Six Nations XV of the Week – Round Two

There was plenty of thrills in the second round of Six Nations action, leaving plenty of contenders for the Team of the Weekend. 

Ireland got the weekend underway with an authoritative victory over defending champions Wales in Dublin. 

A boggy Murrayfield was dominated by England, as they kept Scotland scoreless for the first time since 1978. 

Sunday’s lone fixture saw France beat Italy, thanks to an inspired nine-minute spell which saw three tries for the hosts at the Stade de France. 

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the weekend’s top performers…

Full-back – Mike Brown

Another excellent week for Ireland’s Rob Kearney, but Brown’s proficiency in treacherous Murrayfield conditions gets him the nod. After claiming the autumn Man of the Series accolade, the Harlequins full-back has continued where he left off, peerless in the air and an ever potent threat on the break. Furthermore, having touched down his first try in England colours last weekend, Brown doubled his tally as well as returning an impressive 114 metres from 11 carries. 

Right wing – Andrew Trimble

Yoann Huget excelled again for France but Ulsterman Anrew Trimble gets the nod. Trimble backed up his try-scoring performance against Scotland with another authoritative display. The winger made 57 metres in nine carries, impressive statistics when you take into account the amount of kicking Ireland employed.

Outside centre – Luther Burrell

No questions here. The England centre is taking no time at all to mature at international level. Scored his second try in as many Test matches and under the guidance of Mike Catt and Andy Farrell, he is rapidly settling in on the major scene. Exposed the poor Scottish defence and consistently made ground and clean breaks, although his handling will need to continue to improve.

Inside centre – Wesley Fofana

Couldn’t quite find his stride in week one against England, but Europe’s number one No 12 was back with a bang against Italy. The centre’s class shone through with an excellent try and creating another which was even more superfluous. Fofana’s performance just about gave him the edge over Jamie Roberts, who also enjoyed a strong afternoon in a lacking Welsh display.

Left wing – Jonny May

Only made eight minutes in Paris but recovered from a broken nose to bring energy and extra dynamism to the England attack. The winger carried extremely well in testing conditions and looked a real menace when he cut inside off the left wing. With Ireland next up for England, at what you expect will be a much dryer Twickenham, elusive runner May could cause significant problems for the opposition.

Fly-half – Johnny Sexton

No changes in the team of the week in the half-backs. Ireland’s dominance up front was only made possible by the peerless game management of Sexton. The Racing Metro No 10 provided a tactical as Ireland outwitted defending champions Wales, especially in the opening 40. We saw more of his dangerous potential on the break this week, while the accuracy of his boot left Wales well and truly pinned back in their own territory.

Scrum-half – Danny Care

More of the same from the England No 9. Continued where he left off against France and opened the England scoring with a typically audacious drop-goal from the right wing. With the England forwards driving into position well, Care provided the perfect set-up for Luther Burrell to race over for his second England try and continually dictated the pace of play for the visitors in Scotland. Care also did his fair share in the defensive ranks, making nine successful tackles.

Loose-head prop – Cian Healy

Another man who makes it in the side for the second week in a row. The Leinster loosehead was again solid in the scrum. The Irish mauling unit set up two tries and troubled Wales throughout the field. Healy led the charge in both the scrum and the maul as Ireland claimed territory and victory over the defending champions in Dublin.

Hooker – Dylan Hartley

Another strong all-round game from the England hooker. Immaculate in the set-pieces and carried the ball well in he loose. Hartley was at the heart of an England pack which squeezed the life out of Scotland. His withdrawal late on in the second half proved telling as Tom Youngs struggled to match the unerring accuracy and dominance at the set-piece. Prior to his substitution on 70 minutes, England had a 100% successful rate from 20 line-outs.

Tight-head prop – Martin Castrogiovanni

Despite falling to an impressive nine-minute spell from France, Italy dominated the French scrum in the first half at the Stade de France. Castro popped his opposite number, Thomas Domingo out of the scrum and provided an excellent work-rate throughout. In his 103^rd international, the Italian prop was the joint-top tackler for his side with 10.

Second row – Paul O’Connell

It was the box office clash of the weekend. Last week’s man in possession, Alun-Wyn Jones against Paul O’Connell in the battle of the locks. Ireland came out on top and it was the talismanic O’Connell enjoyed the better time in the second row. He made a significant difference after missing the opening salvo against Scotland. Instrumental in two catch-and-drive line-outs that led to Ireland’s tries and lifted the intensity of the pack.

