The 2025 Six Nations is off and working after an action-packed first spherical of fixtures. Sky Sports activities assesses the victories for Eire and Scotland, and alarmingly acquainted defeats for England and Wales…
Eire belatedly rediscover mojo however questions stay at No 10
For the primary half of Saturday’s win over England, Eire’s assault regarded flustered, rushed and missing a lot in accuracy it was onerous to consider this was the identical aspect who had received the final two Six Nations championships.
The main choice speaking level in Eire heading into this one was who interim head coach Simon Easterby would choose at fly-half: final yr’s starter within the victorious championship marketing campaign Jack Crowley or the brand new child on the block in Sam Prendergast.
November had seen Prendergast chosen by Andy Farrell to start out in opposition to Australia, however Crowley emerged off the bench to play a significant position in turning issues round to win that Take a look at.
Jack Crowley’s substitute of Sam Prendergast when the rating was 13-10 to Eire coincided with their late surge to Six Nations victory over England
- Six Nations 2025: Fixtures, outcomes, schedule
- Eire 27-22 England | France 43-0 Wales | Scotland 31-19 Italy
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In the long run, Prendergast was a shock decide to start out in opposition to England and it proved the incorrect name in a show actually missing in high quality. Many of the events he obtained the ball he kicked possession away, kicked aimlessly and much too lengthy – placing his personal aspect beneath stress – whereas he missed twice off the tee by way of conversions – the primary a very poor strike.
Crowley got here on within the 58th minute in Dublin and Eire instantly regarded extra settled and into their stream. Even England head coach Steve Borthwick commented on it on the post-match press convention. “The change at 10 was a reasonably important one. They performed very well when he got here on within the remaining a part of the sport,” he mentioned.
The answer right here would certainly seem going with Crowley from the beginning for subsequent week’s conflict away to Scotland, however there appears extra at play. Prendergast performs for Leinster at provincial stage like many within the Eire beginning workforce and clearly the Eire teaching employees see one thing they need to stick with. Large query marks stay.
England lose one other lead regardless of optimistic showings in first half
England misplaced in Dublin regardless of debutant Cadan Murley claiming an early try to late consolations from Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman
For giant durations of the primary half, England had been faster, slicker and extra bodily than Eire in lots of aspects of play.
Indiscipline in defence meant they surrendered the potential to construct greater than a 7-0 lead – Marcus Smith the person picked out for a sin-binning after a workforce warning – and the second half then performed out with utter dominance from Eire.
England had been blown away with 22 unanswered Eire factors to fall 27-10 behind and there was no approach again, regardless of a late push which introduced a shedding bonus level which will but show important. You solely have to take a look at the 2020 Six Nations when England eked out a late Spherical 1 shedding bonus level away to a rampant France which ended up being important within the ensuing title race.
Tadhg Beirne celebrates scoring Eire’s third strive of the sport
For Borthwick on Saturday, he selected to focus on the distinction in expertise between the edges and the optimistic one couldn’t discern that from the beginning: “When you take a look at in the present day’s sport, you are taking a look at two totally different groups. Eire are a workforce which have been collectively for an enormous period of time, practically 1200 caps. England are a workforce that is constructing during the last six months and have simply over half that variety of caps.
“When you watch the beginning of that sport, you do not see that distinction. You see an England workforce that desires to play aggressively, desires to maneuver the ball, and we took a step ahead with our assault. We’re upset, however there are parts the place we have proven progress during the last 10 days in coaching camp.”
France with a returning Antoine Dupont at Twickenham subsequent week…England must discover a approach of sustaining optimistic spells of play inside Assessments. They’ve now misplaced seven of their final 9 since defeating Eire at house in final yr’s championship.
Scotland, you have been warned
Huw Jones scored a hat-trick as Scotland got here by way of a testing Six Nations opener in opposition to Italy
“We’ll should be lots higher if we need to do something on this event.”
Amid jubilant full-time scenes within the stands of Murrayfield, Finn Russell did not mince his phrases.
On the face of it, Scotland’s Six Nations marketing campaign had acquired off to the right begin, Huw Jones’ hat-trick inspiring a 31-19 victory over Italy.
However a scratch beneath the floor may have unearthed issues {that a} workforce extra succesful and scientific than Italy would have undoubtedly exploited.
Juan Ignacio Brex’s beautiful intercept strive sealed Italy’s comeback at Murrayfield
Russell’s feedback had been directed to each him and the collective, with the fly-half culpable in Scotland’s give up of a 19-6 half-time lead when Juan Ignacio Brex intercepted his free cross to finish Italy’s dramatic comeback with a breakaway strive.
The way during which Scotland extinguished Italy’s revival, securing a bonus-point victory within the course of, was to be admired, each for its precision and emphatic nature.
Few groups can maintain a candle to the expertise they possess out large, however even the likes of Jones, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe might have their work lower out pulling off an analogous escape act in opposition to higher opposition.
Wales face generational Italy conflict after France thrashing
Jac Morgan has backed Wales to finish their shedding streak in opposition to Italy
The scoreline steered a drubbing, a one-sided affair, and in lots of ways in which was true.
A thirteenth successive Take a look at defeat was inflicted in record-breaking vogue as seven-try France claimed their biggest-ever Six Nations victory over Wales.
Wales averted equalling their heaviest defeat within the event, a 54-10 loss to Eire in 2003, by a solitary level in Paris, however that was scant comfort for Warren Gatland and his workforce, who journey to Italy for a round-two conflict that has taken on generational significance.
“For me, this sport subsequent week is the largest in Welsh rugby for the final 15-20 years. It’s a large, large match,” former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar informed ITV.
Even at this early stage of the event, defeat in Rome would certainly depart Wales on target for successive Six Nations picket spoons for the very first time.
And if that wasn’t alarming sufficient, with Eire, Scotland and England to return, figuring out the place Wales will carry this report shedding streak to an finish will increase in issue if the Azzurri prevail.
Six Nations fixtures: Spherical Two
Saturday February 8
Italy vs Wales (2.15pm)
England vs France (4.45pm)
Sunday February 9
Scotland vs Eire (3pm)
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