Another Grand Slam for Wales

I know, I know... I'm late, very late, way too late. Nevertheless, I could not let it pass :-) I only wonder what would have happened if Wales beat France in the world cup semi-final...

Scotland spoils Ireland plans

With a penalty kick by Parks at the eleventh hour, Scotland destroys Ireland hopes to secure the Triple Crown in their last match at the Croke Park. Regardless of what will happen during the match, many people will be celebrating at the Stade de France tonight; the only thing that remains to be seen is whether France will win the Grand Slam: will England be able to stop their winning strip?

What a breathtaker!

After 61 years Ireland achieved a deserved Grand Slam defeating Wales at the Millenium Stadium. This is also their first victory in the 6 nations, their former victory being in 1985.


During the first half Stephen Jones scored two penalty kicks for Wales, while his teammates put more and more pressure on O'Gara that started to look uneasy, despite the rousing speech he gave to his mates in the morning. When the second leg began Wales only had to score a converted try to win the tournament, but after only a few minutes Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll scored the first try of the day, and Ronan O'Gara added two points to the game-bag putting Ireland on the lead.

Before Wales knew what was happening O'Gara kicked a wonderful ball beyond the Welsh line and Tommy Bowe scored another try. When asked about his try he simply said "it was nice". By the way, Bowe also sang a song during the presentation of the trophy in Dublin... lucky he's a rugby player and not a singer!


Stephen Jones kicked two more very important balls bringing the score to 12-14, with just one kick away from robbing from Ireland their long deserved glory; kick that arrived with just three minutes left to play when Stephen Jones pulled another ace out of his sleeve and scored a drop kick that couldn't give Wales the title but destroyed the Irish dream. With just a minute to play mr drop kick himself Ronan O'Gara reset the score to 17-15, freezing the Millenium Stadium.


As Paddy Wallace recalled later, he "just felt the game had sort of a lack of excitement", so he conceded a penalty from 50 meters. Ronan O'Gara (half?) joking declared that he "was ready to kill Paddy", which at the time was in a "Oh Jesus what have I done" mood.

The kick was short, Jones was torn apart and Ireland gained the Slam.


Later he swapped his jersey for O'Gara's (who hopes to get it back... quite an important keepsake!).

Back in Dublin, where a huge crowd welcomed the whole team, captain Brian O'Driscoll said about the victory "it's been fantastic". When asked how he felt the day after he said "you're not as sore as you would be if you'd lost"... that made me smile, as it reminded me of good old times when rugby was not only something I could write about.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney, who won the Six Nations and the Grand Slam on his first year on the bench, talking about his team said "yesterday it was their day... it was everybody's day, really". Sure it was my day! All rugby lovers should thank both teams for the thrilling match. I hope that Pancho will really bring me that DVD... Some pintes of Guinness should do, as I don't think our pubs have run dry of beer, even if maybe in Dublin they did: Llanelli beating New Zealand was probably a bigger occasion, but Ireland is looking forward to more victories and they would like to get used to it. Or, at least, they hope they won't have wait for another 61 years before the next one!

Congratulations Ronan

With 17 poinst scored against Scotland in one of his best performances so far, Ronan O'Gara is now with 492 points the highest scorer in the history of the tournament, overtaking unlucky Jonny Wilkinson who remains at 479. Chris Paterson, even if more than a hundreds of points down below, still holds his perfect stripe.


Peter Stringer, man of the match, played at a very high level, showing he masters many of the little techniques that belong to a very good scrum half. This time I really liked him.

And congratulations go to Ireland as well, as they are now just a match away from a deserved grand slam. Looks like Declan Kidney knows his job... I am really looking forward to the clash against Wales, hoping that what we saw against Italy was just a diversion from the real rugby they can play and that we will enjoy a terrific match.

Ireland still on the go

Ireland are only the only team that can go for the Grand Slam, which they've been missing in the last 61 years. Their next clash will be against Scotland in that temple of rugby which is Murrayfield.

The game with England was very hard and it ended 14-13, with England dangerously coming closer within just a couple of minutes from the end of the match thanks to a try scored by the English full back Armitage. Maybe the ghosts of the match with France that last year robbed Ireland from all their hopes for the title came lingering around, but they were banished away by the final whistle.

The only try scored by Ireland has O'Driscoll name, once and again named man of the match.

And, once and again, England piled up their sin bin collection, sending Johnson up in arms: he'd better try and correct this attitude if he wants his team to collect points instead of cards. He insisted with his players that they lost the match because of their ill behaviour and their untrust in their own defence, which, on the opposite, has proved quite tough. Johnson said he still didn't know whether any player would pay for his actions losing his place in the team: should a coach of a football team say the same, at least here in Italy, he'd be considered the real culprit (the scapegoat) and he'd be given the axe within the week, esp. given the stripe of bad results achieved. Just an impression of mine. Luckily no news have been heard about this.

The strangest of things, this time I did not see Stringer play so close to the edge of the rules, in that unnerving manner I so often spot when I see him play. Again, just an impression of mine, but luckily impressions come for free and everyone can have their own.

