The 2025 Six Nations continued in round three as Ireland beat a spirited Wales side in Cardiff, England edged past Scotland by a single point and France smashed Italy.
There’s plenty of food for thought, but are those reactions irrational or legitimate? ESPN Senior Writer Tom Hamilton gives his takes.
Jump to:
England | Ireland | Wales
Scotland | France | Italy
Steve Borthwick’s side are two from two in the Six Nations, after one-point wins over France and Scotland, but are they now ready to challenge with the best? Their erratic attack on Saturday may say otherwise.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Borthwick is adamant England are on the verge of being a world-class side. That’s fair enough, and you can see where he’s coming from. For so long they have promised much, but just fallen short. But you sense the tide is turning a little now. England are improving and are getting the wins to back that up.
However, their attack remains a work in progress. While luck is smiling on the moment — and they’ve earnt that after their narrow defeats last year — their attack still has room for growth. Against Scotland they preferred to kick in their own half, looked to box kicks and resorted to blunt force and gradual gains. England scored one try to Scotland’s three, and that was fortunate given there was scant proof of Tommy Freeman grounding the ball. The sheepish grin he gave afterwards when asked if he managed to get the ball down spoke volumes.
The boos England received from their own fans in the second half were harsh on another box kick, but also a sign of the precarious relationship between fan and team. But how wonderful it’d be to see them marry the more expansive style we’ve seen in the past (admittedly one with the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso) with their aggressive defence, and still get across the line.
England are making progress under Borthwick, but maximising their attack’s potential has been a decade-long struggle. Getting the best out of their array of talent, marshalled by the brilliant Fin Smith, is the next step for this group.
The Ireland fly-half put in another age-defying performance for his country on Saturday. He’s now the favourite to get the keys to No.10 for the tourists this summer.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION, but things will change weekend on weekend.
A couple of months ago, if you’d stood outside Twickenham, the Principality Stadium, the Aviva or Murrayfield and asked 100 fans who’s going to be the British & Irish Lions fly-half, then roughly 80% of the answers would’ve been Finn Russell. He was, and potentially still is, the favourite to start at fly-half in the summer on their tour of Australia. But things are shifting, and Prendergast is now in the box seat.
This is no slight on Russell — for me, he’s still the premier No.10 in the northern hemisphere — but you can see how Andy Farrell’s logic may work here. Jamison Gibson-Park will be scrum-half, and the likelihood is, Bundee Aki will be at No.12. So who do you want to bring that axis together? Well, Prendergast.
Ahead of his Six Nations debut against England in round one, there were a few doubts over his temperament. He plays for an incredibly successful Leinster team; more often than not, he has an armchair ride there. Starring at fly-half for Ireland was meant to be a firm test of his mettle. But he’s passed all three tests so far with flying colours.
He was fantastic again in Cardiff on Saturday, hit a 50:22 to die for, kicked well under pressure and it was his composure which helped Ireland home against a spirited Welsh side. Expect the fly-half debate to change every weekend until that first Lions Test, but right now, Prendergast is in the box seat. Until next weekend, anyway.
Wales looked much improved against Ireland, and surely given the work Sherratt has done since he came in on an interim basis means he’s perfect for the job?
Verdict: OVERREACTION
Wales showed far more attacking fluidity against Ireland on Saturday, and but for the contentious call on Ellis Mee’s non-try — where he was deemed to have knocked the ball on — and the increasingly frustrating 20-minute red cards, they could’ve won.
When is a red card, not a red card? Well rugby’s managed to twist itself in knots over that. Garry Ringrose’s hit on Ben Thomas was a red card all day long, yet Ireland only had to play with 14 men for 20 minutes. On came Bundee Aki and he changed the match.
Wales set a new record for their most consecutive losses in the Six Nations, after defeat to Ireland in a hard-fought encounter.
But Wales showed improvement. Sherratt has achieved a huge amount in the week or so he’s had in the hottest of seats, but the calls for him to be anointed Warren Gatland‘s successor with immediate effect are premature. Sherratt has already said the job is coming too soon in his coaching career. Wales could yet land a coach with the pedigree of Michael Cheika, Franco Smith or Simon Easterby.
It’s time for Wales to pause and take stock, rather than go kneejerk. Sherratt is clearly a fine coach, and the word from the camp is he is incredibly popular with the players, but all of Welsh rugby needs to listen to what he himself is saying. But it could be that eventually, the calls become too loud and he answers his country’s call.
Scotland are one from three in the Six Nations. They’re hamstrung by injuries, but this is another disappointing championship from Gregor Townsend‘s side.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Townsend will know this full well: Scotland have disappointed in this Six Nations. There are plenty of caveats, though, which need to be mentioned. This is a Scotland team without several key players, including the monumental Sione Tuipulotu, while they missed Darcy Graham against England on Saturday. But a return of one win from three, in a championship that promised so much, is a poor return. Something needs to change with Scotland, they’re simply not getting the returns which this talented group deserve.
Their lack of depth is a problem — and that’s not Townsend’s fault. That tight-head Zander Fagerson went 74 minutes on Saturday is a stark reminder of how they are struggling to find like-for-like replacements on their bench. And you won’t see another match where the brilliant Finn Russell struggled from the tee like he did against England.
They were poor against Ireland and unlucky against England, but the story of Scotland underperforming when the pressure is telling is far too common.
France scored 11 tries against Italy, and smashed all sorts of records in the process. But they’ll need to be even better to beat Ireland.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
France were utterly ruthless against Italy. What was potentially a tricky trip to Italy ended up being a jaunt in Rome. They scored 11 tries, Antoine Dupont was again astonishing, and all is well in France again after their careless defeat to England in round two. But still, you can’t help but feel they’re going to have to improve further if they are to wrestle the title back in their favour when they head to Dublin in round four. Ireland’s match with France on March 8 will end up being the match of this year’s championship, but Les Bleus will need to rethink and refine their gameplan for Ireland.
Take a look at the record breaking numbers from France’s 73-24 win vs. Italy in the Six Nations.
This was bottled aggression unleashed against Italy. Fabien Galthié was clearly furious with their 26-25 defeat to England and gave his team a rocket. Your perspective of their 73-24 win over Italy depends on where your allegiances lie: were France incredible? Or were Italy terrible? It was a bit of both. But Ireland will be another level to anything they’ve faced in the Six Nations so far. They’ll need everything to click to win in Dublin.
England will give Italy’s capitulation against France little credence. They’ll be nervous about Italy’s thrilling backline, and punch in the pack.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Italy have been a disappointment in this year’s Six Nations. They came into the championship promising so much, on the 25th anniversary of their first appearance in the Six Nations. But they were poor against Scotland, did enough to get past a dismal Wales team, and then fell apart against France. It’s a far too familiar a story.
But do not rule out them causing England all sorts of difficulty in a fortnight. Their centre partnership can rival any in world rugby, and if they find a way to get morale up, and their intensity back, then they can channel their wounded pride into a potentially historical performance at Twickenham on March 9.
Italy have never beaten England, and achieving that is the only way they can turn this championship into a positive tournament. England will be favourites, but don’t for one minute think Borthwick’s side will be underestimating Italy.
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Source: espn.com