Six Nations

Ireland player ratings: After a crucial - maybe even tournament-deciding - win against France, a rapidly improving Italy at Stadio Olimpico.

[James Ryan](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/james-ryan/) in a play or two later. [Jack Conan](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/jack-conan/) – 6 A late calf issue also sidelined [Garry Ringrose](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/garry-ringrose/), forcing a change-up in the midfield. Maybe Doris’ weakest performance of the championship to date, which is no great slight given his superlative form in the first two rounds. Rumours have linked Henderson with a move to France this week but if any conjecture about his club future didn’t show here. Lucky to avoid being sin-binned for a swinging hand to the face of Cappuzzo. Fumbled a try that may well have settled the contest with 20 or so minutes to go. A sloppy pass gifted [Bundee Aki](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/bundee-aki/) – 6 Finished off with an F-Bomb in his post-match interview. Another superb outing here for the former Ireland Sevens star. than a seismic task.

Ireland's hunt for a Six Nations Grand Slam is on after the world's top-ranked team overcame Italy 34-20 in an entertaining encounter in Rome on Saturday.

However Byrne then slotted a penalty of his own before Hansen scored his second try of the match with nine minutes remaining when he slipped away from the defensive line to cross under the posts and guarantee Ireland the win. Bruno made the half-time score a respectable 24-17 in favour of the Irish when he intercepted a sloppy Aki pass and charged most of the field to score under the posts for a score converted by Garbisi. However Italy recovered from the early blow and after a long spell of pressure swept the ball across to the right flank and into the hands of Nicolo Cannone, who burst through the Irish defence and fell just short of the try line.

Ireland avoided a shock result at the hands of an impressive Italy as they came out on top in Rome, winning the Six Nations clash 34-20 in Rome.

[Italy](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/italy) while Paolo Garbisi kicked 10 points in an impressive performance from the improving Azzurri. Another Garbisi penalty cut the lead to 24-20 and Farrell cut a concerned figure in the stands after Aki was denied a second score of the afternoon as replays showed he lost possession on the ground before regathering. [Ireland](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/ireland) arrived in the Italian capital seeking a third consecutive tournament success but without a host of star names due to injury. [Six Nations](https://www.planetrugby.com/category/six-nations) since a shock 22-15 success over Declan Kidney’s Ireland a decade ago. Crossings from James Ryan, Hugo Keenan, Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen (2) were added to by nine points from the boot of Ross Byrne on Saturday. Ireland avoided a shock result at the hands of a confident Italy as they came out on top in Rome, winning the Six Nations clash 34-20 in Rome.

Wing Mack Hansen scored a brace of tries as Ireland held off a spirited challenge from hosts Italy in Rome to claim a 34-20 bonus-point victory in the Six ...

Andy Farrell's Ireland pick up a third bonus-point win despite enterprising Italy comeback.

Our overall performance needs to be better and our discipline needs to be better, I was one of those whose discipline wasn't good enough." “We did some really good stuff and also did the total opposite,’’ the New Zealand-born centre told ITV Sports. Italy threatened to shock France at home in the opening round but not the Irish, whom it struck two tries against and pushed all the way. They are a proud nation. * After all, Farrell's Ireland has averaged 41-point wins against Italy.

Following a 34-20 victory for Ireland over Italy in their Six Nations fixture, here's our five takeaways from the match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

But a Test rookie coming off the bench against Scotland at Murrayfield is not ideal, with Ireland fans no doubt keeping a close eye on Furlong’s recovery updates in the coming week or so. McCloskey and Aki were superb on attack, with both players showcasing their physicality and softer skills, particularly in the first half. This caused a midfield shuffle, with Bundee Aki shifting to outside centre and Stuart McCloskey reclaiming the number 12 jumper. There is a reason very few top teams run it from deep, and Italy need to learn the value of territory. A lot of attention has rightly been given to Paolo Garbisi and Ange Capuozzo, two players that have already shown their class regularly at international level, but others are also stepping up. It was very much a case of job done for Ireland as they picked up a bonus-point success over the Azzurri.

Ireland coach Andy Farrell was pleased with the five points but not the performance after watching his side labour to a 34-20 victory over Italy in their ...