Second row – Courtney Lawes

Unlucky not to make it into the side after a brilliant opening weekend. Another dominant display from the Northampton lock, who put his body on the line with great effect throughout. Unbeatable at the line-out and continually hindering Scottish ball. Carried well in the loose and continues to emerge as England’s leading forward, winning 14 line-outs in the Six Nations so far, more than any other player in the tournament.

Blindside flanker – Peter O’Mahony

Man-of-the-match for Ireland against Wales and the man many see as Paul O’Connell successor as national captain. Oozes passion for the jersey and was a dominant figure in defence, getting over the ball and forcing several penalties and turnovers from Wales. Always pumped for the big occasion and did all the dirty work to ensure Ireland raced to a comfortable victory over Wales.

Openside flanker – Chris Henry

Touched down a crucial try for Ireland on the cusp of half-time as their first-half dominance was translated into a 13-0 scoreboard lead. More than capable of deputising in the absence of Sean O’Brien in the flanks, providing an excellent work-rate throughout. The flanker made 11 tackles and combined excellent with Peter O’Mahony and Jamie Heaslip in the Irish back row.

Number eight – Billy Vunipola

Must admit, typing this, I back-tracked twice. A tough call between Vunipola and France’s Louis Picamoles in the engine room. The England No 8 is simply a phenomenal ball-carrier. The human wrecking ball made significant territory against Scotland and broke through the heaviest of traffic jams. Vunipola made the most carries of the weekend, 16, and displayed plenty of flair too, with one offload around the back of a Scottish player which was world class. 

Why not have your say below? Who would make your XV?

 

Six Nations XV of the Week – Round One

The Six Nations returned with a bang as defending champions Wales, France and Ireland all enjoyed Round One victories.

It was a mouth-watering round of action which had it all.

France and England produced one of the most nail-biting Six Nations affairs, eventually edged by the hosts in a cauldron-like Stade de France.

Champions Wales launched their bid for an unprecedented third successive title with victory over Italy; but while the score line appeared heavily in their favour, they were not without scares.

In Sunday’s lone fixture, Ireland made light work of Scotland, with a scintillating second-half performance allowing then to race away in Dublin.

Full-back – Rob Kearney

While Wales’ Leigh Halfpenny did little out of line, scoring 13 of his side’s 23 points, Kearney’s authoritative display edged it for me. The Ireland No 15 produced a tackling masterclass to deny Scotland before giving the hosts breathing space when he seized upon some lax defending to score his side’s third try.

Right wing – Yoann Huget

Although both his tries enjoyed elements of luck, the France winger constantly had the better of England’s Jonny May and Alex Goode. Caught England napping on 30 seconds to score the opener from Jules Plisson’s dink through and took advantage when the fly-half’s ball wrong-footed the visitors for the second. Fast and aggressive throughout.

Outside centre – Michele Campagnaro

You would never guess the 20-year-old was making his tournament debut. A brace against the defending champions. The second, a sensational individual effort, saw the Italian centre intercept Leigh Halfpenny’s pass before racing half the length of the field to touch down.

Inside centre – Jamie Roberts

As Italy tried to force their foot in the door, Roberts led the Welsh resurgence as they diverted attention to the opposite end of the field. After Michele Campagnaro’s second try, Lions back Roberts blasted his way through the Italian defence as Wales mustered an emphatic response. His inside pass was collected by midfield partner Williams for a high-class try that Halfpenny converted to post a 14-point interval lead.

Left wing – Andrew Trimble

A winger that never loses energy or lacks gusto. The Ulster flyer registered his try at a crucial time for Ireland. Scoring just before the break established a firm platform on which to build for the Irish, allowing them to return to the field and run riot over a disarrayed Scottish defence.

Fly-half – Johnny Sexton

It’s been a steady start on the domestic frontier with Racing Metro, yet the fly-half came to live in the emerald green of Ireland. Took his time to get settled initially but when in full swing, Sexton pulled the strings expertly, orchestrating the run of play from the middle.

