Well, I said Ireland would win and would score 26 points. But I didn’t expect this sort of humiliation – we were thoroughly beaten in every aspect of the game (except perhaps goalkicking – 1/1 for Leigh Halfpenny. Hooray). As far as I can tell, it was Wales’s biggest Six Nations defeat since 2006, and we’ve won three championships since then. This was the same sort of defeat we used to suffer in the final days at the old Lansdowne Road in the early 2000s, and if last week was a bit disappointing, today was a total shocker. We’d need to win at Twickenham to have a chance of winning the championship, but that hardly looks likely after such a rudderless performance.
There’s loads of apparently overblown hype ahead of this one, much of it as a result of Warren Gatland’s decision to pick an in-form player as the Lions romped to victory Down Under last summer. But no doubt this is a massive game. Both teams have to visit Twickenham this Six Nations, so can hardly afford a slip-up here as they chase the title. If some of the recent results are anything to go by, we could be in for a classic:
Paul O’Connell (pictured at the Millennium Stadium in 2009 as Ireland won their first Grand Slam in 61 years) is back for the Wales game
2013: Wales 22-30 Ireland – visitors go 23-3 up at half time
2012: Ireland 21-23 Wales – Bradley Davies not red carded; last-minute penalty seals Welsh win
2011: Wales 19-13 Ireland – wrongly awarded Mike Phillips try seals Welsh win
2009: Wales 15-17 Ireland – last-minute missed penalty from halfway seals Irish Grand Slam (why didn’t Henson take it?)
I think Ireland at home will be slightly too strong for a Wales side which will (have to) improve significantly from last week’s win against Italy. I’d have predicted Wales if it was being played at the Millennium Stadium, but it’s not, so I haven’t. Then again, Wales haven’t lost away in the Six Nations since March 2011, so…
Scotland 13-21 England
In stark contrast to Ireland-Wales fixtures, this rivalry has been dreary of late. England have scored just one try – a charge down by Charlie Hodgson (below) – in their last four visits to Murrayfield, although that’s still one more than their hosts have managed:
2012: Scotland 6-13 England
2010: Scotland 15-15 England
2008: Scotland 15-9 England
2006: Scotland 18-12 England
That’s right, there have been 30 penalties, two drop goals and a solitary try in the last 320 minutes of Calcutta Cup action in Edinburgh. Yawn. Surely that record won’t continue on Saturday? England looked good against France while Scotland defended stoutly for a half against Ireland. England will surely be too strong that weekend, although poor weather might (again) curtail any hopes of expansive rugby.
A slow first 39 minutes where they didn’t do a whole lot more than simply blunt the Scottish endeavours. But once Andrew Trimble scored at the end of the first half, the result was never in doubt. Ireland looked generally sharp, counter-rucked very well and didn’t have any obvious weak areas. They still have to travel to Twickenham and the Stade de France, but things will be very tricky for Wales next week.
The Millennium Stadium before Wales’s 23-15 win over Italy
An Early Bath 