Highlights Six Nations Rugby

Every February, it is here, and every February, they have been here.

The bricks-and-mortar of the Six dramatic game in any Six Nations!

Larger-than-life. No longer players on the stage, just watching in the

wings, like you and I. Out with the old, in with the new. Some things

Once more, the Six Nations is upon us, and several new prunes have

swept clean since the World Cup, new players, a new coaches, for

Italy, a new home. We had matches in Paris and Edinburgh, but we

start here in Dublin, the game between Ireland and Wales, the

appetising of the three opening games. It is a very familiar-

looking Irish pack, Paul O'Connell takes over the captaincy. He is the

reigning British Lions coach, cannot be bad. Fergus McFadden

concern for Keith Earls. Andrew Trimble is restored on the wink.

Otherwise, it is Ireland as they normally are. Jonathan Sexton

replaces Ronan O'Gara. Wales are five light of their World Cup pack,

but there is experience, Bradley Davies and Ian Evans, and the

comforting presence of Adam Jones. Behind the scrum, Rhys Priestland

is fit, Jamie Roberts is fit. They had been injury scares in the

build-up, but two of the midfield accommodation for Wales are

great start for Conor Murray. So often, we see those kicks going too

out. An Irish penalty. Ireland setting their stall out, they want

was involved. He is over the line. Has he got it down? The arm of the

captain goes up, we will be going upstairs. You cannot see the ball

being grounded. Ireland did well to pack the frame with bodies, to

obscure things. I cannot see how that will be given. Inconclusive.

Sublime by the outside-half. They are going upstairs again. I have

got them 5 -2. That is a try. No doubt about that. The try is

awarded. The try maker is the place kicker. Will it go in? It hits the

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untidy finish to Ireland's best Ireland will be hoping for

than the penalty. Rory Best with the try. Tommy Bowe make up one. --

made that one. It was like Rhys Priestland, a lovely draw, in

behind. Ireland took the weight of Irish midfield. It will not matter.

needs to get out of the way. Leigh Halfpenny has stepped up to take

over from Rhys Priestland. One out North, Jonathan Davies. It is

happening for Wales or the sudden. -- all of a sudden. It was a bad

missed tackle in the middle of the park. It was poor from Ireland.

That has been the danger all the time. Wales looking more dangerous.

They get the ball with space, Ireland have been comfortable when

Wales have been going through the phases, but when Wales have got man

on man, they have been very dangerous. That is what they have

been looking to do. Leigh Halfpenny adds the two points. Wales are in

it will be a penalty to Ireland. It has opened up. Exactly the same

flight as the last kick, exactly the same result. Ireland regained

off-the-ball incident. Bradley Davies is being called over, it

will be a card. The colour is cannot see how that is a yellow

variety back Ireland. They hammered away close to the line and they

gave it with and over went Tommy Bowe. Eight gorgeous pass. It was

the pace and the accuracy of that through and a weak Irish tackling.

George North. The power of George North. Nobody is claiming the try.

George North likes it. Again look at the physicality of George North.

lead still. -- Ireland have the lead still. Ireland are careless

with the tackle. It is the old tip tackle. Ireland giving away the

penalty. Stephen Ferris is going to the sin-bin and Wales will have the

cake for the match. Leigh Halfpenny kicks and penalties and the clock

is still running. Adam Jones on his and the referee's was sold goes and

Wales have won in Ireland in a match that has been dramatic from

start to finish. Dramatic, controversial, exciting, it has

been a belter. What were the emotions when you had

to stand up and take that penalty at the end? You know, it was, it

was the hardest kick I have had to take in all my life. As soon as I

ran over I know the emotion came and having to deal with the mess

against France in the World Cup, it makes it all worthwhile. I am

really pleased with the win for Wales. I know it is one of your own

players in Bradley Davies, but there is not a man in our studio

this afternoon who does not think it should have been a red card.

have had a good look at it and I think there is intent. There is

definitely intent in there. I would not argue with the decision of a

red card. I thought the one in the World Cup there was not intent and

that is the difference in terms of the interpretation. We are asked to

work with the referee's manager. Should it have been a red card? It

was exactly what Sam Warburton did in the World Cup. There are lots of

things that happen in rugby matches and we have to hope that at some

stage its wings our way. Let's see what happens. What a fantastic

match, a wonderful advert for the game and the competition as a whole

and we will get some thoughts from Andy Nicol, Jarlath and Davies and

Keith Wood before the end of the programme. Before that, let's head

to the Calcutta Cup, Scotland against England, always a nervy,

very tetchy and sometimes tight game and so it proved.