"It is about the performance, about the next one. "We found a way and it's nice to get the bonus-point win away from home. they were tough and resilient and in the forwards they gave us absolutely nothing. "All credit must go to Italy, it was a proper Test match, they are a proper side," Farrell said. "We let them into the game through lack of discipline at times. I don't know what it was, four or five tries that we left out there," said Farrell.

The Irish notched a third win from three matches for the first time since 2018.

But Ireland’s energy lifted when Caelan Doris moved back to No 8 and reinforcements arrived in the shape of wise men Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony. But the 14-point difference was a good measure of Italy’s growing skill set and self-belief in the past year. The crowd was ecstatic.

England piled on the misery for Wales with a 20-10 victory that left the beleaguered host nursing a third straight loss to open the Six Nations.

For England coach Steve Borthwick, it’s two wins from three to start his tenure as his team continued to rely on big defence, a solid kick-and-chase game and a strong set-piece — the country’s traditional strengths. Warren Gatland’s team was in touching distance of the visitors only because of a rare bad day off the kicking tee by England captain Owen Farrell. He had just two successful kicks from six.

Full lineups now available in the 'Lineups' tab above. TEAM NEWS: England - It's a settled England side from Steve Borthwick with just a single change to ...

Tries by Anthony Watson, Kyle Sinckler and Ollie Lawrence have propelled England to a nervy 20-10 victory over Wales in a scruffy Six Nations encounter that ...

Full-back Freddie Steward mastered an aerial bombardment to help England to a 20-10 victory over Wales in the Six Nations at the Principality Stadium on ...

The ball was recycled, but Dombrandt was on hand to win a crucial penalty for England, Farrell clearing. Halfpenny converted and, against all the odds, Wales were 10-8 up. Farrell's conversion came back off the post. "I thought it was a step forward for us. A raft of replacements took the sting out of the electric start to the second half. Fair play to them."

Wales have been battling all week on and off the field. They'd secured one victory on Wednesday, but this was one scrap too many as Warren Gatland remains ...

It was only on Wednesday when the game was green lit after their 10-day long tete-a-tete with the powers that be in Wales over contracts and a voice. They have had some fine days here in Cardiff; the sorts of days where the noise reverberates through your chest, you get carried away on the hymns and arias and you cannot see anything but a Welsh victory. But the new faces in the Welsh midfield in Mason Grady and Joe Hawkins are experiencing a different Principality Stadium. You'll have those who talk of how it's 0-3 for Wales in this Six Nations, and look to the grim reality of the hand Warren Gatland's been dealt. But speak to 100 people on St Mary's Street on Saturday evening and you'll have the same number of differing views on this game. Freddie Steward was at the forefront of the tussle -- and was fantastic throughout.

Wales player ratings: It's not been an easy few weeks for Welsh rugby. With fans unsure whether the England game would go ahead 72 hours...

[Dan Biggar](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/dan-biggar/) – 5.5 [Tommy Reffell](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/tommy-reffell/) – 5.5 [Justin Tipuric](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/justin-tipuric/) – 5.5 [Christ Tshiunza](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/christ-tshiunza/) – 5.5 Jones was excellent at set-piece and made some truly fantastic clearouts when he had no right. Not mind-blowing, but good. Williams wasn’t bad by any means, but a couple of not-quite-perfect passes allowed England the opportunity to get off the line. Looked to kick on the front foot and pulled the trigger at the right moments. Had a dream start to the second half committing daylight robbery on Malins. Looked confident on debut – slipped out of a tackle to set Adams free early on and forced an error from Ollie Lawrence. [Louis Rees-Zammit](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/louis-rees-zammit/) – 5.5 Wales were beaten by a better England team today.

Warren Gatland felt his Wales side created their own problems in the Six Nations defeat to England, while England's Steve Borthwick lauded his players' ...

"We drew a line in the sand on Wednesday and not having that as an excuse. There was a fair contingent there today, they were incredible," he said. And I'll keep backing the boys to do that. The energy and work-rate I can't question," he said. Whether it's nailing a lineout, or the ball going to ground off a pass. "We weren't making any excuses over what happened during the week.

England player ratings live from Principality Stadium: Plenty of Steve Borthwick's charges caught the eye in a deserved Six Nations win.

