10/02/2017 Inside Six Nations

What an opening week we had two this year's Six Nations tournament.

Scotland stunned Ireland, England's unbeaten run continues, although

they looked more sluggish against France and Wales turned it on in

Rome to beat Italy and top the table. Where else to be than Cardiff

for this week's Inside Six Nations. Look at that, the roof is open here

at the principality Stadium. Good evening from the heart of Cardiff.

In around 22 hours, the Dragons will be roaring as Wales take on England

in what we hope will be another classic encounter. Someone who knows

all about the rivalry between Wales and England is Martyn Williams. Good

evening. We will be getting his wisdom and insight into the action,

but first let's remind ourselves of what happened in week one.

We are underway in the 2017 Six Nations. Two tries for Scotland.

Ireland have hits back. Great from Greig Laidlaw. They have beaten

Ireland. Try is going to be scored. Looking to work it around the

fringes. Over they go. George North sets are. North heads for the posts.

Wales, like England and Scotland are up and running in the Six Nations

championship. We talked about bonus points. Wales

notoriously are slow starters and we saw that in Italy. That bonus point,

I am told by the fans they are not bothered but it could be

significant? It could be. If you had said last Sunday we were going to

beat Italy 33-7, I would have snapped your hand. Potentially that

was a banana skin. The second half performance, I was impressed with

it. If they win every game, it is irrelevant. Who knows what bonus

points will come down to. But I am happy. England's unbeaten run

continues, 15 games but they struggled against France. How much

was it about England needing to improve and how much about France

surprisingly is all and being better? I have been impressed with

France, for the first time they looked organised. England missed

George Kruis in the second row so the line-out dysfunction. I am

expecting a better opening team tomorrow. The first game is

difficult, you are trying to find your feet at international level. I

think England will be happy, they got a lot of rustiness out. Eddie

Jones is doing his best to upset the entire Welsh nation. Some of his

comments in the newspapers! The roof has been a talking point. He alluded

to the fact he was going to keep it shut, which wales wanted. But out it

is open. Why do Wales want the roof closed so much? I think the

atmosphere goes up ten or 15% when it is shut. But Wales England, it

will be red hot in here. It won't make much difference. If it is

raining, you obviously want the roof shut, but it is a fine day tomorrow.

From the large point of view, maybe it does give us an edge but if the

shoe was on the other foot, he would leave it open as well if he was

going to Twickenham. It is something for the media and Eddie has played

it well. Wales' strength is England's weakness. Sam Warburton is

strong. We have been catching up with him? Yes, we walked his dog.

I look back now and I found it hard at times, the captaincy, but as I

look back over the last few years, I am pleased I have done it. I do

think now the time is right for Ireland to do it. It feels right the

time to move on. Alistair Cooke has resigned from England cricket

captaincy. He said he had gone to the well, too many times. Do you

feel it is the case for you? I put a lot of time and effort into the

captaincy. I did not try to change how I am or what I do, but you do

carry the weight with you as captain. Someone like Alan Wynne, an

international candidate for captain for any team in the world, he can

step in seamlessly. He is one of the form players in Wales. His

leadership is brilliant and it will be an easy transition for him to

come in and take over. It made the decision easier knowing you would

have an experienced guy coming in and doing a great job. I got the

time is right. To be a little bit selfish and focus on yourself and

get your game right. There is lots of good things that happened when I

was captain, but a lot of things I wished I could have changed as well.

I am proud of myself, it is five and a half years more than I thought I

would do. What as it been like the last few weeks just as Sam, rather

than the captain. Obviously I want to do my bit for the team. I will

try and have a leadership role in the team because I feel I have

something to offer, experience I have now. It is nice being able to

focus on yourself and over time, you just want to get back to enjoy

playing and strip it back and just be the rugby player. That was the

thought for me. Plus I have a little one as well. It kind of made me

think, do what you are happy with. I am 28, whether I have three, four,

56 years left, I will make sure I enjoy them.

Sam Warburton there, the former Welsh captain,

He was pretty young when he started, but luckily they have Alun Wyn

Jones, did you agree with the decision to switch them, what did

you think about it? By Sam's admission, in six years it was time

for him to move on. When you have Alun Wyn Jones, he was captain of

the British Lions as well, he was a natural fit for him to take over. I

think the time is right. Sam did a wonderful job. Alun Wyn Jones

started well last week and hopefully he can continue in that vein. He

could be the Lions captain again. On Sunday it is France against

Scotland. So let's catch up with all the team

news from our reporters Nial Foster is in Rome

with the Ireland camp as they look to get their campaign back

on track against Italy. It was a captain's run with a

difference for Ireland as no captain was in attendance here. Rory Best,

who often leads from the front for Ireland was back in his hotel room

nursing a stomach bug. But the Irish camp are confident the 34-year-old

will be fit and raring to go against Italy tomorrow. I think there is

always things that crop up in the course of a week. I think how we

react and respond to it, hopefully it will allow us to continue the

preparation as seamlessly as possible. Unfortunately, these

things happen. We are confident he will recover in time for tomorrow.

