello and the mighty Martin, a new wave of impressive young talent is making its mark

There is still one final round of the 2024 Six Nations remaining but a striking trend is already apparent. Look across all the teams and a new wave of impressive young talent is announcing itself. While there will always be a place for cauliflower-eared experience at the highest level, it is rare for as many fresh faces to be making such a concerted impact on the grand old tournament.

Front and centre for France in Cardiff on Sunday was the 21-year-old l’homme du match Nolann Le Garrec, whose outrageous reverse Hail Mary long pass has rightly been delighting social media users from beyond rugby’s traditional audiences. Then there is Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, also 21, who was outstanding on his first start for England having missed training the week before to sit a medical exam. If his bedside manner is anything like his attacking instinct, the future of the National Health Service is in safe hands.