Arrived with 25 minutes remaining and soon teams the scrum penalty that Farrell was unable to convert for an 18-10 lead. His energy and work rate the whole way through were admirable despite a few frustrating moments so as getting picked off near the line by Justin Tipuric. Is getting back to his disruptive best, leading his team’s tackle count and generally being a nuisance arond the field. Gave everything he had in his 65 minutes. [Owen Farrell](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/owen-farrell/) left 10 points behind him off the tee, spillage that kept the hosts alive even though their creativity seldom if ever resulted in a decent spell in the opposition’s 22. A gladiator who showed loads in his 55 minutes. The fact that he played for 73 minutes highlighted how this was his best Test yet. Needed to show more in this role than he did versus the Italians, but his kicking at times left him down. Excellent finish for his try and there was further evidence of his lovely footwork after that. Powerless to prevent the Rees-Zammit score but that and a missed 68th-minute catch couldn’t blot his report card. Here are the England player ratings: England player ratings live from Principality Stadium: Rome witnessed a humdinger of an all-frills Italy-Ireland contest but this Wales-England encounter was no less engrossing in a very different way.

Ireland's hunt for a Six Nations Grand Slam is on after the world's top-ranked team overcame Italy 34-20 in an entertaining encounter in Rome on Saturday.

However Byrne then slotted a penalty of his own before Hansen scored his second try of the match with nine minutes remaining when he slipped away from the defensive line to cross under the posts and guarantee Ireland the win. That is just a credit to Italy, we knew it was going to be a tough game. I was one of those whose discipline wasn't good enough." Montpellier fly-half Garbisi then kicked Italy to within four points of Ireland with a 56th-minute penalty and the hosts avoided the deficit being extended two minutes later when Aki was adjudged to have lost possession before dotting down. Bruno made the half-time score a respectable 24-17 in favour of the Irish when he intercepted a sloppy Aki pass and charged most of the field to score under the posts for a score converted by Garbisi. However Italy recovered from the early blow and after a long spell of pressure swept the ball across to the right flank and into the hands of Nicolo Cannone, who burst through the Irish defence and fell just short of the try line.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was grateful his side could get the win against Italy in a “proper Test match” at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The coach underlined how dangerous this [Italy](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/italy/) side is and is delighted to come away with a bonus point win. “Which Irish fan wouldn’t have been biting their nails when the cross-field kick (from Ignacio Brex at 27-20) went in and bounced very close. We just weren’t accurate enough in certain areas.” “We’re absolutely gutted about that result today. It was a proper Test match,” Farrell said It was a tough match.

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Kicking was a hot topic in a negative-sounding way judging by how questions on it were formulated, but England were having none of the suggested criticism that they overdid that aspect of play. It would be a relief to be able to take pause.” “This is a solemn time for us in Welsh rugby which, I must confess, is putting it mildly. “It [kicking] is part of the contest. I was watching Crusaders versus the Chiefs and you see kicking being a big part of Super Rugby as well. “You can upset the rhythm of a team if you make too many changes, so that is why I held back,” he insisted. He arrived on the England scene just weeks ago convinced he could mould Smith and Farell into a compelling 10/12 partnership only to have Borthwick torch that blueprint and leave Evans’ Harlequins colleague stewing in his tracksuit on the sidelines. You imagine the first-choice Eddie Jones pick could put up readily enough with having lost his place in the starting lineup to Farrell as long as he was getting sufficient time to make a credible impact off the bench. “The players had been in Cardiff (before) and had not responded to setbacks that way. It shows how the team is growing with Owen’s leadership,” chirped the England boss. Could it be that he is finally over the hill as a master motivator? [Having ](https://www.rugbypass.com/news/england-player-ratings-vs-wales-2023-guinness-six-nations/) [Freddie Steward](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/freddie-steward/) repeatedly soar high was something to treasure.

England boss Steve Borthwick was pleased with his side's composure after going behind early in the second period to comeback and win 20-10 in Cardiff.

You saw the speed of ball improve and we scored a really well worked try,” Borthwick said. “Getting up for an England-Wales game is not difficult. “I liked that it was an incredible Test match. “The two halves were very different, but that tells me a lot about our players. But the players adapted really well to win that pressure battle. England maintained their composure and built themselves in the game again, with Kyle Sinckler crashing over four minutes later.

Minute-by-minute report: A Six Nations showdown awaits in Paris. Join Daniel Gallan for all the latest news.

