ROUND one didn’t go the full script but that’s what makes this competition a crowd-puller, with most of the 15 matches a sold-out. If some tickets are still available before kick-off it’s usually for matches involving Italy, the weakest of the six.
With the World Cup coming later in September, coaches and players in the southern hemisphere would surely be paying closer attention to the rugby being played in the north and need to be at their best in Japan if they are to firmly hold on to their grip on the Webb Ellis Trophy, won only once by a northern team in eight editions so far.
The early money as favourite was the world’s second-ranked Ireland but the odds have immediately changed after a very physical England turned the table in Dublin last Sunday morning, hardly troubled as it went on to win 32-20 despite most of the crucial statistics not in its favour.
Ireland had more possession and ran more metres to force England to make more tackles but each time an Irish player tried to break the line or went into a collision at the breakdown, England put up the brick wall. The most significant aspect was the number of tackles from England which effectively stopped the continuity of movement by the opposition – the dominant tackles.
Thus despite the carries the Irish made, there was hardly any way through the middle no matter how hard centre Bundee Aki tried by using his bulk but for England, the equally powerful Manu Tuilagi also at inside centre proved to be a tough nut, showing glimpses of the type of game he had at the beginning of his international career eight years ago.
In fact the pundits agree that the way England played made Ireland looked so ordinary, the pressure England exerted preventing Ireland from putting together several phases of play each time it went on the attack.
Not all is lost for Ireland though, with four rounds to go, but if there’s something else almost all teams have failed to counter effectively it is the rush defence and it was also in this area that Ireland came unstuck at the Aviva Stadium, where it had previously won 12 matches in a row. It must also be noted that prior to last weekend Ireland had also won 18 of its last 19 Tests.
What happened in Dublin was further proof that a team that turns up with the right attitude and tactics can upset the odds and often it is the physicality that helps to determine the outcome.
The All Blacks did this to Ireland in Dublin two years ago while the Irish had their day against the same opponents last November. This time it was England that did it.
England now wait for the French who may continue to lack in confidence after an implosion in Paris against Wales or who could remain hopeful and inspired from the way they overwhelmed the Welsh to lead 16-0 at halftime. Last year France upset England 22-16 in Paris to give hope that in newly appointed coach Jacques Brunel they had found the man to turn their game around after two dismal seasons under Guy Noves but since then the French have failed to find the consistency to make them a truly serious title contender.
Credit must be given to Wales for the way the team fought back in the second-half to score 17 unanswered points in what was the biggest turnaround in the history of the competition before France recovered through a penalty.
Winger George North scored two tries and will be buoyed by the fact that he also had two in his team’s 38-14 home win against the Italians last year.
This game for the Welsh should be much easier, despite the Italians showing that they too could score tries, as the Scots went into a slumber in the last 10 minutes at Murrayfield. What is in favour of the Scots was that by that time they had the outcome very much under control, with the score 33-3. The highlight was winger Blair Kinghorn’s hatrick of tries.
The most testing game could be the one between Scotland and Ireland, with the host still having to deal with several injury concerns as it faces a wounded Ireland. Last year Ireland had it rather comfortably, winning 28-8, with winger Jacob Stockdale scoring two tries and this time the Scots will have to play several notches higher than what they are used to if they want to continue the momentum of a reasonably good past season by their normal recent standards. But if Ireland manages to recover in time and play with the kind of authority and physicality it is known for under coach Joe Schmidt, Scotland will be in for a tough time despite having home advantage.