Two great games that suggest Grand Slam is off the cards

What a first day to this year’s Six Nations. It had been billed as the most competitive tournament in years and it did not disappoint in the least. Two very different games; both of them hugely competitive. Six tries in the first game. Two in the second. I was absolutely riveted throughout. If France or Ireland had won no one could have quibbled.

To Scotland’s credit, they worked extremely hard for their win and deserved the result, but Ireland will still be a force in this Six Nations.

England, meanwhile, will consider themselves hugely fortunate to have come away with a win as they failed to control the game with any consistency.

It was only following the introduction of the replacements that they had the means and direction to carry attacks to France and ultimately scored a well-conceived try. Once in front, they were able to go on and control both possession and field position to safely see themselves home.

All of England’s replacements made a difference; from James Haskell, whose introduction saw Maro Itoje switch back to second row, to Jamie George to Ben Te’o to Danny Care to Jack Nowell. That is the luxury that Eddie Jones has at his disposal; a depth of playing pool which other teams can only dream of.

I was impressed by France, though. Like Scotland earlier in the day, they attacked the breakdown with relish and took England’s back row completely out of the game in the first half. Louis Picamoles was immense, fully deserving of his man of the match award. But Kevin Gourdon and Damien Chouly were equally formidable.

They cleared England’s defenders out at the breakdown time and again, whereas England’s only sought to protect the ball. The difference in speed and intensity was stark.

Where France were composed, England looked ragged in that first half. Ben Youngs and George Ford had no tactical control of the game but that was largely because they had no time at all.

I thought Baptiste Serrin, the young French scrum-half, was excellent but he was being given time and space by the strong carries from his forwards.

The one area in which England did fare well was with their restarts but the truth is they were fortunate to go in 9-9 at the break, and that was only because of a big kick from Elliot Daly.

France’s achilles heel during that first half was their scrum engagement and Guy Novès, quite rightly, made the call to replace both his props after 45

I was delighted for Vern Cotter that Scotland held on. He deserved that

minutes, which brought them more stability.

But England made changes of their own and looked a far more balanced team once they did. Te’o’s try was from by far their best attack of the game; it was the first time they had really controlled possession or field position in the match. That try got them out of jail.

Novès will be really disappointed that France did not see the game out, but he has to be encouraged by how his team played. They are creating a powerful mix of big carries, off-loads and links to their back three.

It is great to see France, once again, beginning to play with real shape and with some very exciting players.

As for Scotland-Ireland, it was a classic game of two halves. Scotland