You can hear the noise at Murrayfield and you can feel the

excitement crackling in the air, the anticipation heightened by a

sense of beginnings. So many less well-known faces. Let's remind

ourselves of the teams. Scotland have changed things around a bit,

not so much in the front five. Ross Ford carries the captaincy. David

Denton gets his first start at No. 8. Dan Parks always generates

debate. To modestly sized quick winners, Max Evans and Lee Jones

who wins his first cap. Phil Dowson has been on the fringes for many

years and gets his chance is making only his second appearance in the

white jersey. The Captain is Chris Robshaw. That might not be the

quickest unit, but pays comes from the back three. On the bench the

difference inexperience shows itself, Scotland with three ex-

captain has an England with five uncapped men are waiting in the

loose. He would have been a wave. That is not good enough. -- away.

Another penalty. Scotland coming in at the side. And rock shock and

cuts Atir are locking horns. And Parks comes through, but it is a

The uncharitable noise will begin again, but Owen Farrell from not

too great a distance. It goes through. Andy Farrell watches on.

His son gives England the first advantage and a chance to level the

scores. That was not the most difficult cake for a man of Dan

for Ben Foden. It is spilled. All sorts of pressure on Hodgson.

did well to rescue that. This is lovely work. David Strettle did

well. There was a temptation to a penalty. He cannot get up, he has

to play the ball. It was a penalty before. Dan Parks again does his

job. The touch judges have a look at each other and three more points

for Scotland and they lead. It is under way once again at Murrayfield.

David Denton was perhaps one ray of light in this match in the first

Charlie Hodgson gets it down. The referee will ask a question, but it

was a try for Hodgson and for England. Disaster for Scotland.

Totally unforced error. He had enough time. It is a trier and what

a start to the second Cup. 29 seconds on the clock. -- second

half. Owen Farrell adds the extra two points. England have a gift at

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goes into touch, just. He has been deep into Scottish territory it.

Max Evans did a tremendous job of anticipation to grab hold of the

England player and delayed the fluency now. Suddenly it is England

who are menacing. David Dent and had to be quick. -- David Benton.

It is a penalty for Scotland. He penalty is coming if they want it.

Greig Laidlaw tried to get there, but I think there might have been a

couple of hands on that ball. Ben Youngs was back. The referee is

going to have a look. Greig Laidlaw almost got a little pot on that.

try, Sackur. -- thank you. Greig Laidlaw is frustrated. He could not

quite get the pass away. But the knock-on came from England. There

is frustration on the Scottish faces. But that is not good enough.

That is the equivalent to an open goal. It is a simple pass. Here he

is. Mike Blair was there. You have got to make that pass. The clock is

now against Scotland and England have a penalty, which is very

crucial. He is sending England belong to England and Stuart

Lancaster begins his regime at with a victory. It was eight-game it

where England were up against it a lot, but it is a good start to the

brave, new world for England. A happy man. Very happy, to come up

here and get a win like that was never going to be easier. We

defended a lot in that game, but the crowd were fantastic. They got

behind us and they gave us that inspiration. To get you first went

away on the road is great for all the new caps and they were

outstanding. You must be tearing your hair out that the errors that

happened in the last phase in the 22, what do you do about that?

keep practising. We have created some great opportunities and it is

that last pass. The game is about inches and very small margins. You

have got to be able to execute under pressure. We lost our heads a

little bit. I do not know what all this fuss is about, this

international coaching lark, it is It was a fantastic effort, I am

chuffed for the boys. They put the effort in, they had to make the

tackles. It is what teams are built on, spirit. We talked about it for

the last 10 days. I thought we showed tremendous spirit, courage,

to play for each other, to play for Bishop, to play for England.

