England vs Wales
The Twickenam match is enthralling right from the pre-match reading. The history between these two teams dates back to the first rugby ball, but it is recent history that puts pure adrenaline into this meeting. The two met in the same stadium during the group stage of last World Cup, which was supposed to be England's home run to the title. And which instead stopped right in Twickenam, in the first phase, precisely because of the Cardiff red dragons.
In short, there was a grudge, a well-motivated desire for revenge. It's easy to imagine how these things go. In the first twenty minutes, Wales had to hold back their English cousins with five fouls – many, too many – which earned 9 points from the foot of an infallible Farrel. Shortly after, they also exploited 70% ball possession as well as territorial possession, scoring goals thanks to the very young Itoge – future captain of this England team – for the goal of the other boy on the wing, Watson. Out of the first forty the scoreboard scores 16 to 0 for the hosts.
In the second half, things didn't change and the English took 25 points, again thanks to Welsh indiscipline. The guests, however, shorten the distance by going to goal and then shortening again with a placement. The match stalled at 25 to 10 for the hosts until the 65th minute when the dragons charged first with the North wing, then with the No. 8 Faletau, arriving just 4 points from the red roses. The ghosts of that distant world September menacingly appear among the English ranks who, however, with a pinch of luck and with the clock on their side, bring home the result by taking refuge in the touchouts when time is up.
Eddie Jones' men are now the favorites to win the final, in the fast lane for the Grand Slam. Both results will be played out next week, against their usual opponent, those French protagonists of an exponential growth that few would have expected.
Scotland vs France
The hosts in kilts have nothing to gain from a possible victory and therefore also nothing to lose. The Rooster guests, on the contrary, are playing the possibility of staying in the running for the victory of the Tournament. Indeed, if France win, they will face top-placed England by just two points – meaning that if the French also manage to defeat England next week, the trophy will be awarded on points difference.
Scotland play at Murrayfield and it's never been a walk in the park for anyone, so the game is real. There are no cookies in rugby. Both play a beautiful rugby, the Scottish one is more solid and organized, the French one is more spectacular but fragile. The first five minutes are for the guests who immediately mark in goal, and then give all possession to the Scots who take the lead first with two goals and then extend in goal with the phenomenon Hogg. At the end of the first forty, however, the roosters return over the posts with the young Fikou.
In the second half, France still shortened, reaching three points behind after a long but not very fertile siege on the Scottish defence. The bagpipes, however, took over the game again and closed the match with a splendid invention by the usual Hogg – awarded man of the match – who serves the oval for the dive in goal of his partner on the wing.
France, therefore, fails in the goal of going to play a final of the 6Nations against England, delivering the trophy a week early. However, the Grand Slam is still at stake, i.e. the prize for winning the tournament by winning all the matches. At stake is not only glory – which the English have been missing for thirteen years – but also a million pounds. Therefore, there is no shortage of ingredients for a captivating finale and next Saturday will be a historic day first for English and then for European rugby.
Ireland vs Italy
The Aviva Stadium in Dublin hosted the match between disappointing Ireland, in the midst of an identity crisis and looking for a viable path – after three defeats and a draw in the last four matches – and Italy which, as usual, it has nothing to lose and everything to prove.
If the first five minutes see the Azzurri push well beyond the green lines, a mistake by winger Sarto gives an easy first Irish try which is immediately followed by three more in the opening 40 minutes. The first half ends with a heavy 27 to 3. Heavy absences due to injuries in key roles, such as those on the front line and in the midfield – which force us to assemble between 9 and 10 of very young age and which has on the legs only a handful of minutes played together.
The second half begins as the first half ended. She rained goals on the shoulders of the increasingly demoralized blues, with the elves who do nothing but bring home their homework. A little homework which, however, already yielded 51 points in the seventieth minute, soiled only by the young Odiete by a nice blue multi-phase – the only one in the whole match, on both sides. Towards the end Sarto redeems the bad mistake at the start of the game passing between the frayed Irish defense, which responds with a 16-phase action for McFadden's flight to try, which signs the final result on 58 to 15.
Inexperience and disillusionment among the Italians combined with little desire to work harder than necessary on the part of the Irish, give the Dublin public a bad and boring match, without surprises and with very little entertainment.
