Prendergast kicks Ireland to triple crown success against spirited Wales
The triple crown belongs to Ireland.The champions’ grand slam attempt remains alive, and Simon Easterby’s supremely well-drilled team are on course to claim a historic third successive Six Nations title.They had a serious scare under the roof in Cardiff, though, thanks to a sensational performance by Wales under their interim head coach Matt Sherratt.Since being hurriedly appointed last week, the Cardiff head coach had only four training sessions to implement his ideas, and has made a remarkably positive impact.Ellis Mee, the 21-year-old Welsh debutant, was denied a potentially decisive try in the final 10 minutes by a fiendishly tight call by the television match official.
Ireland ultimately edged over the line, with the fly-half Sam Prendergast’s kicking instrumental in the final quarter.But they were frequently forced on to the back foot by a magnificent Welsh effort after 14 consecutive Test defeats under Warren Gatland.That run now stretches to 15, but the pain of this loss was considerably sweeter.Sherratt had torn up Gatland’s script and selected a Gloucester-heavy back line with familiarity – AKA cohesion – the objective.Born in the west of England, Sherratt spoke during the week of once being called an “unknown little Englishman” by a fan on social media.
Much more of this and he will surely be promoted to honorary Welshman.His team looked better from the start.An early scrum penalty was followed by a fluent first possession, but when Jack Conan turned it over, Garry Ringrose’s delightful 50:22 put the hosts under pressure.Neatly enough, it was Conan who eventually scored from close range, man-handling Tomos Williams, the Wales scrum-half, as he went over the line.Unlike Scotland at Murrayfield a couple of weeks ago, however, Wales succeeded in preventing Ireland from getting the scoreboard spinning like a fruit machine.
The hosts’ attacking shape was an entirely different proposition, with willing runners catching fizzing passes on the move, and Gareth Anscombe’s penalty soon got them off the mark,That old Principality Stadium roar swelled further when more slick handling saw Wales puncture the Irish defence on the right,Jac Morgan fed a pass inside to Tomos Williams, who contracted a bad case of try-line fever,Sherratt’s front-row selection was bearing fruit, with three scrum penalties against Ireland inside half an hour,The visitors had even more to reflect on when Ringrose was shown a yellow card, including a bunker review, for a reckless head-on-head challenge on Ben Thomas.
Anscombe slotted the penalty and a reinvigorated Wales continued to work through some impressive attacking phases, the 6ft 4in Mee looking a Test-match natural.Even when Mee knocked on with Wales on the attack, it worked out OK, a fourth scrum penalty against Ireland arriving.That penalty led to a thrilling passage of play with Ireland somehow repelling Wales twice when carriers looked over the try-line.Captain Morgan finally barged over, provoking an earth-trembling roar.Anscombe’s conversion meant Wales led by three at the break.
A woman carrying a tray of pints back from the bar refused to believe a steward when informed Wales were winning 13-10.That tray of drinks, presumably, went flying three minutes after half-time when Wales broke with devastating efficiency, Tom Rogers diving spectacularly to score in the righthand corner after being fed by the full-back Blair Murray.Remarkably Wales led by eight.The official Six Nations website, pre-match, had given them a 9% chance of victory.One bookie had Ireland at 1-50 to win.
Sign up to The BreakdownThe latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewedafter newsletter promotionFrance are seeking a reaction to their defeat by England as they look to reignite their Six Nations title push in Rome on Sunday.Fabien Galthié has responded to the 26-25 loss at Twickenham by making seven changes, including dropping the star wing Damian Penaud and the fly-half Matthieu Jalibert.Thomas Ramos shifts from full-back into the No 10 jersey and Galthié has sprung another surprise by naming a seven‑one split between forwards and backs on the bench.The wing Simone Gesi and the hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi are the new faces in Italy’s team as they look to follow up their victory over Wales.The hooker Giacomo Nicotera said: “We can’t say: ‘We’ve beaten Wales, that’s it.
’ The objective is to beat a team that is better than Wales.” PA MediaRingrose’s yellow was then upgraded: why such an obviously reckless challenge did not warrant a straight red is a question for Christophe Ridley and his officials.Prendergast narrowed the gap to five with a penalty; the fly-half had coughed up an error or two early, as he had in the opening win against England, but again he grew into the game.The Leinsterman produced a stunning kick for touch to set up the levelling score.James Lowe cleverly patted a high kick back inside for Jamie Osborne and it was all square.
Ireland tightened their grip and three further Prendergast penalties made it 17 points for him in total – enough to keep Ireland’s campaign on track, despite Mee’s spectacular diving attempt that was denied by the TMO after a long, tense wait.France visit Dublin in two weeks for their biggest test.Wales go to Scotland with pride emphatically restored.