A winning start for the new England. Next, the final match of the

opening weekend, although it was close at the World Cup. Louis

Picamoles plays. Wesley Fofana at number 12, alongside Aurelien

Rougerie. Experience and a threat. Francois Trinh-Duc comes back at

Number Ten. Nobody is more experienced than Andrea Lo Cicero

for Italy. Behind the scrum, the first cap for Giovanbattista

Venditti. How much of the ball he sees, it will depend on the

approach that Jacques Brunel has been able to instil in the Italian

side. Marco Bortolami is still around, on the Italian bench.

Imanol Harinordoquy is stuck on the Tommaso Benvenuti. Her penalty

advantage to France. A penalty given. Francois Trinh-Duc in

They are not afraid to go through the phases, Italy, they are trying

to build an attack and find a mistake from France. It is over. We

are all square. The patient build- up by Italy worked. Kristopher

France. It was a slow build up. It was a poor defence by Italy.

Aurelien Rougerie scores the first try of the game. France have gone

to Wesley Fofana so far, but this time, they chose the more

experienced player. There was a slow moving away. The referee

penalises Pascal Pape for not against the head. Finished by the

window. France at their best. fantastic try, Julien Malzieu are

fending off the oncoming defenders, away the penalty, playing along the

Italy with the first points of the not been. It is Andrea Lo Cicero

again. Dimitri Yachvili does not take the advantage. You have got to

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in the air is no good to him. The fantastic try for Vincent Clerc.

He joins his coach, Philippe Saint- Andre, as the second all-time try

scorer for France, up to 32. Francois Trinh-Duc, a delicate chip.

It is Aurelien Rougerie that moves the ball forward, straight into the

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hesitated a bit, but it had gone out. The referee has singled out

number four. It is illegal to bring a maul down, but it is also pretty

rugby, Wesley Fofana scores. What a second half he has had. Another

vindication of the selection of those men. One of the work was set

up by the forwards. You can sense it, when France get on a roll, they

have such an appetite to put on a show. Wesley Fofana, it is a debut

been, in patches, and standing. Italy were their normal selves,

plus a little bit, a bit more adventure, but they have come to

It is the perfect start for France, it always helps to get a win, but

how much more is there to come? hope there is more. I am not very

pleased with the performance. But it is better to win than to play

not very well. But we will be to play much better to beat Ireland

next week. We played well, we made too many mistakes. We try to play

too much. We had a lot of possession today, which has not

happened for a long time, because we are used to defending. We need

to cut out some errors when we try to play. We lost to the best team,

they deserved to win, we have a lot of things to work on. Jacques

Brunel has been in charge for 15 days, it is a positive place to

Friends were emphatic winners in the end. It breathtaking game in

Ireland. Plenty to talk about. You are the obvious man to start with,

Jonathan. In a Welsh perspective, playing with such style.

fantastic game of rugby, both sides played with great wit. At the end

of the day, it came down to the kick by Leigh Halfpenny. Two della

cards for the tackles -- two yellow cards. The standard of the game for

both sides was fantastic, great tries, a great defence. It put a

smile back on everybody's face. What kind of body blow to Ireland

was the defeat? It was caught. They got themselves into position to win

it. A couple of missed tackles, a lapse in discipline, and suddenly

it is gone. The championship has not gone, but it becomes incredibly

appel. They have a harder run of games, they will be away against

France and England. It was a belter of a cane, he could not help but

get excited by every single minute of the game. Looking at the ebb and

flow, the continuity, the picketing, the subtlety. In marked contrast to

the match at Murrayfield. It took like a different sport. I loved the

ambition, but the contrast, it was the physicality... Paul O'Connell

putting a world of effort, and so did Sean O'Brien and Cian Healy.

Thoughts on England and Scotland? It was a disappointing game for

many reasons. Scotland lost it, rather than England winning it. You

cannot quantify what that will do for confidence, but in contrast to

today, not nearly as good. How good were friends? They went through

their paces, they took their time, but when they got a chance, they

were clinical. They took every opportunity for --. We'd go to the

Olympic Stadium in Rome for the first time next week. We thought

that Ireland versus France would decide the championship. It still

might. If this game here in Dublin is not at the end of the