CHRIS FOY’S SIX NATIONS VERDICT: Resilient France victory highlights Shaun Edwards influence, multilingual referee Luke Pearce impresses and the Lions may have tempo to burn this summer season
- Shaun Edwards’ influence helped France to victory they’d have normally misplaced
- English referee Luke Pearce earned reward for talking in French throughout match
- Warren Gatland may have some severe tempo to burn with the Lions in summer season
- Wayne Pivac’s Wales are having wonderful marketing campaign after a troublesome time final 12 months
We have been handled to a different thrilling weekend of Six Nations motion with some close-run video games and a few dazzling particular person shows on present.
After Wales, England and France secured necessary victories, Sportsmail’s Chris Foy picks out the important thing factors from the three video games.
SHAUN CHANNELS FRENCH FIRE
France’s defensive effort to shut out their first win for a decade in Dublin confirmed they will declare a Grand Slam and in addition highlighted the influence made by Shaun Edwards.
The guests would have misplaced that sport a few years in the past as their self-discipline would have failed them. Not now. It was a triumph of composure, pragmatism and resilience.
Shaun Edwards’ influence was on present as France secured an uncharacteristic disciplined win
PEARCE TELLS IT HOW IT IS…
Congratulations to English referee Luke Pearce for talking to the French in their very own language. He settled for sporadically utilizing just a few key phrases, however the gesture would have been appreciated by drained gamers.
In the meantime, Matthew Carley was proper to ship off Scotland prop Zander Fagerson on Saturday. Charging into rucks and making contact with an opponent’s head can’t be tolerated.
LIONS WILL HAVE PACE TO BURN
If the Lions play this summer season, they need to have a deadly again three. Impressed by the captaincy, Scot Stuart Hogg is at his electrical greatest, and Louis Rees-Zammit’s second strive at Murrayfield illustrated his turbo-charged credentials.
George North is revitalised and with Jonny Might and Anthony Watson so sharp for England, Warren Gatland has an array of choices.
With the likes of Louis Rees-Zammit (left) and Stuart Hogg (proper), the Lions have tempo to burn
FLATMAN CHAT IS A JOY
ITV’s protection is elevated by front-row perception, with David Flatman expertly decoding the set-piece and complicated contact areas, which is important for a big terrestrial viewers who gained’t all perceive rugby’s countless nuances.
He does so with a enjoyable tone, too, saying about France’s locks: ‘They simply cost round leathering folks for a residing. What a option to pay the mortgage!’
WAYNE’S WORLD LOOKING UP
Wayne Pivac’s Wales are thriving, because of defensive enhancements overseen by Gethin Jenkins, plus higher management and authority up entrance.
Wyn Jones at loosehead is having a advantageous marketing campaign, Ken Owens’ return at hooker is transformative, Leon Brown made an influence off the bench in Scotland and Justin Tipuric is a low-profile, high-class legend.
Wayne Pivac’s Wales are lastly thriving because of enhancements everywhere in the subject
TEAM OF THE WEEK
S Hogg (Scotland); L Rees-Zammit (Wales), G Ringrose (Eire), G Fickou (France), A Watson (England); G Ford (England), A Dupont (France); W Jones (Wales), L Cowan-Dickie (England), Ok Sinckler (England); I Henderson (Eire), B Le Roux (France); T Curry (England), C Ollivon (France), J Tipuric (Wales).
Commercial