Another back-to-back Grand Slam missed

That's sad for Welsh supporters... and I did not even see but the last few minutes of the match!

Another grand slam?

Wales are paving the road for their second consecutive Grand Slam, something they have been chasing in the last 100 years; the Dragons defeated England 23-15 at the beautiful Millenium Stadium (even if my heart still dwells in Arms Park). The game was not the one-way clash most people were expecting, but it was well fought and quite enjoyable.

Unluckily for England this time Stephen Jones wore his right shoe on his right foot (and the left shoe on the left foot) and he booted 18 points for Wales, leading them to victory even if England scored two tries against the single one realized by young Halfpenny - who also booted a penaty.

It should be obvious by now that England have some problems with the rules, and it is costing them an arm and a leg. Moreover, Martin Johnson does not seem fit to make them turn about: besides, when a coach, instead of focusing on correct play, has the players train with just fourteen men on the field just in case of a sin bin, well, you start asking yourself a couple of questions.

O'Driscoll alive and kicking

Saturday's match against France showed everyboy that Brian O'Driscoll is back, and he's back to stay, despite what his detractors might have said. And, talking about detractors, I heard people say that Sebastien Chabal was just a bag of fat walking around... well I think that everybody saw that he's not, even if I liked him better as a flanker than as a lock.

Declan Kidney's first appearance in the RBS Six Nations as a head coach was a great victory, and Ireland played a very good rugby. France did not let them loose, even if they did not capitalize everything they produced, and the result was a very enjoyable game, with Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy scoring three wonderful tries that let Ireland win 30-21 over France, which is something that had not happened in quite a while.

The Irish are keeping their feet on the ground - Kidney will care for that - but people are starting to wonder wheter this could be the right year, maybe playing for the Grand Slam against Wales on the last day of the tournament.

Wales wins another Grand Slam

The Triple Crown was not enough, and that makes two Grand Slams in four years and ten in the whole history of the tournament, so Ryan Jones could lift his second trophy in a week. Another great performance and another test try by Shane Williams who thus becomes Wales' best try scorer; as his father placed a £50 bet some ten years earlier on the event, the try also resulted in a £25,000 win for Shane's farsighted and happy father.

France had to beat Wales by 18 points to gain the victory, but suffered a heavy 12-29 instead, which makes 35 points less than they had to score. A nice satisfaction after being beaten by Fiji and knocked out from the World Cup 2007.

Here comes the Triple Crown

Another great match by the Welsh who outruled Ireland, gaining the Triple Crown. Now only France stands between the Dragons and the Grand Slam. Way to go Wales!


They will have to avoid sin bins as they got two, and if in the first one they managed to hold Ireland's pace during the second one they underwent a six points comeback which brought Ireland just a point short. A pointless violence on Ryan Jones caused the referee to award a penalty with which Hook secured another three points that blew the Irish out of the match.

Shane Williams, who performed another great match, scored another wonderful try, while Shane Horgan missed for just a few inches thanks to a very-last-second/very-last-inch tackle, even if his action was a very good one.

Unluckily Brian O'Driscoll suffered a hamstring tear which will cause him to miss next week's clash against England.

If we say it won’t be closed, then it won’t be closed.

These are the words Mallet said after rain was forecast for the clash between Wales and Italy; they regard the possibility to close the roof of the beautiful Millenium Stadium in Cardiff (even if the Arms Park had a whole different charm which I really loved). Mallet believes (and I do believe) rugby should be a game for all weathers, and that players should adapt to any type of condition. Maybe he also believes he has a pack stronger than the backs, and a muddy field would help their game, as the Welsh backs are far stronger than the Italians.

Well, the roof was not closed. Neither the Italian defense was, but it rained tries and points and the Welsh simply run over us, turning the half time 13-8 into an embarassing 47-8: 34 unanswered points. At least we scored a try, but there were too many careless errors. And this Wales is hungry. A nice debut in the Six Nations for young Andrea Marcato who played a good match.

Now Wales is heading for the Triple Crown and for the Grand Slam, with Ireland and France on the way. Are the Seventies back?

Red light for the green shirts

Despite a remarkable comeback from 26-6 to a narrow gaped 26-21 Ireland lost to France, who is heading toward a Grand Slam. If Wales will let it happen, of course. Ireland just scored one try while France scored four, three of which with Vincent Clerc's signature, showing a great ease of play.

Wales wins again

It seems Wales is determined to run for another Grand Slam; with a clear 30-15 win against Scotland they're marching at full points. Paterson, who did not miss a single penalty in Six Nations 2008, struggled to keep Scotland close to the Welsh, but the Scots' defence was not as good as usual, and Wales pierced it repeatedly; a spectacular try by Shane Williams put an end to the Scottish efforts. I'm pretty sure I would not have awarded that try, but that's what all those cameras are for. I can not imagine what would happen in a soccer match... We hope the Scots will get their confidence back, that they'll stop losing possession and that they'll start scoring some tries.