England march on in their quest for a first Grand Slam since 2003, after a 21-10 win over Ireland at Twickenham. A first half short on quality was dominated by the home side, but they couldn't find a way past a dogged Irish rearguard...
Italy vs. Scotland: Score and Reaction from 2016 Six Nations Round 3
Feb 27, 2016
Scotland’s John Hardie, second from right, celebrates after scoring during a Six Nations rugby union international match between Italy and Scotland, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Scotland ended their Six Nations winless streak with a 36-20 triumph over Italy on Saturday, their first win in the competition in two years, per BBC Sport's Aimee Lewis.
Greig Laidlaw's boot gave the visitors no less than 19 points, while John Barclay and John Hardie scored early tries to gave the Scots the lead. Leonardo Ghiraldini scored the first try for the hosts, and Kelly Haimona's boot kept things close before half-time.
Marco Fuser added some late excitement after Finn Russell was sin-binned, but Tommy Seymour secured the win with a late try. WP Nel was also sin-binned in the final minutes.
As reported by the Guardian's Gerard Meagher, Laidlaw called on his team-mates to finally break their Six Nations losing streak:
We are frustrated [after the first two weeks] but if we focus on trying to play well and getting the most out of each other that’s what is going to get us over the line. We have to simply concentrate on the 80 minutes that’s in front of us, do one thing well, move on to the next job and do that well and then we’ll get the right result. We need to look after the ball, we need to carry strong and keep speed in the play. If we do that we’ll get on the right side of the referee and we’ll be in a strong position.
The Scots seemed eager to move up the pitch from the opening kick, forcing a put-in at the scrum from the halfway line almost immediately. Italy's scrum has looked very capable so far in the Six Nations, but the Scots dealt with it well early.
Russell missed a kick to touch, handing Italy excellent field position, and after John Barkley failed to release, Haimona kicked the penalty for the first points of the match.
Barclay gave the visitors the lead almost immediately after, however, powering his way over the line after a clever offload from Stuart Hogg. Rugby World was impressed:
TRY! Good continuity, Hogg draws two tacklers and pops it up for Barclay who scores #ITAvSCO
Scotland now pushed forward in search of a second try, and the Azzurri had no answer for their fast, smart passing game. Russell made some space with some clever footwork before the ball was worked outside to Hardie, who dove over. Another conversion from Laidlaw made it 14-3.
A poor kick from David Odiete gave the Scots possession in a promising position once again, but a needless penalty saw the advantage go to waste. Mental errors continued to cost Italy, and Edoardo Gori failure to roll away at the breakdown gave the Scots another penalty and three more points.
But as the first half wore down, the hosts started claiming more and more momentum. First, Ghiraldini finished off a nice team move to bring the deficit back to just seven points, per Rugby Mag:
Try Italy! Scotland caught short out wide, Garcia draws two tacklers after a fine pass from Odiete and Ghiraldini goes over #ITAvSCO
Laidlaw then missed his first kick of the match, keeping the difference at just seven points between the two teams heading into half-time. Scotland dominated the first half, and the fact the deficit at half-time was just a single converted try had to be disappointing for the visitors.
Scotland's scrum continued to beat the Italians' early in the second half, and another Azzurri penalty gave Laidlaw the chance to redeem himself, pushing the lead out to 10 points.
Haimona easily slotted a penalty over the posts to bring his team back within seven points, but referee Jaco Peyper penalised the hosts for holding on shortly after, allowing Laidlaw to add three more points to his tally.
Francesco Minto then left his feet in the ruck, as more errors plagued the hosts, and Laidlaw kept taking advantage. But just as the momentum started to drop from the match, Peyper gave Russell a yellow card for handling in the ruck, and Fuser scored a try almost immediately after.
Per Agence France-Presse's Justin Davis, it took the hosts almost no time to use the man-advantage:
Scotland were desperate for something positive while Russell spent his 10 minutes in the sin bin, and yet another error from the hosts gave Laidlaw the chance to push the lead back to nine points.
The Azzurri weren't willing to give up just yet, however, and led by Sergio Parisse, they pushed the Scots back into their own half entering the final 10 minutes. Michele Campagnaro tried to recover a chip, but Laidlaw put the cherry on top of his excellent afternoon with a wonderful clearance.
The Scots kept possession as much as possible in the final minutes, killing any hopes of a comeback. Nel's late yellow card gave the Azzurri some unexpected life, but Seymour touched down after a smart flick from Hogg to put the final score on the board.
With their first win now on the board, Scotland will host the in-form France squad at Murrayfield in Week 4. Italy will travel to take on defending champions Ireland.
