Scotland the Grave
There’s no doubt that Vern Cotter has improved things in the Scottish national setup. They’re more confident and ambitious going forward but their inability to close out the game against Italy will be a big worry.
With 66 minutes on the clock Scotland were threatening the Italian line and all the visitors could do was infringe to keep them out. Scotland extended their lead to 19-15 and it looked for all the world that they would go on to win.
Then a catalogue of mistakes and infringements by the Scots, in the last ten minutes, conspired to allow the Italians to clinch victory at the death.
Horne – missed touch at a crucial moment
Brown’s lineout throw, so crooked it could have been a scrum feed, handed the Italians a scrum in Scottish territory. The Italians won a penalty from the scrum and kicked into the Scottish 22. The pressure began to mount on the Scots.
Next Harley came in at the side of a maul allowing Italy to kick into the corner. Italy drove but were held up. After a succession of scrums Scotland won a penalty and that should have been it. The Scottish fans and players celebrated as though they’d won the game.
More heartbreak for Scotland
Horne missed touch with the clearing penalty and back came Italy. Italy mauled their way back into the 22 and when Scotland took it down illegally Ben Toolis was yellow carded. His debut lasted all of eight minutes and now his team faced the final two with 14 men.
Italy went again with their maul and as they were surging over the line the Scots collapsed and Clancy didn’t hesitate in awarding a penalty try. Watson was awarded a yellow card for his part and Italy converted to win 22-19.
Plenty of work for Cotter still to do.
Away Day
Italy’s win at Murrayfield is only their second away victory in their Six Nations history. Ten of their twelve Six Nations victories have come in Rome where they’ve also beaten Ireland, France and Wales.
Their first away victory also came against the Scots at Murrayfield when a three try blitz in the first six minutes helped them to a 37-17 victory in the 2007 championship. Italy also beat Wales that year and went on to finish fourth, their highest finish to date.
Italy – claimed a rare away victory
Saturday was the seventh time that Italy have beaten Scotland since joining the competition in 2000. Italy will carry confidence from this victory into their next game against a dishevelled France.
The Big Bash
Saturday’s clash in Paris saw two teams running big men into each other for 80 minutes. Wales are past masters with Roberts, North, Faletau et al well drilled in the art of running straight and hard.
This reliance on big unit has left the more skilful backs, such as Fofana, Huget and Dulin as bit part players. Fofana, one of the most skilful and elusive players on the planet, may as well not have been on the field on Saturday.
Atonio – a big unit in a game of bit units
When the sledgehammer approach wasn’t working for the French they decided they needed a bigger hammer and on came their monstrous replacements that included 155kg prop Atonio.
The direct approach doesn’t always work for the Welsh, North certainly looks a better player when he attacks space rather than trying to run over opponents, but it was clear at the weekend that only one team believes in the tactic and their coach. It wasn’t the team in blue.
A Tale of Two Kicks
Two poor kicks from fly-halves yesterday had very different outcomes for their teams.
First up was Haimona whose kicking from the tee has been so poor that Italy might have better luck with a blind man with a wooden leg. He lined up a penalty about 35 metres out.
No surprise that he missed it but the ball rebounded from the post and Venditti gathered to ground at the base of the post. Upstairs to the TMO and try confirmed. Suddenly we have a one point game approaching halftime.
Haimona – possibly the worst placer kicked the Six Nations has seen
Lopez wasn’t so lucky for France with his ill-judged chip into a sea of Welsh cover. Bastareaud, surrounded by red jerseys, could only knock the ball on. The grateful George North collected the spilled ball and drove through the French defence.
Lopez – his risky kick put the game beyond France
Wales recycled quickly and Webb, whose challenge caused Bastareaud to knock on, darted into the space. He handed off to Lydiate who showed wonderful hands to put Biggar into the corner for a try that made it a two score game.
50 not out
George North earned his 50thtest cap at the weekend. In the process he became the youngest ever player to reach the milestone.
The previous record had stood since 1999 when Joe Roff hit the 50 mark in a RWC Semi Final against South Africa at the age of 24 years 39 days.
North – more caps than O’Driscoill and McCaw combined at the same age
North has been a star in the test arena for so long that it’s easy to forget that he won’t be 23 until April. Like Roff before him he’s one of those players that make you sit up when he gets the ball. Here’s hoping he goes on to earn many more.
Ten in a Row for Joe
Joe Schmidt’s team have now won 10 games in a row and equalled the record for consecutive victories by an Ireland team. In that run they’ve seen off Italy, France and Argentina twice each plus South Africa, Georgia, Australia and England.
Ireland – in a winning mood
The feeling in Ireland is that there’s a lot more to come from this team as none of those performances could be described as complete. Against England they showed a lot more ambition than they did in the first two rounds of the championship.
Ireland’s previous run of ten victories back in 2002-03 came to an end with a crushing defeat to Clive Woodward’s all conquering England who went on to claim the RWC that year.
