Missed the Six Nations opening last weekend? Have no fear, the northern hemisphere rugby extravaganza is back on Saturday and Sunday with all still to play for.
The annual tournament receives great pomp and ceremony. However, in a year when the World Cup comes to England, it has rarely received more Eddie Butler-voiced slow motion montages, pyrotechnic displays, or politicians urging on their particular team.
Defending champions Ireland and England look the teams to beat, after impressive opening wins over Italy and Wales respectively. The green and white jerseys will clash in Dublin on March 1.
This weekend however and it’s England hosting Italy first up on Saturday (2:30pm), with Sale Sharks’ Danny Cipriani hoping for a first run out of the tournament after George Ford, the brother of his Sale teammate Joe, bossed proceedings in Cardiff.
Ireland then take on France a few hours later (5pm) before Scotland welcome Wales on Sunday at 3pm.
The opening fixtures were memorable for many reasons and here MM looks back at five alternative talking points.
1. Kelly Haimona’s rat tail
Italy have had problems with so much of their back line, but this year have two fly-halves in whom they really believe.
Tommaso Allan has shown incredible promise for a 21-year-old, but starting ahead of him this week was Haimona.
At 6ft 1, and a shade under 17 stone, he hardly strikes you as a natural stand-off, however, he showed flair and physicality against an Irish side also boasting a new man at 10.
However, he needs to deal with the miniature ponytail which can be found hanging off the back of his neck. It’s not attractive, and there’s half a chance that James Haskell may rip it off at Twickenham today…
2. The golden oldies rolling back the years in Cardiff
Between them, Nick Easter and Gethin Jenkins have 70 years and more than 150 caps of rugby experience. At 34, Jenkins is one of the most experienced props in world rugby, and his continued appearance in a Welsh jersey is as much a testament to his longevity as his ability.
On the other side of the scrum, Easter, who had not appeared in an England shirt since the last World Cup, came off the bench to consolidate a famous victory, grey hairs and battle scars a plenty. He is old enough to be winger Anthony Watson’s father. (He isn’t.)
3. Geoff Cross’ beard
Okay if you missed this you weren’t watching the game properly. In November we were given a glimpse of one of the more intimidating beards in world rugby. Many thought Christmas would see it shorn – ‘we have reached peak beard’ cried the masses.
However, with 16 minutes to go, Cross jogged off the bench with not the same beard, but one with even more mass.
It could, should it need to, sustain some thirty or forty different families of bird.
Perhaps the most gruesome and most primeval moment was when he lined up for the last scrum of the game, staring down loosehead Eddy Ben Arous, blood quietly dripping from his bottom lip, the only evidence of his last victim.
4. George North’s knockout blows
How much of Friday night North will want to remember is a matter of debate. How much of Friday night he WILL remember is also entirely questionable.
In the first half, he received a boot to the head, clearly lost consciousness, but was, after assessment, allowed to continue. In the second half, his head collided with Richard Hibbard’s and he was out before he hit the ground, where he lay prone while Anthony Watson stared confused at his stricken body.
The Welsh RFU later acknowledged he should have been replaced but whatever you do, don’t ask George, because he might not even know Wales lost yet…
5. Allez les… ‘rouges’?
Scotland have modelled a new change kit recently, a rather fetching shade of burgundy. Now the French, famed for rocking the Stade de France with the pulsating cry of ‘allez les bleus’, have produced a brilliantly red kit to wear as a change from their customary blue.
France won, albeit not comfortably, and the crowd seemed to hesitate every time they roared on Les Bleus, as they realised that those in blue, were not their own.
Main image courtesy of Rugby Riot via YouTube, with thanks.