It was a poor pass and was never on as he went for a miracle ball to his right. It’s not a great one so Scotland have the feed to the line-out on the 22. Price fizzes it and Russell plays a flat line pass for Jones on a scything angle and he darts over under the posts. It’s only a toe that’s out, but he’s out, even though he wormed the ball on the ground. Russell stabs a grubber that puts the ball out close to the French line. He’s taking the ball flat at the line and working it for runners on the angle, which he did for Jones to score. Rather than go to their functioning maul Scotland go long on the line out. Clean ball goes down to the maul and it makes ground. Price gathers over the ball and delays just enough to find Russell on the wrap around. But Scotland hold up the ball carrier and it’s a maul. Scotland had done brilliantly to repel the French and win a penalty. There is still the title and the Triple Crown to play for, but that was a blow to lose that after playing so well and taking the game to a great French team.”

Tune into our live blog to keep up with all the updates from Sundays Round 3 Six Nations encounter between France and Scotland at the Stade de France.

Scotland travelled to the Stade de France hoping to keep alive their dreams of a Six Nations Grand Slam, but Les Bleus crushed their unbeaten run following ...

Les Bleus travel to Twickenham when the tournament resumes in a fortnight's time, while Scotland host leaders [Ireland](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/ireland-rugby-union-team) at Murrayfield. [Gregor Townsend](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/gregor-townsend)'s side targeting three straight wins in their opening three games of a Six Nations for the first time. Player of the Match Fickou forced his way over to apply the finishes touches with seconds left on the clock, breaking Scottish hearts and any chance of a losing bonus point. For all the chaos that comprised the first 20 minutes, a tense 'tete-a-tete' grew turgid as reality set in for both teams. But after Gilchrist's quickfire red threatened to ruin Sunday's contest between two of Europe's best teams, equilibrium was restored in unfortunate fashion as Haouas became the first player to be dismissed twice in the Six Nations. Fabien Galthie's titleholders came out on top despite being outscored in the second half, with Gael Fickou, Romain Ntamack, Ethan Dumortier and Thomas Ramos each scoring to seal the bonus-point victory.

Scottish lock Grant Gilchrist and French tighthead prop Mohamed Haouas were sent off early in the first half for separate offences, leaving both teams playing ...

“After a really tough start, we got back into it, had ascendancy in the second half. "They dominated territory and possession, seemed to be attacking in our 22 for a lot of the game but that's what you expect from a top-class team,” he told ITV. Within less than 60 seconds of Gilchrist's sending off, France had its second try as the tournament newcomer Dumortier was fed by Ntamack in the corner. Such indiscipline could cost Haouas a World Cup place later this year. France was creaking but Scotland botched an attacking lineout to give away possession and let the French off the hook. Two tries from centre Huw Jones saw the Scots rally to 22-14.

Gael Fickou gave the defending champions a bonus point with a last-minute try to add to those of Romain Ntamack, Ethan Dumortier and Thomas Ramos, who kicked ...

Scotland reduced the arrears early on in the second half as Jones powered through for his second try as France's strategy was to limit the damage. Russell was more inspired to put the visitors on the scoreboard with a superb pass for centre Jones who touched down between the posts. Dumortier went over shortly afterwards on the from the left wing to put France 12-0 up, only for Haouas to be shown a red card in the 13th minute for a head-first charge at Ben White's head.

Both sides had played dismissed in the opening 10 minutes for dangerous head contact with Scotland lock Grant Gilchrist dismissed before French prop Mohamed ...

Within less than 60 seconds of Gilchrist’s sending off, France had its second try as the tournament newcomer Dumortier was fed by Ntamack in the corner. France was creaking but Scotland botched an attacking lineout to give away possession and let the French off the hook. Two tries from center Huw Jones saw the Scots rally to 22-14.

Scotland player ratings: Scotland's hopes of a first Six Nations Grand Slam were brought to an end in Paris as France edged a...

