The short side: Celtic clash and surprise selections

Colin Newboult
Add as a preferred source on Google

The short side returns to Planet Rugby as we study the main talking points ahead of this weekend’s action in Round Two of the Six Nations.

Six Nations game to watch – Scotland v Ireland

Can Joe Schmidt’s men respond to last weekend’s shock defeat? It wasn’t necessarily the loss itself which would have stunned Ireland, with England stacked full of talent, but the manner of it. They were outplayed by the visitors and they now head to Edinburgh to take on a confident Scots team at Murrayfield. Gregor Townsend’s charges opened the campaign with a comfortable bonus-point triumph over Italy and showed plenty of quality in attack. Another win here would set them up nicely for their visit to France and, with the Emerald Isle succumbing on their previous trip to Scotland, Townsend’s outfit will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds once again.

Team to watch – England

Eddie Jones’ men were mightily impressive in Dublin but can they build on that display in the second round? They were so physical, so intense on the opening weekend that a repeat of that display will surely blow France away, but Les Bleus have tended to cause problems for the Red Rose over recent years. Since 2010, with the exception of England’s remarkable 55-35 triumph in 2015, 10 points or fewer have separated the sides in those 11 matches. That is surprising when you consider the struggles France have endured, especially over recent years, so Sunday should be a good challenge for the hosts.

Player to watch – Dan Biggar (Wales)

There is no doubt that Warren Gatland has plenty of options at fly-half, particularly when you add in the names of Jarrod Evans and Rhys Patchell, but they haven’t yet settled on a player. Gareth Anscombe was tried against France but struggled and his replacement, this weekend’s starter Dan Biggar, was far more assured. The conditions didn’t help Anscombe, whose skills are more suited to the drier weather, but that’s a concern heading into the World Cup. Biggar’s question mark comes in his ability to unlock stubborn defences but he never lets you down and has a chance to retain his place for the foreseeable future.

One-v-one battle to watch – Billy Vunipola (England) v Louis Picamoles (France)

Two gargantuan units running at each other; what’s not to like? Both were not quite at their best in the opening round but they showed enough in their respective games to suggest that it is going to be a great individual duel. Picamoles was excellent in the first-half against Wales and the French really struggled when he was bizarrely substituted, but he still faded in the second period. For Vunipola, he grew into the contest and impressively lasted the 80 minutes, despite his recent injury record, meaning that he should get better as the tournament goes on.

Subplot of the weekend – Wales’ weakened team

There is no doubt that there is depth in Welsh rugby and the XV that takes to the field against Italy is a strong one, but completely altering the team has not necessarily served them well in the past. Particularly in the November series, they have often struggled when changing the side and giving chances to some younger players – and those games were at home. It will therefore be interesting to see how this makeshift outfit performs against Italy in Rome. The Azzurri once again look likely to pick up the wooden spoon this season but they displayed some promising characteristics in the latter stages of Round One and may see Gatland’s selection as an insult. It is certainly a risk from Wales.

Features