There is a long way to go in the RBS Six Nations Championship, but I can forgive any fans of France and Wales who are writing “5pm, March 15” in their diaries. That is when the two unbeaten teams this season start the final match in Cardiff. No matter how tough the obstacles ahead, Wales and France can look back on the way they played this weekend and be happy. For me, these were the highlights:
Shane Williams’s second try for Wales
Did his left foot clip the touchline? Only Scots will care. The move deserved a try and Williams’s finish, sprinting through the defence and down the wing from 40 metres, was the icing on the cake for a fine period of pressure. Watch the video: Wales put together 15 or 16 phases of play before the ball came loose from a ruck and Williams spotted a gap in Scotland’s defence. His acceleration was what finished off the try, but the credit must go to the whole team for creating the opportunity.
Vincent Clerc’s third try for France
Two games, five tries for the Toulouse wing. And to think that he began the week on the bench. The hat-trick try really belonged to C?dric Heymans, whose acceleration left Ireland gasping. From a turnover just inside the Ireland half, France spun the ball left and Heymans sprinted flat out, accelerating as he went, ripping open Ireland’s defence. When it was down to a two-on-one situation, Heymans gave the ball to Clerc, who shimmied left to draw the last man and then cut back inside to score. Heymans got his own try in the second half, but it was nearly a nightmare finish for France.
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Paul Sackey’s try for England
I was tempted to name another Clerc try as one of my golden moments. His first, which came from a clever move by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who saw that the Ireland full back was up in the line and kicked over his head, was excellent. But I will not be greedy; let England have one bit of glory, too. Jonny Wilkinson provided a brilliant hint of hope for England right at the start of their match in Rome, breaking the line, chipping over a defender and then, having gathered the ball, slipping it out of the back of his right hand for Sackey to be given a run at the line from 25 metres. It was a great piece of vision, but, apart from that, England were not good.