A pivotal match by any criteria which was ultimately won in impressive style, with a try bonus to boot, by a much-improved Ireland. They head off to Twickenham next with the wind in their sails.
All the more remarkable then that the unlikely subject of South Africa joining an expanded Six Nations should feature so prominently in the pre-match blather – a rather incongruous and frankly unbelievable prospect to contemplate on this most traditional of Championship weekends.
Generations of Welsh revellers have trekked across the Irish sea for their rites of passage lost weekend in Dublin with a few even getting to the match itself. Such an occasion is the Six Nations writ large so where exactly do South Africa fit into such a scenario?
Nobody really wants it except the new money men and nobody thinks it will or should happen but rugby is so volatile at present you totally reject it at your peril.
Not unlike politics, rugby seems to currently exist in a parallel universe. We are expected to treat the abnormal and odd as bog-standard and understand instantly that nothing is ever set in stone. Inconveniences such as geography, parentage and country of birth are airbrushed out of the equation and strange, possibly alcohol-fuelled, ‘blue-sky thinking’ like the Boks playing Six Nations rugby is apparently to be taken at face value.
Esta historia es de la edición February 09, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 09, 2020 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
England show who's No.1
ENGLAND women’s head coach John Mitchell says his side will take valuable lessons from the 24-12 win over world champions New Zealand as they build towards their WXV1 title defence.
Skivington: We're going to roll dice and go for it
THE Cherry and Whites are the enigmas of the Premiership.
Looking to go one step beyond this time around
NE small step is what it will take for Bath to go one better than last season and secure the Premiership for the first time, but it would be one of the biggest taken by the club in the professional era.
Four-try England make it 17 wins on the spin
ENGLAND women opened the Allianz Stadium era at HQ with a victory over New Zealand to make it 17 wins on the bounce before their WXV title defence.
Time for Borthwick to prove his worth
HONEYMOON periods are not set in stone and in my estimation Steve Borthwick’s ends this summer. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still in good shape.
Barrington ready to power up the Mob
RICHARD Barrington has signed up to the Ampthill “Mob” reassured that he’ll still have a target on his back most weeks.
Skivington keen to build identity
GLOUCESTER won their first trophy for nine years last season and reached the Challenge Cup final, but when George Skivington went on holiday the day after the campaign ended the words in his head were never again.
Roebuck targets England success
WINNING a maiden England Test cap to top the best season of his career will not be enough for Sale winger Tom Roebuck.
Booth: Tough telling players I was leaving
TOBY Booth admits telling his Ospreys players that he would be leaving at the end of the season was one of the hardest things he has had to do in his career.
Stephens' debut try sees off old rivals
DORKING had to dig deep in another tight game between two old rivals, with the lead changing hands twice and result in doubt right up to the final whistle.
