Six Nations Recap

Three matches are down in the 2024 edition of the Six Nations. So with only two matches left lets take a look back at the matches from this past weekend.

Ireland vs. Wales

Since the addition of Italy to the Six Nations, no team has won back to back Grand Slams in the competition. But with Ireland’s 31-7 win over Wales they find themselves just two wins away from being the first to accomplish the feat in the current format. This one wasn’t much of a match, as has been the case in all three of Ireland’s contests. They have been the most in-form team all competition and Saturday was no different. Wales on the other hand find themselves at three losses and only losing bonus points keeping them level with Italy for fifth place in the standings. This could have easily been a much different story for Wales, a single point loss to Scotland and a two point defeat to England in matches that both could have gone the Welsh way. They face a French team that has also failed to live up to expectations this year and end the competition in Cardiff against the Italians. Things may not look great for them now but those are two winnable matches to possibly end on a high note.

England vs. Scotland

Duhan van der Merwe. That is all.

Three tries for the South African born Scotsman this weekend in Edinburgh as the Scottish took down the English for their fourth consecutive Calcutta Cup. Despite an early 10-0 lead for the English they made one too many errors. Turnovers can easily erase any lead and that was all too true for the Red Rose this match. The Scottish took advantage of each opportunity they had and put the game out of reach in the second half. If not for a controversial loss to France, a disallowed try against the Scottish costed them the match, Scotland could have three wins to start the tournament. They face Italy in the next round with hopes to put themselves in reach to win the Six Nations with a final contest against Ireland in week five.

Italy vs. France

Sports can be cruel.

For the past couple years we have heard about the advancement of Italian rugby. We had even seen glimpses of this on display. A win over Wales and Australia in 2022 highlighted this movement, but the past year and a half has not been kind to Italy. No wins in the 2023 Six Nations, and once again a two win two loss finish at the Rugby World Cup. Third place in group stage has become an Italian tradition at the World Cup.

But Sunday was the day it could have changed. Because for the first time the Azzurri were going to win against France on the road. After going down 10-0 a high tackle from France’s Jonathan Danty at the end of the first half both gave Italy a penalty to make it 10-3 and give them a man advantage in the second half after review deemed it a red card. But the Italians did not make the French pay for this mistake early enough. The French extended their lead to 13-3 in the 45th minute, and it was not until the final twenty minutes of the match did the Italians go on a 10-0 run to level the match at 13-13.

Then in the 80th minute the Italians were awarded a penalty kick, and Italy star Paolo Garbisi had the chance to seal the game for his squad in what would have been one of the biggest victories Italian rugby has seen in years.

But it was not to be. The ball fell off the tee and having to reset the ball forced Garbisi to have to rush the kick, which was still a strong kick but it just barely missed having bounced off the right goalpost. The match would end in a 13-13 draw. Surely a decent result for the Italians, but one that will leave them a little disappointed given what could have been. For France they find themselves in a tough spot heading into their matchup against Wales, and through three matches the absence of Antoine Dupont has been quite noticeable. Italy will square off against Scotland in Rome on the 9th of March.