Without a point to show between them, Italy and Scotland will collide in Rome on Saturday hoping to move up the 2016 RBS Six Nations standings and away from Wooden Spoon contention...
England vs. Ireland: Date, Live Stream, TV Info and Six Nations 2016 Preview
Feb 26, 2016
England’s Jonathan Joseph, second right, is greeted by teammates after scoring his second try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Italy and England, in Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Ireland's hopes of a third successive Six Nations championship win may be all but shattered after a draw and a loss in their opening two matches, but they'll be desperate to earn their first victory of the 2016 campaign when they face England at Twickenham on Saturday.
As for Eddie Jones' side, after two wins from two, they'll be looking to further consolidate their position at the top of the standings and maintain hopes of not only winning the competition for the first time since 2011 but also seeing out the Grand Slam.
The match is shaping up to be a typically fiery contest between the two sides, so it's not to be missed. To that end, here are the viewing details you need to catch the action, followed by a closer look at the match:
Fitness will play a large part in determining Joe Schmidt's Ireland squad to face England, with the return of Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Keith Earls and Simon Zebo counterbalanced by tournament-ending injuries suffered by Dave Kearney, Sean O'Brien and Mike McCarthy in the defeat to France, per Tom Cary of the Telegraph.
PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 13: Conor Murray of Ireland in action during the RBS 6 Nations match between France and Ireland at Stade de France on February 13, 2016 in Saint-Denis nearby Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Per Cary, Ireland's Conor Murray has admitted his team-mates have a "fear factor" about playing England at Twickenham, having not won there since 2010. He said:
England away, especially, is a huge task; there is a fear factor among players about going there. I have never won there and there are a lot of players in the squad who have never won there, but we have come close.
[...]
If you take your eye off the ball, if you go over to England and you’re not prepared they could really give you a hammering. So we’re really focused on going over and performing. That’s not a line we’re told to say, it is actually that tough to go over there and perform.
Further compounding matters is Ireland's difficult start to their 2016 campaign, after being held to a 16-16 draw at home to Wales before slipping to a 10-9 defeat in Paris.
As Opta Jonny revealed, the Irish have twice taken a half-time lead but on both occasions lacked the resilience needed to hold on:
FT Italy 9-40 England. 5 tries for England, none conceded. Defence sound, bench impact excellent. The rest still needs a bit of a polish.
Meanwhile, England have played two of their three away matches and won both, and they come into this game on the back of an impressive performance against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico, where they won 40-9.
Alex Spink of the Daily Mirror ran the rule over England in Rome:
FT Italy 9-40 England. 5 tries for England, none conceded. Defence sound, bench impact excellent. The rest still needs a bit of a polish.
Indeed, they are the only nation not to concede a try thus far, and their convincing attacking display against Italy means their seven tries scored is comfortably the best tally of any side.
Per BBC Sport, Elliot Daly has been included in England's squad and could make his debut for Jones' side. Team-mate Mike Brown is excited by the inclusion of the 23-year-old:
"He's come in full of energy, he's a great lad on and off the field. He's been a brilliant player in the Premiership, so it will be interesting to see how he makes the next step up," he told Chris Jones of BBC Sport.
Should Ireland be stifled by the fear factor Murray alluded to, the freedom and dynamism Daly might bring, even off the bench, could make a real difference for the hosts.
If the visitors are to earn their first win of the campaign, they'll need to not only put in a much stronger performance than they have previously but also display the mental fortitude they've lacked. If not, they could find themselves on the receiving end of a comprehensive beating.
Six Nations 2016: Schedule, Kick-off Times, TV and Live Stream Info for Round 3
Feb 26, 2016
Wales' Sam Warburton, left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring a try during the Six Nations Rugby match between Italy and Wales at the Rome Olympic Stadium Saturday, March 21, 2015. Wales unleashed a stunning seven-try second half to crush Italy 61-20 at Stadio Olimpico. (AP Photo/Ettore Ferrari, Ansa)
There's more key action in the 2016 Six Nations in Round 3 as second-placed France take on third-placed Wales in Cardiff—a crunch clash that could determine England's main rivals for the championship.
As for table-toppers England, they can end Ireland's slim hopes of winning a third consecutive Six Nations title if they inflict defeat upon them at Twickenham on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Scotland and Italy will face off in Rome as both sides look to earn their first points of the campaign and avoid the unenviable wooden spoon.
Here is the full schedule for Round 3 complete with viewing information:
Wales have made three changes to the side that beat Scotland in their last outing, with BBC Sport reporting Jonathan Davies retains his starting berth after making a successful recovery from a hip injury he suffered against the Scots in Cardiff.
