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Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F
Superficially, the Six Nations table is a perfect measure of the happiness and satisfaction that one might find within each camp. But that’s not always the case. When balanced by variables such as potential output, the number of home games, and the strength of the opposition, league tables can often present a binary view of a more nuanced narrative.
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So, ignoring where the six teams finished in the Six Nations, here are alternative grades based on what we expected them to do against what they actually delivered:
France: B
With a second title in four years, this golden generation of French talent is delivering on its promise. But is it really? They were uncharacteristically sloppy in their defeat against England and were compelled to revert to a pragmatic power game in their final-day win over Scotland. Sure, there are multiple ways to beat the opposition, but watching France’s coronation in Paris come unstuck in the first half, only to be saved by a one-dimensional approach, was perhaps proof that not everything went according to plan for Fabien Galthié.
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There’s no denying that they were superb against Ireland. That 42-27 win in Dublin is arguably the greatest away performance in Six Nations history. But it also heightens the inconsistency within the squad.
With all that depth, with the world’s best player in the ranks, with a league that is unquestionably the best on the planet, this French team should be regularly winning grand slams. Despite their title, they’ll still feel that they let a very achievable goal slip through their fingers.
England: A
Two years ago they sacked their coach before Steve Borthwick’s dull strategy steered them through a fortunate World Cup schedule to a bronze medal. Then they went backwards, losing a string of close games against quality opposition, including three consecutive home games to southern hemisphere giants.
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The mood was sour. Borthwick was getting grilled in the press. He’d switched his captain in hopes of a revival, but a five-point loss in Dublin after yet another second-half collapse was proof that things would get worse before they got better. Could they turn the tide?
You bet they could. They stunned France and then got lucky against Scotland. Both results could have gone a different way, but the wins seemed to galvanise a group that had always promised more than they delivered.
After spanking Italy, they ran riot against Wales. In the space of a tournament, their back row has become one of the most potent forces in the game with a fly-half who connects those around him. There are still questions to be answered in the midfield, and their inability to attack and defend across multiple phases needs work, but there’s no denying that England are the one team that exceeded expectations this Six Nations.
Ireland: D
Before the first match of the tournament back in January, serious people were talking about a three-peat. No team had ever won a hat-trick of Six Nations crowns, but Ireland were well placed to do so. They had the luck of the draw, playing France and England at home, and despite the temporary departure of coach Andy Farrell, they still had one of the most settled groups in world rugby.
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They only lost once, but it was the manner of the defeat that will echo through time. The shellacking they received at the hands of France felt seismic even as the opening whistle rang across the Aviva Stadium. It ruined the home farewells of three Irish legends and shone a light on the squad’s age profile as well as a lack of depth in some key positions.
There’s no reason why they can’t bounce back next year. The British & Irish Lions should still be dominated by Irish players and coaches. Leinster is still the best talent factory anywhere on the planet, and the way the team is able to seamlessly introduce young blood without dropping standards still deserves praise.
But the air of invincibility is gone. A shoddy display against Wales and a lacklustre show against Italy further underlined their fallibility. A team that used to go through tournaments, let alone matches, without conceding cards are now having the book thrown at them. Their vaunted accuracy through phases and around the fringe is fading. If this isn’t the final chapter of a golden era, it could well be the beginning of the end.
Scotland: F
Once again Scottish fans wondered if this would be their year. Once again the rest of us were told that the Scots have the best backline in the world. Once again coach Gregor Townsend asked for faith and patience. Once again Scotland flattered to deceive, failing in all the same ways they’ve failed before as the same reasons for those failures were repeated ad nauseam.
Compounding matters is that this time they didn’t even beat England, relinquishing the Calcutta Cup after holding it for four consecutive years. The loss of Sione Tuipulotu proved to be a devastating blow, rupturing their fluency in the backline and robbing them of an influential leader. They also missed the extra heft of Scott Cummings in the tight five, an area where they can scarcely afford to lose anyone. But would these two players have made a difference?
They’d have likely still been bullied in the tight five and in the close exchanges. Tuipulotu’s distribution and off-loading might have seen them convert more opportunities, but no team wins titles with flash and dash alone. Scotland’s systemic weakness yet again proved their undoing.
