Irish joy on greatest day in Six Nations history
Paul O’Connell, Ireland’s captain, finally lifted the Six Nations trophy after the most dramatic day in the contest’s history. Ireland’s victory over Scotland left England needing to beat France by 26 points. The game at Twickenham saw the home side camped on the French line in the final minute trying — in vain — for a try to pass Ireland’s tally Sport: S1-S6
AFTER a day of relentless drama, Ireland were last night crowned Six Nations champions, with England and Wales in second and third place — the threesome separated only by points difference.
But that bald statement does not do justice to a day of extraordinary tension, an exhibition of fizzing rugby whose outcome was only clear at the very last.
This was the game’s finest moment, its version of the Olympic Super Saturday. Here’s how historic it was: never before had four sides – France, Wales, England and Ireland – been in with a chance of winning Europe’s international rugby tournament as it reached its climax. Given, as the name makes clear, there are but Six Nations involved, it was some competitive conclusion.
And thanks to the requirements of the game’s broadcasting paymasters, the three games that represented the two-month long tournament’s nerve-shredding conclusion were stretched consecutively across the day, the tension strung out from early lunch to late tea. It was possible to spend seven hours on the sofa, embroiled in the fluctuating drama, the head fizzing with mathematics. Which is never an easy position to be in if you are a rugby follower.
The Welsh were the first to show, taking on Italy in Rome. The bookies’ outsiders, by half time you could see why: Welsh chances appeared to be spent. Travelling supporters dressed as daffodils held their bepetalled heads in their hands as Wales, needing a huge points advantage to better England and Ireland, went into the break only one point up.
Something, though, was clearly said in the dressing room and an inspired second half blitz of seven tries changed it all. Suddenly, as the men in red exploited Italian frailty, odds of 16-1 on a Welsh title posted at half time looked a steal. But then an Italian try right at the last diminished the Welsh points advantage, and left their players on their haunches. They may have won 61-21, but it could have, should have, been even better.
As the hordes were arriving at Twickenham to support England they greeted the news of that Italian touchdown almost as enthusiastically as if it were a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal.
Outside the stalls selling pulled pork rolls in the streets around the stadium, the gathering throng began to work through the permutations. The Welsh pile-up had now obliged the English to beat the French by at least 17 points.
Before that, though, came the Irish taking on Scotland in Edinburgh. For eighty minutes in the Ruck and Maul bar in Twickenham’s east stand, England supporters readied themselves to do an unusual thing: cheer Scotland’s efforts to the echo. Which meant it was to be an eerily quiet afternoon. The whirring noise as Irish points kept piling up was the sound of English rugby aficionados trying to work out the arithmetic, obliged to accept that Ireland’s 40-10 victory had made the task for their team all the harder.
The facts as England set off last were these: to win the title they had to beat France by 26 points to better Ireland. Even to come second they had to win by 17. If there was any advantage in knowing what was required, it was that of a mountaineer who knows Everest is 29,000 feet. The hope around the stadium was that France, their remote chances now blown away by Welsh and Irish success, would implode like Italy and Scotland.
It started so well. England had scored a try within a minute, the roar that greeted it threatening Twickenham’s superstructure. But the French were not there to make up numbers. As the action sizzled and fluctuated — the two teams trading tries as heavyweights do punches — Prince Harry could be seen in the royal box puffing out his cheeks, wracked by the gathering tension. The noise was ratcheting up as England fans tried to summon up the chariot to carry everyone home.
The action would not relent. As England inched closer to with more scores, Prince Harry was now punching the air. With minutes of the competition remaining, just one more converted try would be enough for England. But it never came, their light ultimately switched off, as if the eclipse had arrived a day late.
Next for this stadium comes the World Cup in October.
The organisers could not have wished for a better advertisement.