SIX NATIONS WRAP: Ireland knock out France in heavyweight showdown, Scotland add to Welsh misery and England get job done against Italy

Ireland record statement victory over France

Ireland’s 32-19 bonus-point defeat of France at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday has put them in the pound seats for this season’s championship. Andy Farrell’s men overcame some French counter-attacking magic to ultimately seal a comfortable victory in Dublin and assume command of the tournament. The hosts led 22-16 at the break after outscoring the defending champs by three tries to one, before adding to their tally in the second-half through Garry Ringrose and managing to hold the visitors to just three-points in the second.

The win, in a game many pundits called the “tournament decider”, is massive for Ireland, who head into the tournament’s week-long break at the summit of the log standings, level with the Scots on 10-points albeit with a superior points-difference. For France, who suffered their first defeat since going down to the Wallabies in Brisbane 15-Tests ago, their championship destiny is now out of their hands.

Russell-inspired Scotland demolish Wales

Scotland opened their campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time in the Six Nations era thanks to their 35-7 annihilation of Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday. The hosts were all over the Dragons, who simply had no answer to a tactical masterclass from Finn Russell, whose kicking and decision-making kept his side’s foot on the throat of the Welsh throughout the contest.

Gregor Townsend’s men scored five tries in what was the nation’s biggest-ever winning margin over Wales and will take plenty of heart from their performance as they prepare for the first tournament bye before a daunting trip to Paris to face last season’s Grand Slammers. For Warren Gatland, the enormity of the task at hand, to dig Welsh rugby out of the doldrums, just got even more formidable.

England outdo Italy in London

Steve Borthwick got his England tenure off the ground in his side’s 31-14 victory over Italy at Twickenham on Sunday. The Roses dotted down four times to go with a penalty try as they bounced back from their opening defeat to Scotland and get their campaign on track.

The visitors, so good against France in Rome in the first round, just didn’t have the muscle to repel the England forward pack. They next welcome Ireland to the Stadio Olimpico while England travel to Cardiff.