Round two of the Six Nations delivered a mix of slumps and surprises, cards and chaos, with France remaining the only team with aspirations for a Grand Slam.
Victories for Les Bleus, Ireland, and Scotland caused shifts in the standings and altered the pressure on various coaches.
– Six Nations power rankings: England falls, but by how much?
– England must move on from Scotland loss as Ireland looms
Here are the key discussion points leading into round three.
Frustrated England must respond against Ireland
Are we back to square one? Or was the defeat to Scotland merely an atypical setback in England’s ongoing development?
Emotionally, England appeared off their game on Saturday. Scotland elevated their emotional intensity significantly compared to England. This allowed them to carry additional momentum into tackles, leap higher to secure the ball from contestable kicks, and make smart decisions at crucial moments. Scotland’s strategy of spreading the play was not novel—it has been their approach against England, focusing on that 15-meter channel.
Hamilton: Exceptional Scotland demonstrate why the Calcutta Cup defies logic
Nonetheless, England was unable to prevent Scotland from inflicting yet another painful defeat north of the border.
We are entering another pivotal week in Steve Borthwick’s tenure.
England had been performing well—12 consecutive wins and showcasing attacking creativity and intent rarely seen from them. Despite missing key players, they convincingly defeated Wales and were optimistic about reclaiming the Calcutta Cup and overcoming their Murrayfield struggles. Instead, they are left to recover with Ireland on the horizon.
They must rediscover the precision displayed in the autumn. England can triumph over Ireland next weekend, but they need to achieve the right emotional mindset to fulfill their potential. They must return to contesting breakdowns with greater intensity, pursuing loose kicks with increased urgency, and attacking with more energy and enthusiasm.
Only then will we determine if the Scotland loss was a mere blip or a significant setback.
Wales’ fans’ indifference should alarm WRU
Wales suffered another defeat, with the opposition surpassing the 50-point mark.
This marks the fourth instance in Cardiff in as many matches, and France left opportunities unconverted in their 54-12 victory. Les Bleus exploited Wales’ narrow defense, with the impressive Matthieu Jalibert finding players on the wings to score, but Wales also contributed to their own demise by conceding eight tries.
France’s fourth try just before halftime was alarmingly easy—Adam Beard’s poorly judged kick allowed France to capitalize, with Jalibert scoring. It resembled something you might witness at a local amateur rugby match.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy must prioritize returning to his strengths: defense. The attack can be addressed later. Wales’ defensive structure is fragile; they need to establish solid foundations, or the trend of conceding high scores will persist.
Captain Dewi Lake expressed that Wales are in a phase of development, but while their losing streak should concern the WRU, the indifference in the stands is even more troubling.
The match against France attracted Wales’ lowest attendance in the Six Nations—only 57,744—surpassing the previous record low of 58,349 against Italy in 2002.
This reflects the current state of affairs in Wales. Not long ago, securing a ticket to watch Wales was nearly impossible—the Principality would be filled to capacity well before kickoff, creating an unparalleled atmosphere in world rugby. However, that is no longer the case.
The Welsh public is growing weary of ongoing failures and ineffective administration, especially with the Ospreys facing potential extinction. It will require significant effort to regain their support.
The Ireland fly-half debate continues
The applause that greeted Jack Crowley’s entry in the 56th minute was among the loudest sounds heard in Dublin on Saturday. Once again, Andy Farrell opted for Sam Prendergast to start, with Crowley coming on later. This decision once more divided opinions.
However, Farrell is becoming weary of the ongoing discussion and the perceived need to commit to either Prendergast or Crowley. While it is a natural consequence of following in the footsteps of the legendary Johnny Sexton, he recognizes it is beginning to affect the players.
Crowley performed well against Italy, while Prendergast struggled with his kicking. This led to more social media commentary, much to Farrell’s frustration.
Referring to “keyboard warriors,” Farrell stated: “I think people need to ask themselves, really, sometimes, ‘Are we Irish? Do we want people to do well or not?'” Farrell told reporters after the match. “Because, it can be tough for these kids, like, you know? I’ve seen it, to-ing and fro-ing with both of them, and both of them are strong characters.
“It takes a lot to break kids like that. But I’ve seen it affect people, you know? So the keyboard warriors on Twitter, or whatever you call it now, need to wake up and try and support these kids.”
Farrell faces a selection dilemma as they prepare for their trip to Twickenham next weekend, but he would have been pleased with the performances of Cormac Izuchukwu and Robert Baloucoune against Italy.
On another occasion, Italy could have and likely should have defeated Ireland. The talented Tommaso Menoncello had a chance to score under the posts in the 70th minute, but the ball bounced awkwardly—this try would have leveled the match—while they also faced a contentious decision when Louis Lynagh’s try was disallowed for a forward pass from Menoncello.
Italy dominated Ireland in the scrum, with one set-piece even lifting the formidable Tadhg Furlong into the air. England will target this aspect on Saturday—the scrum was one of the few areas where they excelled at Murrayfield. Discussions about Irish fly-halves will dominate the week, but it is the fundamental aspects that could hinder them on Saturday.
