How the Guinness Six Nations Round 4 unfolded

Italy v Wales

Wales expectedly swept Italy aside to maintain their unbeaten run and keep their hopes of the Grand Slam alive.

Despite the evident weakness of the Italians and the result never really being anything other than a Welsh win, you can only beat the team in front of you and the Welsh duly obliged. Wayne Pivac’s men ran in seven tries on the way to victory with a Ken Owens brace following two early scores from Josh Adams and Taulupe Faletau. The second half saw three further stylish finishes from George North, Callum Sheedy, and Louis Rees-Zammit and justified Pivac’s pre-match comments of playing ‘razzle-dazzle’ rugby.

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Wayne Pivac’s side can complete the Six Nations clean sweep by winning at the Stade de France next weekend. On the other five occasions, Wales has won the Six Nations Triple Crown since the tournament’s inception on each of the previous occasions they have done so, they have gone on to seal the Grand Slam.

It represents an outstanding turnaround from a side that finished fifth, their worst result since 2007, on their way to only three wins in 10 games in 2020.

Wales have now matched their record of 17 Six Nations tries in one tournament with a game remaining.

England v France

England overcame a stubborn, skillful France to snatch victory in a thrilling match at Twickenham that toed and froed throughout.

Eddie Jones’ side trailed 17-13 at half-time after dazzling scores from Antoine Dupont and Damian Penaud had put France in front. A try from Anthony Watson on the occasion of his 50^th cap kept England in touch with the French.

The hosts’ pressure told in a cagey second half as Maro Itoje barged over for a 77th-minute score. A score that raised eyebrows as Itoje’s grounding was questionable but was ultimately awarded.

France threatened to land a decisive counter-punch but Brice Dulin’s break came to no avail which sparked jubilant celebrations from the England players.

The late defeat cost Les Bleus a first win at Twickenham since 2005.

England’s performance was the perfect blueprint to how you can rein in the resurgent French and the key is to be able to stay within reach of Fabien Galthie’s team on the scoreboard and capitalise late on when the French tail off. A performance that would not have been lost on the Welsh and may well be a strategy to deploy themselves.

Scotland v Ireland

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton knocked over a late penalty as the men in green survived a late surge from Scotland to edge out a hectic victory at Murrayfield.

A converted try from Hamish Watson brought the hosts level with five minutes remaining but Sexton held his nerve to kick the winning points as a result of his fifth penalty.

Robbie Henshaw and Finn Russell traded unconventional first-half scores that were befitting of the chaotic nature of the game.

Ireland extended their four-point halftime lead to 24-10 courtesy of a converted Tadhg Beirne try and a fourth Sexton penalty. Huw Jones mounted a Scottish comeback scoring a try of the highest quality but along with Watson’s late try fell just short.

A sixth successive win over Scotland lifts Ireland up to second in the table, although they go into their final match at home to England with no chance of winning the championship.

Scotland opened with a historic first win at Twickenham since 1983, are stuck in fifth place, having lost three in a row in Edinburgh for the first time since March 2015. It will come as little comfort to Gregor Townsend that his side face Italy next before their rearranged fixture against France. Given the impressive nature of their win in Twickenham Townsend and his team would have been hoping for a far better tournament than the one that had unfolded post-England.