Scrum-half – Danny Care

Inspired the astonishing England second-half comeback in an intimidating Parisian atmosphere. Lethal on the break and came close to adding a try to his tally. As it was, the Harlequins No 9 had to settle for a fine drop goal as England took the lead for the first time in the match.

Loose-head prop – Cian Healy

Dominated his opposite number Moray Low from the off and proved to be an influential factor in Ireland’s run-away victory. The Leinsterman led the charge in the scrum, and in open play, enjoying a surging run in the loose midway through the second period.

Hooker – Richard Hibbard

Never one shy away from putting his body on the line, Hibbard ensured the Italian threat was duly thwarted with a brave and bold tackling masterclass. When Wales found themselves on the front for, the Ospreys hooker was first to put his hand up and make determined carries.

Tight-head prop – Mike Ross

Enjoyed a domineering afternoon alongside Cian Healy and Rory Best as the Irish scrum exposed gaping holes in the Scotland set-piece. Ryan Grant, Ross Ford and Moray Low appeared all at sea as Ireland thoroughly demolished the Scotland pack both in scrummaging and at the line-out.

Second row – Alun-Wyn Jones

Seven line-out wins. 10 tackles. 15 carries, taking mor territory than any other forward on the opening weekend. A constant beacon of light an indifferent Welsh performance. With Sam Warburton bench for the opener, Jones made the burden of captaincy look featherweight as he marshalled his troops through a potential storm.

Second row – Pascal Pape

Dubbed a “schoolyard bully” by former England forward Simon Shaw ahead of kick-off, the France captain did not fail to live up to his reputation. Pape was on-hand throughout as England’s phase-play looked set to break down the France defence. If anyone was to stop England’s first try, courtesy of Mike Brown, it would have been the spirited Pape after the ‘Quins full-back stepped inside Yoann Huget.

Blindside flanker – Ryan Wilson

The lone shining light in a faltering Scottish pack. With Ireland on-song in Dublin, the Glasgow Warriors loose forward made 13 successful tackles to delay the forthcoming onslaught. In the brief moments of Scottish attack, Wilson drove himself and his side over the gain line twice, but the visitors were unable to muster enough power to cause a Round One upset.

Openside flanker – Chris Robshaw

With England on the back foot, Robshaw stepped to the fore and led the charge, alongside Courtney Lawes, with an element if distinction. Nine carries over the gain line as England strode back into the game and never afraid to take on contact in a bid to gain further territory for his side.

Number eight – Jamie Heaslip

A stellar man-of-the-match performance after being named Ireland captain in the 11th hour following Paul O’Connell’s chest infection. Received a pass from Johnny Sexton to touch down Ireland’s first of the second half after a sublime break from the ruck by the No 10. Continued to lead with distinction throughout as Ireland piled the pressure on Scotland, who were quick to squander possession.

Why not have your say below? Who would make your XV?

The dust is settling…

It has been far too long since my last post here at Sports Lens.

Apologies one and all.

However, following the big climax to the RBS Six Nations this weekend, what better time to get back into the swing of things.

We could wax lyrical for some time about the Welsh recovery or the Italian Job which ended a lacklustre Irish campaign.

Yet it is with a forward thinking mindset this blog is written as I cast my eye over the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.

Warren Gatland will head the selection process for the tour which gets underway in June, but for the coming moments as you read on I lace up in Gatland’s boots to pick my Lions XV.

Full Back:

Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)

Full back is one of the fifteen starting roles which needs little debate. Halfpenny put in some brave shifts in defence whilst topping the points scoring tally for the tournament with 74 to his name. A glimmer of weakness escapes me when looking back on his Six Nations campaign and his performance in the Welsh mauling of England was fantastic.

Right Wing:

George North (Wales)

Anyone stood in a defensive capacity would be justified a little quaking in their boot at hearing North’s name on the team sheet. A pivotal part of an omnipotent Welsh back trio, North has show a combination of agility and brute force to make him a sure fire candidate for a staring jersey come June.

Inside Centre

Manu Tuilagi (England)

A man mountain. No better way to describe this bulldozing centre who is a terror to opposition defences on his day. The midfield is certainly an area which will keep Warren Gatland awake at night by the selection of Tuilagi is definitely a strong option. At the heart of the attack he will attract players, even if he isn’t breaking g through tackles he will create openings for his teammates to seize upon.