Italy: D
Like Scotland, the Azzurri promised plenty, delivered some sizzle in patches, but were ultimately outgunned. They were expected to beat Wales but still allowed the worst team in the competition to claw their way back to a losing bonus point in Rome. They were clattered by France, dismantled by England, and kept at arm’s length by Scotland. A commendable defeat to Ireland wasn’t enough to save their campaign.
It’s a testament to Italy’s improvements in recent years when a fifth-place finish is scored so poorly, but the cohort widely considered to be the country’s best ever should be delivering more. They possess one of the best midfield partnerships around and on first-phase play can tear anyone to pieces. What’s lacking is a full 80-minute performance and steel on defence. Opposition teams still find it far too easy to score against them in bursts, which means most games slip away from them.
Gonzalo Quesada deserves credit for the improvements he has made, most notably with Italy’s more efficient exit game and their ability to cycle through phases with ball in hand. But the upward trajectory appears to be flatlining with the threat of regression to come.
Wales: C
No other tier-one nation has lost 17 games in a row, and a second consecutive wooden spoon for a team that once dominated Europe is a staggering reality that Welsh fans must now face. But for large periods across the competition, Wales performed as well as could be expected.
They gave Ireland a mighty fright and fought back well against Italy and Scotland. The pastings handed out by France and England were low points, but they were hardly shocks.
Warren Gatland hung on for too long, and Matt Sherratt didn’t have long enough to right this sinking ship. A more robust centre pair, an actual fly-half at first receiver, and a back row consisting of the best available players steadied things halfway through the tournament, but Wales were always fighting against the current. Even casual rugby fans wouldn’t have anticipated anything more than a handful of commendable defeats.
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France needed two men sent off against them and two forwards passes not checked. So not the slam dunk you called it against Ireland.
The bias of Gardner is known and he favoured France because of pressure from Galthie.
England, who blew away Wales (who hasn’t) and beat France having a bad day (who hasn’t) at Twickenham, could not get an A over a team that beat Ireland in Dublin and won the whole damn thing.
If we’re dishing out As for most improved - then cool. England gets an A. But France played mesmerizing rugby during this campaign. England were being lambasted half way through their campaign. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Or we may as well announce it now:
England are going to win the World Cup.
So very biased in your estimates of each country. Easy knowing you're England based
Well I guess it was an English panel that graded the teams the usual bias
Just one South African.
I agree that France have a B and not A. Mainly because of the England game that they lost due to themselves. But they still beat the record of tries and pretending that you have to play 5 perfect games to have a A (reference to the Scotland game) is unrealistic. Some time you need to play not such a fantastic rugby to win the game. Then SA would have a B or C.
England with a A is totally biased as even the English fans recognise it in their comments.
An A is pushing it for England. I was pleasantly surprised by the Wales performance but the rest of the matches we were just OK. We did well to hang in there against France and Scotland but could/should have lost both games. You've given England an A but let's be brutally honest, if Fin Russell gets that last kick, you wouldn't be giving England an A. Our forwards deserved an A for the whole tournament. The backs and the attack in general struggled to find their feet for most of the tournament and our defense was iffy at times. Some fantastic work from a group of forwards who are turning into one of the best packs in the world but overall an identity and attacking shape was really lacking for most of the tournament and as well as England played, there will be tougher tests than Wales to judge them on.
Memories are short. Half way through their campaign things were bleak.
Re England … “they stunned France …”
Really? Were we watching the same game? France left at least 3 tries begging, none of which were due to England’s defense - they should have been out of sight by half time.
For me, it was more France losing the game than England winning it.
France were stunned, yes, but by themselves
France were under pressure all through that match. England played well enough to bring it down to a tight encounter and their plan for a late try worked. No referees for France to blame this time either.
I definitely watched the game - England did stun them by winning, no one expected that. Not Englands fault that France dropped the ball - figuratively and literally - and it was England who then outscored them and out scrummed them and battered their big forwards back several times. England arent given enough credit for that win. Game of the tournament. Ireland v France wasnt a game by the second half, it was one-way.
For the Scotland game they were lucky Russell missed his kicks, but Scotland should have had a red card for the head contact from the winger on Chessum. No arms, jumped up and first contact was with the head. Evens out on the luck front.
Not sure England deserve an A that this article gives them, should be reserved for the winner, but they won their games by scoring more points. If another team had the same tournament as England, they would be lauded for their character and grit.