CHRIS FOY’S SIX NATIONS ROUND-UP
TWO PERFECT No 10s
JOE SCHMIDT’S side were far from their best, but they have two real playmakers. Johnny Sexton was brave to delay the pass and take the hit for Jacob Stockdale’s try. Then Joey Carbery came on at No 10 and blasted between two defenders to race clear before his pass created a try for Keith Earls.
A FINN OF BEAUTY
SCOTLAND also have a world-class fly-half. Finn Russell’s brilliance was summed up by his assist for Sam Johnson’s try: interception, step, break and sublime off-load. On the BBC, Andy Nicol said: ‘How calm is that? It looks like he’s lying on the sofa. There are 67,000 people screaming. He’s just run 50 yards.’
GLOATING O’MAHONY
PETER O’MAHONY is happy to play the villain. The Ireland flanker was damned by Scots for the late tackle which forced Stuart Hogg off. He won’t care a jot. At one stage, O’Mahony (right) forced a Scottish knock-on, gloated and snarled triumphantly, prompting a scuffle. The agitator was in his element.
ARRIVEDERCI ROME?
ITALY should consider moving some Six Nations fixtures to other cities, rather than rattling around in a half-empty Olympic Stadium in Rome. The attendance was 38,700 on Saturday, leaving 34,000 empty seats. Not a great look. Far better to tap into strong support up north in Milan, Turin or Bologna.
YOUNG AT HEART OF WIN
THOMAS YOUNG passed his Wales audition with flying colours. His Six Nations debut started in style when he won a turnover penalty after 30 seconds in Rome. The Wasps flanker was outstanding and came close to a deserved try in the final seconds, only to be denied by a forward pass earlier in the move.
GATLAND IS FOOLING NO ONE
WARREN GATLAND is in his element. He claimed his Wales side could be ‘embarrassed’ by England on February 23. True, Wales were average against Italy, but they are on an 11-Test winning run. Gatland (right) is making a pitch for underdog status but Wales will be far more confident than their head coach is letting on.
TEAM OF THE WEEKEND
E Daly (England); K Earls (Ireland), H Slade (England), B Aki (Ireland), J May (England); O Farrell (England), B Youngs (England); C Healy (Ireland), S McInally (Scotland), K Sinckler (England); J Gray (Scotland), C Lawes (England); P O’Mahony (Ireland), J Navidi (Wales), T Young (Wales).