Scotland's centre Mark Bennett is tacked by Wales' centre Jonathan Davies during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Wales and Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, south Wales, on February 13, 2016. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS / RES
Luke Charteris will be absent, though, with Bradley Davies coming in to replace him, while Alex Cuthbert and Dan Lydiate come in for Tom James and Justin Tipuric, respectively.
A win for either Wales or France will see them put early pressure on England by leapfrogging them in the standings, and Wales coach Warren Gatland is hoping to see his side extend their impressive run of form.
Per BBC Sport, he said: "It's set to be another huge Six Nations weekend. France come to Cardiff unbeaten in the campaign so far and impressing under Guy [Noves]. We are looking to continue our unbeaten run and will be looking for another step up after the victory over Scotland."
Indeed, as Opta Jonny revealed, Wales are enjoying their best spell in six years, stretching back to their 2015 Six Nations campaign:
6 - @WelshRugbyUnion are unbeaten in their last 6 @rbs_6_nations games (W5 D1), their best run since winning 8 in a row between 07-09. Run.
Rugby journalist Simon Thomas believes Wales are strong all over the pitch—with the exception of the breakdown, which he highlighted as a particular weakness following their victory over Scotland:
What could work in Wales' favour is that France may struggle to take advantage at the breakdown, as they have already conceded 32 turnovers, according to the tournament's official website—only Scotland have more with 33.
The match could be decided by which team can retain more composure at the breakdown, with both sides facing difficulties in that department.
Despite the French winning both of their matches, rugby writer Gavin Mortimer has been left unimpressed by what he's seen thus far and believes they could be in for a long night at the Principality Stadium:
Because France have been truly appalling in their opening two matches. 62 mins before they set foot in the Ireland 22 on Saturday
Indeed, they were run extremely close by both Italy and Ireland at home, so against a strong Wales side in Cardiff, they'll need to put in a much-improved showing to walk away with a positive result.
Six Nations 2016: Fixture Info, Team News and Players to Watch for Round 3
Feb 25, 2016
France's Maxime Medard, center, is tackled by Ireland's Mike McCarthy, left, and Ireland's Nathan Whiteduring a Six Nations tournament Rugby match, France against Ireland at Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, Saturday Feb. 13, 2016. France won 10-9. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Round 3 of the 2016 RBS Six Nations Championship sees unbeaten table-toppers England face Ireland, with tournament favourites Wales hosting France and the winless duo of Italy and Scotland coming face-to-face in Rome.
England and France remain the only two sides left in the competition with perfect records, with Eddie Jones' side leading the way by a superior points difference of plus-34 to their nearest challengers.
Both sides find stiff opposition standing in their way in the third round of matches. Here is the full schedule for this weekend's action (all times GMT):
Date
Time
Match
Location
Friday, February 26
20:05
Wales vs. France
Principality Stadium, Wales
Saturday, February 27
14:25
Italy vs. Scotland
Stadio Olympico, Rome
Saturday, February 27
16:50
England vs. Ireland
Twickenham Stadium, London
Team News
There have been slight alterations in the Wales camp over the past few days as head coach Warren Gatland tinkers with his squad following pre-game fitness tests.
Per BBC Sport, Jonathan Davies has been passed fit for Friday's match with France, while winger Alex Cuthbert has been recalled alongside forwards Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies.
Davies has regained his fitness after shaking off a hip injury he suffered in the 27-23 win over Scotland, as Cuthbert replaces Tom James. Lydiate returns at blindside flanker, with Davies in for injured lock Luke Charteris, who is out with a knee injury.
For their opponents, coach Guy Noves has made five changes to his team for the contest, with Maxime Machenaud returning at scrum-half. Twenty-six-year-old winger Djibril Camara is set for his debut with injury keeping Teddy Thomas away from action.
Elsewhere, Rabah Slimani comes in at prop, Paul Jedrasiak is drafted in at lock and Antoine Burban is on the flank, per a separate piece from BBC Sport.
On Saturday, Italy play host to Scotland in the capital. As noted on the RBS Six Nations website, the hosts face a race against time to confirm the condition of fly-half Carlo Canna.
Marco Fuser and Alessandro Zanni should be fit for game three, while Michele Campagnaro and Josh Furno have also joined the squad.
Take a look at how Jacques Brunel's side fared when they came up against England in Round 2 on Valentine's Day:
Meanwhile for the Scots, flanker Blair Cowan (concussion) and winger Sean Maitland (thigh) will both miss out, with Alex Allan, Chris Fusaro and Pat MacArthur also withdrawals, per Sky Sports' Michael Kelleher.
