SIX NATIONS 2024
THE Six Nations saved the best to last. France sealed second place ahead of England in a compelling match in Lyon which confir med that Steve Borthwick’s side have cast off the mediocrity of the last three years and are a force again.
The staggered kick-off times meant there was no final day title drama. The chances at the start of the day of France or England winning the title were slight, but with Ireland defeating Scotland earlier they knew they were playing for second place.
Playing the three matches in succession on the final day may suit television, but simultaneous kick-offs would, as long as the race was still open, provide tension and play on doubt. It won’t happen, but it would squeeze every last drop of emotion out of the occasion, even if last night’s final oscillating match meant the tour nament ended on a high with England experiencing last-minute dejection a week after the jubilation that greeted Marcus Smith’s drop goal against Ireland. The final round started with Wales serving up their first wooden spoon for 21 years. They were some way short of the rest, blooding what they hope will be proven Test players in the coming years but lacking the experience or thrust to make more than a passing impression: they failed to score a point in four of the 10 halves they played,
They are adrift tactically, and have lost their last seven Six Nations matches in Cardiff.
Italy enjoyed their best Six Nations and would, for the first time, have won more matches than they lost had the ball not fallen off the tee as Paolo Garbisi lined up a final minute penalty against France in Lille. They were unbeaten in their final three matches, had arguably the most impressive centre pairing in Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello and where last year they ran for the sake of it, this time they were more discer ning and played far less in their own half.
Ireland retained the title after a hard-fought victory over a Scotland team which, yet again, held the cup to its lips without enjoying the drink. Three defeats, all by four points or fewer, showed both how close they are but also how far away.
Ireland were not at their fluent best, and their starting backline only had three of the players who took the field in last year’s World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand, but they are a relentless team and it took some outstanding scrambling defence by Scotland to take the match to the wire.
France and England were the two surprises of the tour nament. The French went into it as contenders with home advantage over Ireland, but after being overrun in Marseille on the opening night, they played a
