The Six Nations concluded this weekend here are all the key questions answered from Super Saturday.
The Six Nations concluded this weekend here are all the key questions answered from Super Saturday.
Who - Louis Bielle-Barrey is the only real answer. You can’t score four tries and not be the best player of the weekend. Beating his own Six Nations record for most tries in a single campaign with nine, the winger feels a bit like a cheat code in a video game. His pace is such a game-changer and something nobody can stop. When a ball gets kicked in behind your side, and if there is any chance of a foot race, you are in big trouble! Big shout-out as well to Meofou and Chessum’s performances in Paris, who were both brilliant for their sides in Paris. Then Wainwright put in a huge performance in Cardiff, scoring two tries and finally getting a win for Wales.
What - In a weekend full of moments on the question of what was the best, I believe the question would be what was the best drop goal? Dan Edwards or Fin Smiths. As fans we love a drop goal, and these were two of the best. Edwards in the traditional sense of a drop goal it was from open play, it wasn’t traditional in the fact that it was from 40 plus metres on the angle. It summed up the Welsh players' confidence in their performance against Italy, especially for Edwards, who has had a tough tournament but was on top form at the weekend. It was a kick that stayed hit as well, despite being from a distance, it could have been from another ten metres out and still sailed through the sticks. Whereas Smith’s was actually for a disrupted conversion as the hall bell off the tee with 10 seconds to go on the clock, and he then effortlessly slotted a drop goal straight down the middle. Ironically, it was his best kick at goal of the night, having missed from similar spots off the tee, which makes the drop goal even more impressive and dare I say making it slightly better than Edwards’s.
Where - Paris was the place to be, as it always is at the Stade De France, but on its 130th anniversary, Le Crunch was one of the greatest rugby matches I’ve ever watched. Brilliant rugby, physicality and huge drama in a high-stakes match, it can’t get much better than that. Even including a pre-game battle, which you had to be in Paris to see, as ITV decided to play an advert over it.
When - was the best moment to be a rugby fan this weekend, the last kick of this year’s tournament, the championship on the line for France, Irish and English fans praying for Ramos to miss. But Thomas Ramos doesn’t miss. Especially when it matters as he slotted the kick under huge pressure like it was absolutely nothing. That moment as the penalty is waiting to be taken, is the drama and pressure we as rugby fans love to see. This is the ideal way for a tournament to end in the final moments.
Why - this was going to be why can’t Scotland manage to beat Ireland or along those lines, but whilst writing this and after yesterday’s game as an England fan, one thing keeps coming into my mind. Why didn’t Chessum run towards the posts? He was brilliant, and the interception was a quality read, but he had no French defenders even close to him, so why did he go towards the corner in such a tight contest! Especially as the conversion was then missed and England lost by two points.