Vern Cotter's squad has been trimmed by six further players as Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Rob Harley, Josh Strauss, Grayson Hart and Duncan Weir were released back to their club side Glasgow Warriors due to their clash with Newport Dragons in the Guinness Pro12, per Sky Sports.
For England, the big news is that Maro Itoje will make his first international start by replacing the injured Joe Launchbury. In the only other change from last week's win, Joe Marler swaps places with Mako Vunipola.
Per Sean Flynn of SportsNewsIreland, uncapped lock Ultan Dillane is set to also be handed his Ireland debut in the game at Twickenham, with the 22-year-old Connacht player being drafted into Joe Schmidt's plans.
Itoje Handed Time to Shine
Itoje is widely thought of as England’s most exciting prospect in recent memory, with some onlookers claiming it is already time for him to be handed the captain’s armband, despite collecting just a solitary cap, per Hugh Godwin of the Independent.
BAGSHOT, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: Maro Itoje passes the ball during the England training session held at Pennyhill Park on February 23, 2016 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
The flanker will make his first England start in the place of Launchbury, who was ruled out of the clash with Ireland owing to a hamstring injury he picked up in training. Itoje will start alongside club team-mate George Kruis in the second row.
Energetic, physically intimidating, enthusiastic in battle and a vocal communicator, the Saracens starlet appears to possess all the necessary attributes to thrive in this year’s competition following a string of fine individual performances in the Premiership.
Itoje made a keen impression when he came on for his international debut at blindside flanker against Italy in place of Chris Robshaw.
Due to Launchbury's absence, Courtney Lawes has been called up to Eddie Jones’ squad. However, Itoje has done enough to impress and earn his first start in Round 3 at Twickenham.
The youngster took to Twitter to celebrate making his first appearance for England:
Per the Guardian's James Riach, Itoje—just 21 years old and measuring 6'5"—has been named "the chosen one" by some team-mates due to his instant success on the domestic and international stage, and he has been backed by England forwards coach Steve Borthwick to flourish next time out.
Per Sam Peters of the Daily Mail, Borthwick said: "It's a competitive position right now, and that's a good thing. We've got a mixture of players there with different levels of experience.
"That's a really good thing for the squad to make that a competitive area. With that it spurs the intensity of training."
Itoje will undoubtedly be eager to make a lasting impression in his first full showing for his country, and Ireland should be careful not to underestimate the youngster despite his limited experience.
Medard Excelling Under Newfound Freedom
The impact of Maxime Medard's introduction and game-winning try against Ireland should not be understated.
The 29-year-old Stade Toulousain player scored the only points of the second half as he helped his country overturn a 9-3 scoreline and keep their hopes of a Grand Slam triumph alive.
Following sustained pressure from the hosts, Medard finally capitalised with a 70th-minute score, which was underlined by Jules Plisson's conversion to secure victory for France.
The full-back took advantage of tiring Irish legs and minds to brush off Robbie Henshaw on the way to the try-line, and he will start against Wales on Friday.
Medard appears reinvigorated under new boss Noves and took a veiled swipe at former coach Philippe Saint-Andre following the win, claiming he believes the players are currently playing without pressure.
We have more freedom than before but it depends on many things.
We have the foundations but this coaching staff allows us to take the initiative for the good of the team.
Of course after two wins we're more relaxed in training. That apart, what I believe is different to previous years is that the players are really taking responsibility for the style of play: we're not waiting to be told what to do, we try to speak out about things we agree or disagree with.
Persistent Parisse Just Keeps Fighting
Arguably the world’s best No. 8 comes back for more this week when Italy they take on Scotland in a bottom-of-the-table encounter.
Italian player Sergio Parisse, as ever, will be hoping to drag his team across the line in another inspiring display of leadership.
A world-class player, Italy must provide support to the 32-year-old to take advantage of his ball-carrying ability. As his country's star player, the responsibility of success weighs heavy on his shoulders.
Italy's Sergio Parisse (R) is takled by England's wing Jack Nowell during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Italy and England at Rome's Olympic stadium on February 14, 2016. / AFP / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read AL
2008 IRB International Player of the Year nominee Parisse will have to be flexible with his distribution and continue to keep faith in his team-mates. Per Robert Kitson of the Guardian, the experienced No. 8 has felt defeat in 83 of his 115 international appearances for the Azzurri.
As ever, the Italian giant will bark instructions and lead his followers on the field. As one of the world's best in his position, he is often overlooked due to the calibre of his international entourage. However, he remains widely respected throughout the game.
Per Kitson, England coach Eddie Jones commented on Parisse's quality, stating: "If he was playing for the All Blacks, he’d be rated one of the best in the world."
