Rugby’s very own Super Saturday began in Wellington with
the final stages of New Zealand leg of the IRB Men’s 7’s World Series. Kenya,
managed by the impressive former England 7’s coach Mike Friday, beat New
Zealand at the semi-final stage, in the All Blacks’ very own backyard. The
Kenyan team came desperately close to winning their first ever series title but
fellow finalists England scored a try in the final play of normal time and
eventually won the match, courtesy of Sam Edgerley’s golden point try.
Not a bad way to start the weekend. The fact that
England have recently lost to Spain, Portugal, drawn with the USA and Kenya and
are only 8th in the overall series standings illustrates the new global
strength of 7’s. The sixth edition of the Sevens Rugby World Cup takes place
later this year, held in Russia for the first time, and there are just three
years before the sport is reintroduced as an Olympic event at Rio 2016.
Just as Ireland and Wales were getting the 2013 Six
Nations underway in Cardiff, the second tier European sides were also beginning
their quest for silverware. In the first round fixtures of the Euro Nations Cup,
Georgia, who had several Top 14 players in their side, including their giant
captain Mamuka Gorgodze, travelled as defending champions to newly promoted Belgium,
playing in their first ENC tournament. Shortly after kick off there was an
unfortunate brawl between several players, which led to a prop from each side
being sent off, but the match settled into a compelling contest, with Georgia
scoring a late try to secure a 17-13 win. The Diables Noirs were ever so close
to a famous victory.
Remember that Georgia have progressed to become a much
more competitive side than when they first appeared at a Rugby World Cup, back
in 2003. They narrowly lost to Ireland 14-10 in the 2007 tournament and put up
fierce resistance against Argentina, Scotland and England in the group stages
of the 2011 event, sixteen months ago.
The other ties saw Romania edge out Portugal 19-13 in
Lisbon and Russia narrowly beat Spain 13-9 in Sochi, where the 2014 Winter
Olympics will be held. This season’s second tier Six Nations is proving to be
the most competitive yet. Imagine if promotion to the Six Nations was at stake?
Which brings me nicely to what many are calling the best
opening weekend of a Six Nations. Ireland beat Wales in Cardiff, with ex
skipper Brian O’Driscoll at his mercurial best. Wales have now lost eight
matches in a row since beating France last March, when they secured their third
Grand Slam in eight years.
In the second match, England continued where they left
off from their impressive win against the All Blacks last December, beating Scotland
by a similar winning margin at Twickenham. Scotland were competitive and Stuart
Hogg had an excellent game at full back. England’s Owen Farrell had a near
flawless day with the boot, landing 18 points, added to his side’s four tries,
and he very much controlled proceedings from fly half.
Despite missing the majority of their backline, including
Emily Scarratt, Katy McLean and
Alice Richardson, England started the 2013 Women’s Six Nations
Championship in ominous form, beating Scotland 76-0 at Esher. At the same time
the Italian team defeated France 13-12, just twenty four hours before their
male counterparts went into battle in Rome.
A few hours later round two of the IRB Women’s Sevens
World Series came to a climax in Houston, Texas. England, bolstered by many of
their impressive 15 a side backs, emulated the men’s side by winning the event,
beating the host nation in the final 29-12. New Zealand pipped Australia for
third spot whilst the Netherlands won the plate final against Russia. Other
lesser known rugby nations including Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago also
participated in the tournament, held at BBVA Compass Stadium.
On Sunday Ireland’s women also managed a win in Wales by
a slender two point margin (10-12), shortly before the final match of the
opening round of the men’s Six Nations. Italy proved that their famous 2011
home victory over France was no fluke. Led by the hugely talented Sergio Parisse, the Azzurri demonstrated clever offloading
and excellent running lines, to go with their trademark powerful set piece
play, and their second Six Nations victory over France, which finished 23-18,
was surely their most complete performance since they joined Europe’s top rugby
table back in 2000.
With two more home matches and a well-timed away fixture
next weekend in Edinburgh, Jacques Brunel’s side will target breaking the
highest number of wins in a Six Nations season (2) and improve on their best
placed finish of 4th, which they achieved in 2007.
Two IRB 7’s tournament wins and Six Nations victories
over Scotland for England but Kenya, Belgium and Italy are the real success
stories of the weekend. International rugby, long and short form, in both the
men’s and women’s game is becoming more much more competitive worldwide. IRB
CEO @BrettGosper will be happy with the progress the sport is making, in a
defining decade for global rugby.
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