The England camp has been on edge this week. Eddie Jones said on

Monday, the victory over France felt a bit like a defeat. Jones has also

been stoking the fires with his comments about the Cardiff

atmosphere and his apparent U-turn over the principality stadium roof,

or lack of it. As for selection, Jack Nowell returns on the wing.

Jack Clifford comes in at flanker. He will provide pace and dynamism to

the back row. One of a handful of players who haven't received the

reception that awaits England on Saturday. We need to do the

fundamentals well to give ourselves options in attack. We need the

defence to be disciplined, nice and square and off the line. If we do

those simple things well, I think we will have a great game.

The Wales camp have been nursing injuries this week and it is still

not clear exactly who will be walking out of this tunnel tomorrow

afternoon. Dan Biggar and George North are both named in the sides,

but both are nursing injuries and Rob Howley will give them as long as

possible to recover. Toby Fowler Tao is on the bench and he could make a

really big impact. For the trip to Paris, just one

change to the 15 who started against Ireland last week. That is upfront

and it is because of injury. Wilson is out with an infected elbow, so he

is replaced by John Barclay. The Scots, buoyed by an opening weekend

win over Ireland, now looking for the first victory here in Paris

since 1999. It has improved and is becoming a dangerous team to cause

anybody problems. We need to understand why we beat them last

year. We need to develop new ways of being clever and smart, being able

to score points. We looked at that this weekend.

Martin, the Scots are in flying form, but can they beat them in

France? Interesting, I thought they were outstanding last weekend, but

this is different. The French are an improved side and they are

juggernauts, huge team. If Scotland can get parity up front, they stand

a chance. Scotland beat Ireland last week, will they be able to bounce

back in Rome? They are still full of world-class players and beat

Australia and New Zealand in the autumn. Bit of a hiccup last week,

but they will bounce back and if it is a dry day in Rome, they could put

the score on Italy. Italy were disappointing against Wales last

week. Where do you stand on the whole Six Nations should be the

strongest in Europe because there is the Georgia argument? Georgia showed

what a great side they are. If Wales finished bottom, you will play off

against Georgia, Romania. But I think it will be a great idea if

they did have relegation. The women's tournament mirrors the

men's. England's women are in Cardiff tomorrow morning at Cardiff

Arms Park playing Wales. There was an incredible match between Scotland

and Ireland but it went the way of Ireland.

Scotland's women haven't won a match in the Six Nations the seven years,

so they weren't expected to challenge Ireland. In the first

match, that is exactly what they did. Two first half tries put them

ahead at the break. But missed penalties meant they miss the

opportunity to stretch the lead. In the final minutes, island made them

pay. Jenny Murphy crashed over to snatch victory for the Irish. 22

Dutch 15 the final score but a losing bonus point and will be

little consolation. England missed out on becoming Six Nations

champions last year to France. They were beaten by them in their final

match. It looked like it might be a similar result at Twickenham when

they trailed 13/ zero. But in an emphatic performance, they answered

16 unanswered points. We knew we were in a Test match and it shows

the strength of a team when we can come out and grind out a win. It

wasn't perfect but sometimes it is about winning. Wales struggled

against Italy in recent years, but under new coach Rowland Phillips

they ground out a victory. They ran out winners 20-8. After round one it

is island who top the table thanks to their bonus point win over

Scotland. They face Italy away on Sunday. England and Wales both

picked up four points and Scotland will hope to build on the losing

bonus point, but they face a tough test against France. There will be

highlights of the women's's games on BBC Two.

And on Sunday, France versus Scotland live from Paris

Tell me, what is it about this rivalry, what does it feel like when

you walk onto the pitch at your home ground against England? You always

ask when you retire, do you miss the game? These are the moment you miss.

This place will be bouncing. Every man and his dog, it is all they have

been talking about all week. Particularly if England come in, the

Big Brother, if you like, from across the bridge. It is always nice

if you can get one over on the old enemy. It is a special place.

Butterflies are starting already, 24 was out, I cannot wait. We are

hoping tomorrow will be a classic. We are calling them the solar

lights, the grass growing lights, get that bit is there because it has

been trained on. That's it for us, we will leave you with a classic. It

was in 2013, Wales against England, England came here on the last eight

of the six Nations hoping for a grand slam. Wales had other ideas.

Good night. It has been a cold day and we have

seen a wintry mix of showers and that is the theme over the weekend.

A lot of cloud for the weekend and the showers will