All set for nail-biting finish to championship
IT IS hardly surprising that Six Nations organisers are reluctant to see their competition subsumed into a world league as once again it is on course to deliver a potentially nail-biting “Super Saturday” last-day decider.
Wales, Ireland and England all go into the final weekend with a fighting chance of taking the honours and though bonus points and points difference appear to offer a complex backdrop, in reality the scenarios are straightforward.
If Wales beat Ireland in Cardiff they will complete the Grand Slam, with its attendant three extra bonus points, and be crowned champions.
If Ireland win the game they will, barring an unlikely set of scores, move above the Welsh in the standings and back in with a chance of retaining the title, hoping that Scotland then spring a surprise defeat on England at Twickenham.
The only way Wales could lose and stay above Ireland is if they gain two bonus points – for scoring four tries and losing by seven points or fewer – and Ireland gain none.
If Ireland win, then England can take the championship for the third time in four years by beating Scotland, regardless of bonus points and, almost certainly, regardless of score.
The first game of the day in Rome is not without jeopardy either, even though Italy are assured of finishing bottom for the fourth year in a row. Should they find a way to beat a woeful France team, then coach Jacques Brunel would unlikely survive to plot an assault on the World Cup.
Italy will also be desperate to end their run of 21 consecutive defeats in the championship to ward off talk of introducing promotion and relegation.
Both coaches in Cardiff are taking charge of their teams for the final time.
Wales’s Warren Gatland will be hoping to sign off with a first title for six years and a third Grand Slam, while Joe Schmidt is aiming to retain the title and earn his first championship win at Cardiff following defeats in 2017 and 2015.
When Wales trailed 16-0 in Paris on the opening night on February 1, the idea of a Grand Slam would have seemed far-fetched, but they fought back brilliantly to win that game 24-19.
Gatland’s much-changed team did just about enough to see off Italy, then delivered another memorable fightback to beat England in Cardiff.
They were patchy in Scotland but a disciplined defensive effort, expertly marshalled by captain Alun Wyn Jones, extended the record winning streak to 13 and set up a potentially perfect farewell for Gatland after 12 years of service.
| Reuters SOUTH Africa have one game left before they must settle on their World Cup squad.
As they lead the five-match series, and any combination within their squad looks completely capable of mopping the floor with Sri Lanka, the hosts have a job deciding which 11 to play.
Not that it matters for the result. Had South Africa been more ruthless in Port Elizabeth, the final analysis might have read “won by nine wickets”, chasing 120.
They allowed Sri Lanka to rise to 189 through a combination of poor lengths and some generous late fielding.
“That wasn’t part of a plan,” Anrich Nortje said of his last two overs, which disappeared for an unbelievable 38 runs.
“It was the wrong length, and I maybe should have changed it,” he admitted.
As the South African team walked off the field, still completely comfortable with the target they were about to mow down, Faf du Plessis put an arm around his newest fast bowler and had a few words.
It was about those last two overs, Nortje confirmed.
Lessons were learnt, and the best ones are often absorbed best through some pain.
Nortje, if he didn’t already know it, saw again how much smaller the margins are at the highest level.
“I know what has got me here, and I will keep doing those things,” he maintained.
He was chuffed with his three scalps, and any nerves he might have had were dispelled by his pace in his opening spell.
“I’ve not heard the band that loud before,” he said of his home crowd.
Nortje will have mostly happy memories about his first international game on his home ground.
He took wickets, his team won, and there were friends and family in the stands.
All summer, he has been rearranging his cricket dream furniture, as he ticked boxes that he figured would take a while yet.
In that time, he has also learnt a bit more about himself and his game. South Africa see the speedster as a potential fourth weapon of pace destruction in the World Cup. He has hurtled into the reckoning late, but he had come in like a bullet train.
The next stop for the express service may yet be London.
Just six months ago, the only “London” Nortje considered for matches was the small city located a two-hour drive away from Port Elizabeth.
Amazing how quickly things change.