For the tournament, England’s dramatic last minute Houdini act is a blessing. It means that Ireland v France is not a winner takes all match and introduces England as potential winners too especially given their remaining matches. Scotland and France away are always trickier years. Sadly, the double collision in Murrayfield now means Scotland is without three matchwinners in the back line and with a player base at 10% of England’s, their replacements will be nowhere near good enough at Twickenham. A resurgent England will isolate Finn Russell and that will be it. I sense that Finn may secretly see domestic success with Bath as more of an objective right now.

The other Fin(n) needs no more plaudits than he has already received, but together with Prendergast has created an intriguing Lions narrative for themselves all of a sudden. Their passing intuition and ability to make others look better follow a path which Russell has already trodden.

Trial by video started back in my day, as freeze frames led to uncomfortable questions on overlaps missed and other opportunities spurned. First half England v France 2025 will be a horror show for both but with a different lense. The profligacy shown by a clearly superior French team will haunt them for years. The subconscious of the Twickenham hammering two years before and European club supremacy via Toulouse and Bordeaux was clearly in dominant mood. As England knows too well, no one wins a match in the opening 40 but to be 20 points down would have been a mountain to climb. Their defence on a wet day was picked apart with ease but then they won’t face a team with the multiple skills of the French for a while so they have time to sharpen that up.

England will drink deep of the new level of confidence and belief – replacements can make a difference, discipline when fatigued can be maintained and great decision making and performance under pressure (Fin Smith and Tommy Freeman take a bow) wins you matches even if they so nearly fell short again. The last French try which should have won the match was sublime and reinforced the frustration Galthié will feel. Does he lack that crucial ingredient to combine the talents of two club teams and turn them into something world beating? Dublin will tell more.

The one point margin was wafer thin, but it is always enough. ‘Never in doubt’ I hear Gareth Chilcott growling repeatedly in a triumphant Bath changing room, over a long period of years. Ask the World Champions. Ask the All Blacks who denied this Irish team a semifinal in the World Cup by a single point and a ball held up over the line or who denied France a World Cup in 2011.

As for Borthwick, he will be scouring the data for more insight but lets give him credit for some good selections. We can and should reach 4 wins out of 5 when one of the big three is beaten. How is that then assessed and valued with a view to improvement? Off field, as in Wales, the structure leaves far too much to the efforts of the players and when the system is broken it is hard to see a way back or to take the next step upwards depending on whether you are Wales or England. More significant rugby knowledge must be introduced and the teams are then set up to succeed and not just win famous one offs which gives the impression that all is well. Go back to the last Welsh Grand Slam for example which was a cliff off which the National game then fell very hard.

Lastly, the Twickenham crowd is now baying for more, and a damaged Scotland is in no state to resist the 24th man. Remember who has won the last half dozen Calcutta Cups – time for change if not revenge but before that a week off to gather breath and celebrate another great week of Six Nations rugby.

SUPERBOWL!

To see the demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl this week was to witness a beautiful sporting brutality. Multiple sackings and two interceptions handed the Philadelphia  Eagles a famous victory and denied the Chiefs a ‘3-peat’. The stadium was in shock and Taylor Swift rendered speechless. What the Americans call the greatest sporting event in the ‘world’ was certainly an incredible performance combining entertainment with athletic brilliance.

It coincided with the showcasing of Washington State wines in London, and Drew Bledsoe’s Doubleback range was highlighted with great success. For a limited period we will continue to offer the stunning Family Cabernet at a Superbowl price, just use SB25 as a code to access a 25% discount. We also look forward to presenting their new Pinot Noir in the Bledsoe Family range.

As we take a breather from the Six Nations, please do pick up on the opportunity to get yourself a case of the Six Nations Special.

Hallers