On just before the hour. Managed the lineout well alongside his brother and added his weight to some powerful carries. Might have dummied to van der Merwe when the big wing was bundled into touch on 24 minutes. Back at the Stade de France since winning 2019 Top14 final with Toulouse for the first time. Maybe a bit guilty of leaving Scotland’s mauls early and will have been disappointed with a costly fumble in the first half as Scotland attacked the French line. [Ben White](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/ben-white/) – 7 At his best, he is sensational. Made an excellent defensive read as the hosts looked to break. [Sione Tuipulotu](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/sione-tuipulotu/) – 7 Found plenty of room in the outside channel and scored two superb tries. Denied a couple of attacking chances by dubious forward passes, but worked hard on and off the ball. [Stuart Hogg](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/stuart-hogg/) – 7

France ended Scotland's hopes of a Six Nations Grand Slam with a 32-21 victory in a high-octane, nail-biting clash with both sides reduced to 14 men early ...

Check out our five takeaways from the Six Nations clash between France and Scotland that took place at the Stade de France on Sunday.

Their defence was stretched to breaking point but came through, their players returning from injury put in massive shifts and they seem to have found an outstanding back up to Uni Atonio at tighthead prop in the rather large shape of Sipili Falatea. In the second half, France allowed Scotland 12 throws for one reason or another, failing to control the one point of attack where the visitors held a clear advantage. It was defensive intellect of the highest order, exactly the quality that defines Fickou’s game, and his display was capped off with both a player of the match award and a late try. But to suggest it’s all Russell is to ignore the part Ben White is playing in releasing his fly-half. They had considerably the better of both possession (55%) and territory (64%) but never managed to quite get the breakdown momentum in later phases to challenge French width. France will be delighted in many aspects of this match. A man known for his workrate, he was absolutely everywhere, tidying mess, stopping momentum and in simple terms, making an absolute nuisance of himself. With Ollivon and Thibaud Flament also having big impacts in ‘D’, Shaun Edwards’ week of rollickings appears to have paid off. Scotland’s response to going three tries down in relatively quick succession was one built upon belief, passion and rather more pragmatically, a fantastic display of lineout and maul intellect, and growing scrum power as the match wore on. In short, two thirds of their starting back-row went before the first quarter had finished. Ethan Dumortier followed soon after, and in the 18th minute Finn Russell produced yet another try assist, but sadly for France, as Ramos sprinted 70 metres to dot down under the posts. Referee Nika Amashukeli, who had an absolutely outstanding Test match, dished out another red card on advice of his TMO and the game resumed as a 14-man-a-side contest.

"We don't have good news: the first diagnosis is a rupture of the inner cruciate ligament," Galthie told a news conference. "You know the protocol for this type ...

Grant Gilchrist and Mohamed Haouas were sent off early on as France won 32-21 in Paris, with 17 points from Thomas Ramos, despite a Scotland fightback.

The referee, perhaps disconcerted by the earlier red he had been obliged to show, nearly went for yellow, but his assistants stepped in – and we had a game on again. Whether his head clash with Ben White round the fringes of a ruck close to the French line was deliberate only he will know, but if there were sane grounds for a red card in the match this was it. A quickly taken penalty deep in Scotland territory paved the way for Fickou. A long afternoon looked in prospect for Scotland then, but Haouas’s red a few minutes later evened up the numbers. What a prospect Scotland’s next match – at home to Ireland – would have been, had they managed to ride the red card shown to Grant Gilchrist in the seventh minute and a 19-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter to complete the comeback. That rendered most of the match a 14-a-side contest – and it turns out they are pretty good, if the moaners do want to meddle further with the modern game.

Prop was traumatised by England's 2019 Cardiff defeat but says Saturday's success was significant 'not only in my career but my life'

Today I leave with an open heart, a lot of gratitude, a lot of appreciation and a lot of love. I won’t lie to you and say when you look at those two teams you don’t have that fear. I entered the stadium with a lot of hate, a lot of anger and a big chip on my shoulder. Today was a big step for us as a group to show we have that fight inside us. When I got subbed off and was sitting on the bench I felt I’d let a lot of people down. “I know we played here in 2021 but that was during Covid …

Kiwi coach desperate after past success in Wales to avoid being the nation's first wooden spoon Six Nations coach for 20 years.

That's what test match rugby is about, staying in that arm wrestle and to stay in that fight is about being accurate.” The week was challenging, we realise and understand that, but we were not making any excuses." (Baldwin is actually 34). We’ve got to marry the two together and start thinking about that going forward. "We weren't making any excuses for what happened in the week. We’ve not got that group in the middle who have 30 or so caps. *