It’s February. A month where we once again try and remember when on earth Valentines day is, (a heads up it’s the 14th). A month where if we stay up late enough on the weekends, and watch ESPN, we are treated to the magnificent rugby spectacle that is the Six Nations.
Leaving the Italy versus France encounter aside, this weekend’s games featured the home nations sides doing what they do best.
That is inspiring fans to brave the cold and fill up their wonderful stadia and pubs to watch exciting, splendid and purposeful rugby. They didn’t disappoint.
From the moment the great Brian O’Driscoll set up the first try of the tournament with a miraculous manoeuvre worthy of any rugby great, we knew we were in for a great weekend of rugby.
His man of the match performance was a marker to all that the great man wants yet another Grand Slam, yet another Player of the Tournament award, and yet another Lions tour.
So who else gained a foot-hold on a possible Lions shirt? Was Ireland’s first half performance reason to believe they can go on and win the tournament and form the nucleus of the Lions starting side as they did in 2009?
Was Wales’ excellent second half evidence that their 2012 Grand Slam was not just a fluke? Or was England’s rather large victory against a very spirited Scottish side the true beginning of their resurgence?
Last but not least, are Scotland’s inadequate 10, 12, and 13 reason enough for the rest of their quality players to miss out on winning a ticket to Australia in June?
At this stage who knows, but it might be fun to pick a Lions side based on this weekend’s performance. Roarers, would you agree?
1. Cian Healy (Ireland): His performance was arguably his finest of his Six Nations career. He is too good around the park to be ignored. He has the Lions no 1 shirt almost tattooed to his back. His scrummaging no longer seems to be a weakness but is now a true strength.
2. Rory Best (Ireland): Yet another quality performance, and off the back of some excellent Six Nations performances in years gone by, it’s hard to see the rival English upstarts usurping the current king of home nation hookers.
3. Dan Cole (England): A solid performance in the loose and yet another impressive performance in the tight. Cole was the standout tight head on show this weekend.
4. Richie Grey (Scotland): Frankly, Grey’s attacking game was shut down by both England’s defence and Scotland’s tactics to keep him in tight. His defensive and breakdown work rate was outstanding, his lineout work fitting of the giant he his, and his strength in contact was undeniable.
5. Geoff Parling (England): Out played his locking team-mate with a massive performance just when he needed it. With the fantastically athletic Lawes on the bench it seems a matter of time before fans will be calling for a more balanced Lawes/Launchbury combination.
With performances like this they may be calling for a Lawes/Parling one instead.
6. Dave Denton (Scotland): With last year’s Player of the Tournament, Dan Lydiate, side-lined along with the Irishman Ferris, this weekend’s home nations no 6’s had a lot to play for. How did they do?
When Scotland’s Wallaby slaying Strokosch got ‘Strokosched’ from the field early, the young bull Denton took his spot and was absolutely immense on a losing side. With Rennie to come back for the Scots they are looking like fielding a world class flanker pairing and one that would not be out of place in a Lions starting line-up if need be.
7. Chris Robshaw (England): His performance was arguably his finest in an English shirt. Power and more power sum up his performance and it seems apart from a cameo from Tupiric in the second half for the Welsh, and a possible come back from Scotland’s Ross Rennie, Robshaw might have put his best foot forward yet for the lions no 7 shirt.
Warburton on the other hand might struggle to finish the season as the Welsh no 7 let alone the lions no 7 or captain. And will Ireland please do away with the myth that O’Brien is a Test match no 7 already? Put him at no 8 or no 6 or bring him in off the bench. You are fooling no-one.
8. Ben Morgan (England): Before getting injured again, he was as immense as he was when he came into the side at the back end of last year’s tournament. I ask, is there a better pure metre gaining no 8 in the game?
Maybe Sean O’Brien if played correctly? Morgan is a David Lyons that actually works at Test level and it seems only injury will curb this amazing talent. The other no 8’s on show were strong also (Faletau only for the second forty he played though).
9. Ben Youngs (England): A fantastic scrum half’s performance and when you have the second best scrum half, some might say the best, of the home nations, coming on to replace him, he had to play as well as he did.
10. Owen Farrell (England): At 21, this bloke has already held his nerve to kick his club to a premiership and is now kicking his way to a possible Grand Slam winning, Lions playing year.
Not only that, he has added a crucial element to his game. He’s actually taking the line on from time to time. The new Jonny? The second Farrell? What we do know is that Toby Flood is gutted as Sexton might become serious Lion selection time.
11. Mike Brown (England): With so much wing talent around there is no way the Harlequins full back will play wing for the Lions in a test match but he was one of the best performers in this position on Saturday. I’m not sure Goode will not make way for Brown at fullback by the tournaments end though.
12. Billy Twelvetrees (England): It helps to have such a memorable name but he deserves inclusion in this weekend’s Lions side after a fantastically penetrative performance. I doubt he’ll continue in the centres for England when Tuilagi returns so his selection truly is for his weekend’s merit.
It also helped that Roberts, Darcy and Scott all had relatively innocuous games.
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland): His performance was as ‘Brian O’Driscoll’ as they come. All he did was create room for others by getting on his opposite’s outside, usually followed by a simple draw and pass. Simple with an air of class.
Throw in the occasional miraculous pass to lay on a try from nothing, put in a huge defensive display including two try saving tackles, one rib breaker against the opposition’s biggest player, score yet another try for Ireland, his 47th, and you’ve got yet another man of the match performance.
I must say there has never been a better no 13 than Brian O’Driscoll anywhere, anytime. There have been too many performances like these over the years to doubt that and this wasn’t even one of the best I’ve seen.
14. George North (Wales): Just gets the nod over Ireland’s Simon Zebo who is credited with the amazing skill of being able to flick balls from behind him at full pace into his right hand by using the back of his left foot. North took a while to get into the game but when he did he showed his immeasurable power and strength and was a handful for the Irish.
15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland): When this guy runs he leaves vapour trails. He had a great start to his full international career in last year’s Six Nations and yet is probably a long shot for a Lions starting berth.
Hogg set up Scotland’s opening try with blinding pace and showed just as much pace to finish off Scotland’s length of the field effort in the second half. With his speed and his amazingly long boot I’d be at-least taking him to Australia as a benchy.
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