Six Nations: Where each team stands before Round 3

Two weeks into the Six Nations we have already seen more than enough to draw some conclusions about each team.

The usual beautiful mixture of similarity and spontaneity that often defines the tournament is in full force once again in 2017, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

England (1st, 8 points)
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s state the obvious – two wins out of two is nothing to turn your nose up at.

However, there are still some worrying signs for an England side that wants to establish itself as a regular feature of the world’s top teams.

The manner of the victories against France and Wales will not please Eddie Jones, despite what he may say in the press. England were sloppy against France, lacked proper attacking intent and did well in the end to scramble away with a win.

Against Wales, they were bullied for 65 minutes of the game, and had it not been for the profligacy of the Welsh attacking game, would have been down and out by that point. Their attacking game needs more root creativity, which neither Ford nor Farrell are currently managing to regularly provide.

However, there are two outstanding traits that set this England team apart. The first, as we have already mentioned, is that you may say what you like about the performances they have given so far, but they have still walked away with a victory both times, and that takes some doing.

The second is the very reason they were able to do it, was that their phenomenal defensive structure and work rate kept them in touch with a dominant attacking side on both occasions. Despite being ripped apart for Liam Williams’ sublime try in Cardiff, England’s defence has been exemplary, and has meant that they only need their attack to click into gear once or twice a match to secure a win, and that is a privileged position to be in.

Ireland (second, 6 points)
A mixed bag so far for the Irish. As scintillating as they were when they got going against Italy (not helped by a poor defensive showing from the Azzurri), their opening-day defeat to Scotland still sticks in the memory.

Ireland have the best-developed and most imaginative attacking game in the competition this year, they have the best creative players around and they potentially have the most destructive player anywhere in the world at the moment at No. 6 in CJ Stander.

However, Ireland’s problem in their defeat to Scotland was discipline. They gave away too many needless penalties and allowed Scotland momentum when the game should have been put to bed late in the game.

I still think they are the side best equipped to take on England’s monster defence, with players like Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Stander all firing on all cylinders after the Italy game. They are also the most daring team in their attack – which is why, if they get it right, they are the team England may struggle to handle.

Wales (3rd, 5 points)
Wales have shown signs so far of learning from their mistakes already in the tournament. What looked on paper like a simple win over the Italians was anything but for the first 40 minutes, when Wales were caught cold by an aggressive onslaught through the forward pack.

However, fast-forward a week to the Principality Stadium, and it was Wales putting England under the pump up front.

Wales arguably deserved to walk away with the points from Cardiff that night, but let it slip through not being anywhere near clinical enough in the red zone and one poor mistake that England seized upon, as they do better than anyone else.

If Wales can maintain the aggression they showed up front (and keep Ross Moriarty on the field instead of replacing him when he was taking England to task on his own with an ineffectual Taulupe Faletau) and add a clinical edge to their attacking play, life will be rosy.

France (4th, 5 points)
A return to the flair French rugby of old was promised to us before this tournament – but we’ve been fooled by that one before. However, for the first time in a few years, we are seeing signs of delivery on that promise.

The handing for Rabah Slimani’s try at Twickenham from the French forwards was slick, their backline play across both games has been dramatically improved, and they finally look to have found a good enough orchestral fly-half in Camille Lopez to allow for a more expansive game plan.

They found a way to win against a rapidly-improving Scotland side in Paris when many (myself included) thought they would hold as Scotland went on the offensive in the second half, but the new-found steel in the forward pack held firm.

They are not the dominant side of the mid-2000s, nor am I expecting them to be – but a pleasing new direction in terms of their attitude towards attacking rugby has given cause for optimism.

Scotland (5th, 5 points)
Their fantastic opening win against Ireland has given Scotland the platform for a mould-breakingly successful campaign, and it is now up to them what they do with it.

Their loss to France was a shame (not helped by the loss of captain Greig Laidlaw, whose absence for the rest of the tournament is a body blow to them) but the tenacity they showed to stay in the game after half time and push France all the way as they did is testament to how far they have come.

They still lack a little bit of grit in the scrum without their first choice front-row pairing, and their back row is unfortunately a little less dynamic than those around them. This means they struggle to gain a good foothold sometimes up front, but the influence of Finn Russell at 10 and player-of-the-tournament-so-far Stuart Hogg at 15 means that when they do get their hands on the ball, there is a renewed belief and even expectation that they will do something with it – and that is a big step forward to have made.

Italy (6th, 0 points)
Oh, dear. I defended Italy after they were beaten by Wales because of the genuine fright they gave the men in red in the first half of that game, looking for all money like an improvement on the sides of yesteryear and a genuine threat.

Unfortunately, it has only gone backwards from there, and even for them the way they were absolutely pummelled by Ireland was unseemly.

What Italy need is a backline with some actual genuine attacking weapons. There have been bright moments from their wingers, but from fullback and the centres there is just not enough to trouble the big teams at the moment.

Michele Campagnaro from Exeter is one capable of providing that, if he can get a regular gig in the 13 shirt, but that will have to wait and see.

God knows what they’d do without Sergio Parisse.