Alasdair Reid.
07775 875934.
Rugby - Six Nations Report Card.
Two down, three to go. The RBS 6 Nations Championship is not quite at its midpoint, but as it moves to the back burner for a couple of weeks it is time to examine the themes and assess the teams of the first two rounds.
England lead the race, but how confident can they be after some lurid defensive lapses against Italy last Saturday? Ireland have two wins as well, but they have not been the force of recent years. France and Wales are on one victory apiece, but they could easily have lost those games. Scotland and Italy have yet to get off the mark.
There is a long way to go before the title is decided next month. But how are the contenders shaping up?
ENGLAND
The Sons of St George gained sweet revenge for their 2013 humiliation in Cardiff as they silenced the Millennium Stadium crowd in the tournament's first match. Stuart Lancaster's side delivered a performance of power rugby and a 21-16 win that immediately installed them as championship favourites.
However, they stumbled against Italy. On paper, their 47-17 win at Twickenham was a rout; in reality they made a meal of it, coughing up three tries along the way. They looked flat-footed and were dozing in defence. Predictably, they pulled away in the second half, but it was not a display that marked them out as World Cup contenders.
In their favour, they did hold their nerve, regrouping well after two poor starts. They also seem to have the spine of a settled team in place, and Chris Robshaw has demolished all doubts about his fitness to be captain. In Jamie Joseph they have also unearthed a player who can cause panic in any defence.
Overall: 7/10
IRELAND
They took the title in dramatic and emotional circumstances a year ago, and they are well on track to grab it this year as well. They have pretty much perfected the basics of the game and their top players are living up to their billings. Johnnie Sexton is pure class.
Against that, they took time to put Italy away and they looked vulnerable when France replaced their big forwards with their even bigger forwards. Had France had the accuracy to match their power in the later stages then Ireland would now be reflecting on a home defeat.
There was an uncharacteristic sloppiness about Ireland's phase play. They can boss breakdowns far better than they showed against France. England have looked strong in that area in their opening matches, so it is something coach Joe Schmidt will be looking to put right before England come to Dublin. He will also want more from a backline that has not shown a cutting edge thus far.
Overall: 6/10
FRANCE
Whatever happened to French flair? Philippe Saint-Andre was brought in to alloy some pragmatism to France's traditional flamboyance, but the bébé has gone out with the bathwater. With a backline of Yoann Huget, Mathieu Bastareaud, Wesley Fofana and Teddy Thomas, France should be tearing sides to ribbons; Staggeringly, they have scored just one try so far (and that from a forward as well).
In their favour, they have conceded just one, too. They have also used the immense power of their forwards to good effect. There is still a suspicion that they could yet cut loose and put the good parts of their game together. There is no doubt they have the components for success.
Saint-Andre's selection strategy was wayward for his first few seasons in charge. With the end of his reign in sight, he has become more consistent. Thierry Dusautoir remains a magnificent leader on the field. There is more to come from this team.
Overall: 6/10
WALES
Warren Gatland's side have played in fits and starts. They were impressive in the first quarter against England and the third against Scotland, but outside those periods they have looked vulnerable. Everyone now knows the kind of game they want to play. Warrenball is not the force it was.
Wales rode their luck against Scotland and relied too much on the favours of the referee. They have been weak in the front five, although Alun Wyn Jones has been a rock in the second row. There is a feeling that Wales are walking a tightrope at the moment. If things start to go wrong they could very quickly go into a tailspin.
But as fragile as they are, they still managed to grind out their win against Scotland. They have had consistent selection in key areas, so they know each other, trust each other and are perfectly capable of getting themselves out of a tight spot.
Overall: 5/10
SCOTLAND
It would be hard not to improve on the final game of last year's championship, when a dishevelled and dispirited side lost by a record margin to Wales. Vern Cotter has brought structure and stability to the side, laying down the foundation of a solid gameplan and trusting the players to do the rest.
Thus far, though, that has not included winning a game. There has been an uplifting feistiness in their play and nobody could question the energy or application levels, but turning pressure and potential into points and wins is what this level of the game is about. In those areas, the Scots have come up short.
Finn Russell and Blair Cowan have provided rhythm and go-forward, but both have made errors as well. Scotland's lack of composure in the strike zone was exposed against Wales, too. They have also drifted out of games too easily, allowing both France and Wales to enjoy long periods of domination. For all sorts of reasons, their next match, against Italy, is an absolute must-win.
Overall: 5/10
ITALY
The Azzurri have taken strides in their willingness to move the ball and to attack the wide channels. England were caught on the hop by that bold approach, and it bodes well for the future. Under Jacques Brunel they have developed a new faith in their ability to play the game and trouble opponents.
However, they haven't developed new players in sufficient numbers and still rely too heavily on players who have seemingly been there for ever. Four of their pack against England had more than 100 caps. Centre Luca Morisi, scorer of two tries at Twickenham, has been a revelation, but he stands alone. They need more like him - and they especially need good new forwards.
They have looked good in defence, but that impression has not been measured in results as they have conceded eight tries. Kelly Haimona looks to be a find at fly-half, but his goal-kicking lapses were costly. They have also tired badly in the later stages of their two games.
Overall: 3/10
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