Ireland strikes a great blow of entry. By winning widely in Wales (34-10), Saturday February 4, at the opening of the 2023 Six Nations Tournament, the XV of Clover confirmed its status as favorite, which it shares with the France team. Opposed, Sunday, to Italy (4 p.m.), the Blues are warned before moving to Dublin, Saturday February 11.
At the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Andy Farrell’s men impressed as much as they highlighted the shortcomings of the Welsh team, aging and already penultimate in the 2022 edition standings.
The latter will certainly find grounds for hope in her second period. Less porous in defense, more threatening offensively, like the try scored on the return from the locker room by Liam Williams (27-10, 46th), Warren Gatland’s players however started from too far to hope to overthrow Ireland, first nation in the world.
Irish power
Because hardly had the echo of Land of my fathers, the vibrant Welsh anthem, fallen than the Irish had already scored their first points. We had only been playing for two minutes when Caelan Doris scored the first try of the match, imposing his power up close to put the Welsh defense on their heels (7-0, 3rd). The Irish advance in the opposing camp will also have been the theme of the start of the match. James Ryan also scored strongly to double the lead (14-0, 10th).
Even when the Leek XV tried to rebel, it was punished by Irish efficiency. James Lowe’s third try is the result of an interception on his 22-meter line to flatten 80 meters further (24-3, 22nd). Author of the fatal ball loss, Dan Biggar got tangled up again less than 5 meters from the Irish in-goal (24th) before the visitors’ defense saved another attempt on his line. try (37th). As a symbol of Welsh impotence.
Too imprecise and undisciplined, the Welsh never managed to come close to the height of the Irish. On the contrary, they even gave in once again, victims of their numerical inferiority following the yellow card of Liam Williams (66th). Josh van der Flier’s try offers an offensive bonus to Ireland (34-10, 73rd).
The defeated English
England-Scotland, the other meeting of the day, was played in the late afternoon at Twickenham Stadium in London. The 80,000 spectators present all came with the same question in mind: Steve Borthwick, 43, brand new coach of the XV de la Rose, has he already managed to put the English back on the path to success?
A first element of response was given in the 15th minute, by the Scots, who opened the scoring thanks to their back, Huw Jones, receiving a low kick from the scrum half, Ben White. In the 24th, the English react in the same way, Max Malins flattening in the in-goal a ball sent to the foot, but this time in the air, by the opener, Marcus Smith.
Borthwick, the successor to Australia’s Eddie Jones in charge of England, will have learned something essential for his debut in the Six Nations Championship: his defense can be very permeable, especially against an inspired player. In the 29th minute of the game, Scottish winger Van der Merwe proved it by crossing half the pitch alone, chaining hooks and accelerations, to score his team’s second try.
Ahead on the scoreboard (5-12), the XV du Chardon then slowed down at the end of the first period. More inspired, more skilful collectively, the English nevertheless returned to the locker room with a lead (13-12), thanks to a new try from Max Malins and a penalty scored by Owen Farrell, the English captain.
In the second half, the XV of the Rose increases its advantage from the first minutes thanks to a try from the pillar Ellis Genge, transformed by Farrel (20-12, 48th). But four minutes later, the Scots picked up the score (20-19), thanks to a try from scrum-half Ben White. In this meeting resembling boxing matches, the two teams will then go blow for blow. A penalty from Farrell (23-19, 65th) responds to a penalty from the Scotsman Finn Russell (23-22, 69th). Then the K.-O. final is released in the 75th, by the three-quarter Duhan Van der Merwe, who once again deceives the English defense thanks to a skilful and powerful slalom (23-29). For the English and Steve Borthwick, their new boss, it’s the coup de grace.
At the end of this first Saturday of the Six Nations Tournament, the Irish and the Scots occupy the first two places in the classification, with five points, the “tariff” applied to those who impose themselves by registering at least four tries. France, which faces Italy on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Rome, now knows its roadmap to stay in contact with the leaders.