Scotland’s Gregor Townsend questions England’s crucial penalty decision
Scotland’s coaches and players believe two key officiating decisions potentially denied them another historic Calcutta Cup victory. Gregor Townsend feels his team were unlucky to concede the crucial second-half penalty kicked by Fin Smith that ultimately proved decisive and doubts have also been raised over the solitary English try, scored by Tommy Freeman.Townsend was particularly unhappy about the crucial penalty given against Rory Darge and Tom Jordan for lifting Ben Curry out of a ruck. “I’m going to go through the game two or three times to see whether we could have got better decisions,” said Townsend, the head coach. “I did feel the decision that counted against us for the winning three points where we cleared someone out of the ruck … I just don’t know how that’s a penalty
Scotland are a joy to watch but still can’t deliver what they promise | Michael Aylwin
They must be sick of this. Not losing to England necessarily – this is the first time they have done that since 2020, after all – but sick of running rings around opponents for large stretches of a match and failing to come away with the win. Of promising that this might be their time at last and failing to follow through with anything tangible.Anyone who loves rugby loves this Scotland team. And yet what does that consolation serve than to make the pain of another championship gone all the more acute
Alex Carey’s acrobatics lay foundation for Josh Inglis’ fireworks | James Wallace
Catches win matches? Well, they certainly help set them up. Alex Carey’s brace of afternoon wonder-grabs sent the dangerous duo of Phil Salt and Harry Brook trudging back to the sheds blinking not from the afternoon Lahore sun but in disbelief.Carey’s acrobatic, sinew straining exertions in the outfield (gloves? who needs ’em) exemplified a razor sharp Australian performance in the field that kept England’s progress constantly in check and eventually paved the way for a historic run chase, the highest ever in International Cricket Council tournaments no less. The Aussies can turn it on in major tournaments, who knew?Josh Inglis’s liquid nitrogen-veined maiden ODI century will steal the headlines and rightly so, especially as he was brought up amongst the crags and chevins of Menston, Yorkshire, in the first 14 years of his life, before a move out to the sunnier climes and sandy beaches of Mindarie in Perth. The Yorkshire lad turned West Australian dude who lumped a whole lotta pressure on the poms? A delicious and surefire way to get computer keyboards clacking
England 16-15 Scotland: Calcutta Cup Six Nations player ratings
Marcus Smith Tested out aerially early on and given a torrid time by Duhan van der Merwe. Shanked clearance kick but scored his goals. Slightly more dangerous after break. 6Tommy Freeman Strong finish for England’s first try after already showing skills under high ball. Van der Merwe gave him plenty to think about though
England’s Jos Buttler remains optimistic after record-breaking defeat by Australia
Jos Buttler did his best to offer an upbeat appraisal of England’s record-breaking defeat by Australia in their Champions Trophy opener, insisting belief in the squad remains strong despite being left with no more breathing room in the tournament.Powerless to prevent Josh Inglis’s unbeaten 86-ball 120 from reeling in a target of 352 – the highest successful run chase in a men’s ICC event – Buttler credited his opponents in the main. He also tipped Ben Duckett, 165 from 143 balls in a total of 351 for eight, to become the first Englishman to score a double-century in ODI cricket.Duckett doing so against Afghanistan or South Africa next week would be pretty handy for Buttler, it must be said. The two remaining Group A games – first here in Lahore, before a switch to Karachi – have now become must-win affairs, for England’s semi-final hopes and possibly his own continuation as captain
Salford can celebrate even in defeat as their future finally looks secure
Losing 32-6 at home to Leeds will not be a result Salford Red Devils fans look back on with too much fondness but in terms of the significance of the day itself, its importance can hardly be overstated.Salford have, regrettably, been the story of the opening fortnight of the new Super League season for all the wrong reasons. After a winter of financial discontent in which the club had to take a £500,000 advance in central distribution money to make ends meet, there was some much-needed good news on the eve of the new campaign when the club were sold to a consortium led by the Swiss investment banker Dario Berta.But when the Rugby Football League refused to sign off on the takeover heading into their first game against St Helens last week, the Red Devils took the controversial decision to field their reserves, given how they were still subject to salary cap constraints that left them unable to field a full-strength side.They were beaten 82-0 and the backlash was significant, given that game was televised on the BBC, reaching a larger potential audience than Sky matches
Starmer will not challenge Trump on his attack on Zelenskyy when the pair meet
Watchdog reopens investigation into Jonathan Reynolds’ legal career claims
UK party leaders walk tightrope on Trump while voters want stricter stance
Andrew Gwynne under investigation by parliamentary watchdog over WhatsApp group – as it happened
Watchdog investigates Andrew Gwynne over offensive WhatsApp messages
Trump is tearing up the transatlantic alliance. Can Starmer’s US visit change the weather?