RBS Six Nations Wins For England and Scotland

If the Saturday round of this year’s RBS Six Nations games did nothing else, it confirmed Ireland’s place as the bookies favourites to win the championship.

England’s 20-7 win over Italy at Twickenham and Scotland’s 21-9 victory over a woeful Wales side at Murrayfield had one thing in common – mediocrity. England scored one try as did Italy, Scotland scored none and if Wales were there still -on their own – you wouldn’t bet on them scoring one.

Once again Johnny Wilkinson kept the not so sweet chariot running smoothly with his trusty boot accounting for 15 of his side’s total. Heaven help the world champions if they fetch up in Dublin in a fortnight’s time without him.

In Edinburgh Chris Paterson’s 100% effort, seven from seven was good enough, as it should be,  to see his side through and the Scots might very well have had a try or two – Paterson himself stopped just short of the line – had they been a little more patient. But what was patently obvious today, and what had been signposted from their opening games in this championship, was that both these sides are quite ordinary. 

Amazingly, or maybe not so, in Twickenham today, the crowd booed when Johnny Wilkinson went for goal. Now this is probably the same support base that booed England during the autumn internationals when they were sinking to a record run of defeats. But now, after one victory, against a desperately inept Scottish side, the great English rugby public feel it beneath them to do – what the All Blacks do – what is required to win matches. 

There’ll always be an England (supporter).