Outside Centre:

Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)

Maybe there is no statistical adjudication for this selection. However, I find it impossible to omit the great Irish stalwart. We have seen him make his final appearance in the emerald green but if partnered with Tuilagi in the centre for the Lions the combination could be lethal. Following Saturday’s Rome misery O’Driscoll has been cited for stamping but there is no escaping the talent this man has displayed year in, year out.

Left Wing:

Tim Visser (Scotland)

Having become the first Dutchman to play professional rugby and pledging his allegiances to the Flower of Scotland Visser is rapidly making himself part of the furniture on the international scene. The winger scored two tries including the one which awarded France the dreaded wooden spoon.

Fly Half:

Jonathan Sexton (Ireland)

The Irish number ten spent only 111 minutes in action, yet the quality of performance will almost certainly ensure Sexton appears on Gatland’s drawing board. During his short time on the field Sexton contributed 15 points including three conversions and three penalties. This man sure has the credentials to cause terror down under.

Scrum Half:

Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)

Prior the Six Nations it would have been Mike Phillips taking this slot. However, in an almost unseen fashion Laidlaw has emerged a favourable candidate for the Lions starting XV. When casting eye over the Scottish highlights Laidlaw is ever present. He could well be a Lions number nine after Ben Youngs and Danny Care in England colours have fallen short of supremacy.

Tighthead Prop:

Adam Jones (Wales)

The Welsh scrum has been outstanding in the majority. Jones has been essential to that. His work in controlling the scrummage has been exceptional as Jones continues to develop in a flourishing Welsh outfit. Injury has dampened recent times for Jones but it appears they may well be a distant memory.

Hooker:

Richard Hibbard (Wales)

As mentioned, the Welsh scrum was key to the nation’s eventual defence of the Six Nations. Many would have named Ireland’s Rory Best ahead of the tournament by Hibbard has benefitted from being a part of a championship winning movement. Also produces well in the line out.

Loosehead Prop:

Ryan Grant (Scotland)

Having completed the campaign with a 94.95% tackle ratio Grant is a serious contender for the Lions defence. However the Scot may have black marked his own chances of selection after being sin binned against Ireland when a lack of discipline saw him fail to retreat after a free kick was awarded.

Locks:

Geoff Parling (England)

Now this one could be seen as a wildcard selection but I fancy the work of Parling featuring in the Lions campaign. Throughout the Six Nations he proved the be a controlling and dominant force in the England line out. Meanwhile, off the ball he exhibited a truly dogged work ethic making tackle after tackle when England were under attack.

Jim Hamilton (Scotland)

In the line out Hamilton as unstoppable. He won 11. Stole another four on top of that. If the Lions want assurance and consistency in set piece play them Hamilton could well be the man for the job. The Scot also received the man of the match accolade for his contribution during a 12-8 victory over Ireland at Murrayfield.

Blindisde Flanker:

Tom Wood (England)

Another difficult selection for Gatland here. Kelly Brown and Sean O’Brien run this one to the wire. The latter is possibly superior with ball in hand but Wood’s willingness to cover the hard yards gets him the nod. Wood appears to relish the floor work while his selection would provide extra options in the line out. O’Brien would definitely be an impact coming from the sideline.

Openside Flanker:

Sam Warburton (Wales)

Warburton’s compatriot and England skipper Chris Robshaw will be given due thought by Gatland here. It is however the Welsh captain who takes the position after a consistent tournament proved his demons are well and truly behind him. Almost impeccable at the breakdown and making good territory with ball in hand makes Warburton the stand out favourite to start at number seven.

Number 8:

Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

The Irishman takes the nod ahead of Welsh newcomer Toby Faletau simply on experience at the top level. Heaslip has caps in the locker and has been a constant influence in the Irish set up for a number of years. While Ireland have been far from championship contention Heaslip has done his utmost to drive his nation forward and would be a force at the heart of a Lions XV. The relief of not having captaincy would also free the number eight to concentrate on his game.

On the bench:

Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Gethin Jenkins (Wales), Joe Launchbury (England), Sean O’Brien (ireland), Ben Youngs (England), Owen Farrell (England), Stuart Hogg (Scotland).

There you have my opinion on who should make the cut.

Now it’s your turn, please feel free to get involved with your version of the team below…