Round 3 may not ultimately decide who claims this year's Six Nations title, but for Grand Slam hopefuls France and England, it is another step along the way to recording history.
For the likes of Scotland and Italy, this next round of fixtures is also significant, as they battle it out to avoid the embarrassment of being awarded the wooden spoon.
Wales vs. France: Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Six Nations 2016 Preview
Feb 25, 2016
PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 28: Taulupe Faletau of Wales and Bernard Le Roux of France in action during the RBS Six Nations rugby match between France and Wales at Stade de France stadium on February 28, 2015 in Saint-Denis near Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Wales and France will put their unbeaten 2016 RBS Six Nations runs on the line this Friday, when the pair clash at Cardiff's Principality Stadium with the chance of climbing to the top of the standings.
Head coach Warren Gatland's hosts have won their last four consecutive meetings with Les Bleus, but France have made a bright start to life under new chief Guy Noves, who is hoping to break that trend.
It's also been six years since Les Bleus last triumphed in the Welsh capital, but after scoring late to seal a slim 10-9 win over Ireland the last time out, could this be the beginning of Noves' French Revolution?
Read on for a preview of Friday evening's Six Nations clash, complete with match details and information on where you can expect to watch the contest.
CARDIFF, WALES - FEBRUARY 13: Warren Gatland the head coach of Wales watches over his team's warm during the RBS Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland at the Principality Stadium on February 13, 2016 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty
Wales fans were uplifted by the news on Tuesday that star centre Jonathan Davies had overcome a groin strain to start this Friday, per BBC Sport, meaning Jamie Roberts would have his usual partner in crime present alongside him.
Gatland also made some big calls by dropping Justin Tipuric—Dan Lydiate will start—and replacing winger Tom James with Alex Cuthbert.
Captain Sam Warburton evidently sees this as the best Wales team of the tournament yet, however, and expects another tough challenge from the French, per Jonathon Moar of Sky Sports:
I have played France for the last five or six years in a row, and I have never found them easy.
Even though we have quite a good record against them in the Six Nations, it has always been a very tough set-piece battle, very physical, and they have individuals with a massive amount of skill and ability.
There is not a French team I have ever written off. I always rate them very highly.
It will be quite strange not playing against [Thierry] Dusautoir this year because he has been there for the last five or six years, but they have top players with experience at big clubs.
The decision to drop Tipuric in particular means a substantial change to the back row, with Lydiate coming in as a more natural No. 6, whose influence in the tackle count is sure to have some impact.
In any case, Paul Williams of Rugby World magazine has tipped this bit of tinkering to be a masterstroke from Gatland, with Tipuric ready to have a late, energetic impact off the bench:
Big fan of Justin Tipuric.
But Faletau, Lydiate and Warburton offer the perfect balance for 60 mins.
On the other hand, Cuthbert could be something of a risk if some of his recent Wales form has been anything to go by, but it seems Cardiff Blues team-mate James didn't do enough to retain his spot.
Reinstated and full of motivation to recapture his form of old, Cuthbert will also be an essential defensive post against a French side that's been looking to rediscover a sense of back-line width so far under Noves.
Noves' Campaign Under Huge Strain
Noves has won his first two matches as France head coach.
A trip to Cardiff never comes free of pressure, but after winning each of his first two games as France coach, Noves has a weight on his shoulders to ensure Les Bleus deliver on Friday.
Depending on the resolve of the travelling team, the burden on France has also grown after BBC Wales Sport confirmed on Tuesday that the roof would be closed for the Week 3 encounter:
The roof at the Principality Stadium for Wales' 6 Nations game against France on Friday will be closed
While France are two for two under Noves, however, it's perhaps fair to say they've hardly hit third gear yet. A Jules Plisson penalty saved their 23-21 win over Italy, while one try was all it took for them to outdo Ireland 10-9.
What's more, rugby writer Andrew Baldock also pointed to Les Bleus' recent record against the Welsh and in Cardiff, which hardly makes for inspirational reading:
Interestingly, France haven't beaten Wales since the 2011 World Cup, and only once in Cardiff since 2007.
Ireland are a team dealing with their own issues at present, so perhaps that game was a difficult barometer. But Friday's Test match in Wales will go a long way to showing us just how strong this French side is.
Wales strutted their stuff last time out as they came from behind to defeat Scotland 27-23, but the fight for the Six Nations summit could coax the best out of France in time for Matchday 3.
France travel to Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday evening with a view to ending Wales' victorious run of form against Les Bleus, and each team is hoping to climb to the top of the 2016 RBS Six Nations standings...
