WHEN YOU HAVE captured as many Wooden Spoons as Italy has, over their 25 years in the Six Nations, there is perhaps a case for suffering from “squeaky bum syndrome” when, as in Rome on Saturday, you are on the verge of a significant victory. Certainly the Italians got a wee bit mervous in the final quarter. When such an experienced operater as Tommasso Allen starts missing kicks similar to ones he had hitherto been knocking over with aplomb, you know the prospect of victory is getting to them.
But, to their credit, the Azzurri pulled themselves together and got over the line; you now, after that game, have to believe the Spoon is heading for Cardiff this year.
Mind you, I reckon, if they stick with some of these young players, Wales will be back to their insufferable best within a season or two, perhaps by the end of Ithis World Cup round. Whether or not Warren Gatland is still their Honcho by then is another issue. I have never been a Gatland fan, but, his coaching record would seem to demand he is given the chance to complete the rebuild, should be wish to do so.
I would not, however, given the criticism he is having to tolerate, for a situation over which he has little control – he can only select from the player pool the Regions and the WRU give him. If the talent isn't there there is not a lot he can do in the time he has with the squad.
GIVEN WE ARE in London's hands when it comes to how each weekend 's games are broadcast, “Le Crunch” between England and France was always going to be the most-hyped of the three Round Two matches.
I switched my television offimmediately the final whistle blew at Twickenham. No way was I going to endure a post mortem of what a terrific victory this was for England. OK, fair's fair, they defended terrificly-well, they took their limited number of chances in the game, but, the reality was: England didn't win this game – France lost it. This win was the grandest of Grand Larceny.
I am convinced, on a dry day, and on 99 games out of 100, France would have won that game by a street. Be honest, have you ever seen a French side make as many unforced errors, drop as many simple balls, as Les Bleus managed to mess up on Saturday.
OK Damien Penaud has the greed of the natural finisher, so, I could hardly blame him for backing himself, with two colleagues open on his left, and going right, into defensive traffic. When even The G.O.A.T. Antione Dupont, makes basic errors and drops passes he normally plucks out of the air one-handed, you might believe God is an Englishman.
In truth, it wasn't a great game; too many mistakes, not enough quality. However, of the few flashes of genuinely good rugby we did see, the majority came from the French. This was a rare case of the better team losing.
THEN CAME SCOTTISH GAS MURRAYFIELD on Sunday. This one was the Game of the Weekend, it had to be, since it was the only one featuring two unbeaten sides. Sadly, from a Scottish perspective, it was a case of same old, same old and the hope if not killing us, being killed by a vastly-superior Irish side.
The in-breds from south of the Limpopo might chant “vier wêreldbekers” from now until the end of time, but that will not alter the reality, this current Irish squad is one hugely-talented, well-coached unit. Some days, you just have to hold your hand up and admit: “We were well-beaten by a superior side.”
As ever with Scotland, we are left to sift through the ashes for something tangible to cling to going forward and on this occasion, finding little consolation. Sure the loss of Finn Russell and Darcy Graham were blows for us, but, as John Barclay said at the end: we made too-many unforced errors, turned the ball over too-easily and too-often.
OK, Ronan O'Gara's myopic triumphalism made you wish he had been around in the days of Scotland's 1970s “Mean Machine” - to teach him abit of humility, but, really, it was Men against Boys; we can only suck it up and move on.
We had plenty of minuses and few plusses from this disappointment – just another two steps backwards, the lot of a Tartan Army foot soldier.
No wonder the family cat has vanished, he fears what may be coming.
No comments:
Post a Comment