Six Nations 2022 - Verdict

And so another Six Nations reaches its conclusion. Plenty of positives for some teams, plenty of negatives for others. Super Saturday delivered up a surprise in Cardiff but was otherwise fairly predictable. Here is what I made of the championship as a whole this year:

FRANCE

Currently the best team in the world and reasonably comfortably so. Excellent set-piece, great at the breakdown, rock solid and aggressive defence and an embarrassment of strike runners to choose from. They were occasionally stretched by England on Saturday but, as with each game they’ve played this tournament, at no stage looked like losing. Worthy champions and World Cup favourites, the scary thing is that there is probably still room for improvement. 

IRELAND

Another team with plenty of credit in the bank. Andy Farrell has fashioned a team very comfortable in its own skin. A few question marks around the scrum aside, Ireland’s cohesive ball-in-hand style of play was more than enough to dispose of all opposition other than the French. Whether the team can get any better, however, remains to be seen and their reliance on an ageing Johnny Sexton has to be a concern. Well worthy of their second place, however.

ENGLAND

More on England later (inevitably) but this was another hugely disappointing Six Nations campaign. Eddie may insist that his team are heading in the right direction, but there is little evidence of what that direction might be. A third place behind two very good teams is no disgrace, but 2 wins out of 5 for the second year running certainly is.

SCOTLAND

Shambolic. How can a team so assured in the opening game against England end up on the final day being dismantled by Ireland, after having to discipline 6 players, including skipper Stuart Hogg and fly half Finn Russell, for breaching team protocols by going for an unsanctioned night out in Edinburgh the previous week.  Scotland’s talented squad is being undermined by a lack of professionalism amongst its ranks which is being reflected in its on-field performances. 

WALES

Fifth in 2020, Champions in 2021 and fifth again in 2022. I’ve read plenty of comments suggesting that the malaise in Welsh rugby runs deep, but there’s enough ability and nous in the national team to expect a better outcome than this. I always had a feeling that the team selection for the Italy game was complacent and overly-sentimental and so it proved. Dan Biggar suggested after the game that it might have been the last chance for some players, but Wayne Pivac’s performance as head coach should also come under scrutiny.

ITALY

FORZA ITALIA!! Another Wooden Spoon, perhaps, but finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. The Azzurri’s victory in Cardiff was a deserved reward for a campaign that, right from the very beginning against France, was characterised by grit and determination, to which some magic – in the form of the dancing feet of Ange Capuozzo - has now been added. With the Italian Under 20s also going well this year the future looks brighter for Italy and talk of relegation can probably be put on hold for a while yet.

Team of the tournament to follow later, but here’s my team of Round 5:

15. Ange Capuozzo 14. Edoardo Padovani 13. Jonathan Danty 12. Gael Fickou 11. Monty Ioane 10. Johnny Sexton 9. Antione Dupont 1. Danilo Fischetti 2. Dan Sheehan 3. Uini Atonio 4. Cameron Woki 5. Paul Willemse 6. Michele Lamaro 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Gregory Alldritt

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was