Six Nations 2023: 'A tournament that promised so much - and delivered'

1 year ago 113

An hr aft the last whistle connected Saturday, erstwhile adjacent the astir committed Irish supporters had emptied the stands and danced disconnected into the Dublin evening, the Ireland players, coaches and absorption were inactive mingling connected the Aviva Stadium pitch.

Each subordinate of the set-up was heavy outnumbered by household and friends, to a idiosyncratic drinking successful the accomplishment of a archetypal Grand Slam connected location soil successful the nonrecreational era.

It was a beauteous show and a fitting extremity to a Six Nations that promised truthful overmuch and delivered successful adjacent measure.

To accidental the athletics was capable to parkland its problems during the tourney would beryllium naïve - astatine 1 constituent the Welsh fiscal situation threatened to propulsion the full title disconnected course, portion the contention astir Freddie Steward's reddish card was a stark reminder of however the crippled is grappling with its precise essence.

But implicit the people of six melodramatic weeks, the enduring entreaty of the Six Nations, a tourney similar nary other, was determination successful abundance. In the words of erstwhile Wales skipper Sam Warburton, it is the acquisition that keeps connected giving.

However, portion the bulk of the games astatine 1 constituent felt successful the equilibrium - the tourney whitethorn ne'er person been arsenic competitory arsenic this crossed the committee - the irony is that successful mid-March we are beauteous overmuch arsenic we were successful aboriginal February.

Ireland and France started the tourney caput and shoulders supra the rest; they extremity it that mode too. Twelve months agone the French swept the committee aft beating Ireland successful circular two; this twelvemonth the roles were reversed.

So portion Ireland deservedly extremity the title on apical of satellite rugby, France are not excessively acold behind. Both are outstanding rugby teams.

Elsewhere Scotland's 3 wins ensured they are the champion of the remainder - which is backed up by the satellite rankings - but they missed opportunities to instrumentality a large scalp, a acquainted vexation for Scottish supporters aft a constrictive decision by New Zealand successful the autumn.

England and Wales came into the tourney successful mediocre signifier and with caller coaches promising caller starts, but extremity it with arsenic galore questions arsenic answers. A mates of months into the caller regimes, and neither look definite yet astir their champion team, oregon their champion style.

England were not capable to amended connected their 2 wins successful 2022, nor Wales connected their solitary triumph a twelvemonth ago. Both Steve Borthwick and Warren Gatland are up against coaches who person been gathering their teams implicit the people of astatine slightest 3 years, and it shows.

Both are besides grappling with turbulent home scenes - successful Wales particularly - and questions implicit squad extent and the effectiveness of their subordinate pathways. England Under-20s were hammered astatine location by France, portion the Welsh U20s mislaid each 5 matches.

Finally, Italy were improving and threatening, ensuring nary crippled felt similar a dormant rubber - large for the tourney - but nevertheless finished winless.

So wherever does it permission america up of the World Cup?

While the Irish and French are successful large shape, they inhabit the treacherous broadside of the draw. Both could bash small incorrect and inactive find themselves knocked retired astatine the quarter-final stage.

Scotland, for each their improvements and joyous attack, look an uphill conflict to get retired of their group. So bash Italy.

England and Wales person shown small to suggest they tin marque a people travel the autumn, but with a favourable gully and a agelong grooming camp, thing is possible.

As Warburton remarked connected the Rugby Union Daily, it does not instrumentality agelong to physique content and assurance successful World Cup year, arsenic the Welsh showed successful 2011.

History excessively is littered with examples of teams upsetting the likelihood travel the main event, whether England successful 2007, France successful 2011, Australia successful 2015, oregon South Africa themselves past clip out.

Outstanding Dupont shines erstwhile again

France scrum-half Antoine Dupont carries the shot during the 2023 Six Nations

When it comes to individuals, a big of players took a measurement up to the adjacent level, specified arsenic the Irish trio of Dan Sheehan, Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan - each present genuinely world-class - portion others announced themselves connected the large stage, including different Irishman Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu of Scotland.

There were besides players who reminded america of their class, similar Finn Russell, Damian Penaud, Johnny Sexton and Charles Ollivon.

Meanwhile Antoine Dupont, the subordinate of the title successful 2020 and 2022, again showed america wherefore helium is connected the mode to becoming an all-time great, with his show successful France's dismantling of England astatine Twickenham 1 for the ages.

At times Dupont looks similar a operation of each large scrum-half that has ever played - the physicality of Joost van der Westhuizen, the power of Gareth Edwards, the linking of George Gregan, the crippled knowing of Matt Dawson - and accounted for a fistful of the tournament's astir memorable moments connected his own; whether it was his walk for Penaud against Wales, his left-footed 50:22 against England, oregon his miraculous tackle connected Hansen against Ireland.

Dupont is simply a peculiar subordinate successful a peculiar team. He could elevate his stardom to adjacent greater heights aboriginal this year.

Across the BBC banner