Six Nations Table 2015: Latest Standings and Predictions for Round 2 Results
The first round of the 2015 Six Nations tournament saw England battle to an upset win in Wales and France narrowly beat Scotland at home, while defending champions Ireland struggled for long stretches in Italy and will not be happy with their performance.
Overall, two of the three matches were sloppy affairs featuring teams performing well under the standards expected of them, which leads to plenty of intrigue entering the second round.
Ireland host France and look to make a statement after their showing in Rome, with Les Bleus also looking less than spectacular in their win over Scotland. The Scots have to feel good about their chances hosting Wales, looking much improved under new coach Vern Cotter. Here's the schedule for Round 2:
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| Saturday, Feb. 14 | 2.30 p.m. | England | Italy | 35-3 |
| Saturday, Feb. 14 | 5 p.m. | Ireland | France | 13-10 |
| Sunday, Feb. 15 | 3 p.m. | Scotland | Wales | 20-22 |
The current Six Nations standings:
| 1 | Ireland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | +23 | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Wales | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 21 | –5 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Scotland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 15 | –7 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 26 | –23 | 0 | 0 |
Statement Match at Aviva Stadium
France didn't score a single try at home against Scotland, relying on Camille Lopez and penalty kicks to start their campaign with a win. Ireland looked sloppy and unimpressive in Italy until Leonardo Ghiraldini was yellow-carded, showing ruthless efficiency taking advantage of the situation.
Neither team will be satisfied with such a start—which is a little odd, given both won their first-round matches. Ireland, in particular, ran out to an altogether easy win, but still, ESPN UK asked questions:
Last year's encounter in Paris was a thrilling affair that saw the Irish team clinch the Six Nations title, with Jonathan Sexton the hero for the visitors. The fly-half was absent against the Italians, but he's been cleared to take the pitch against France, per BBC Sport.
Meanwhile, Lopez was excellent for Les Bleus in Paris against Scotland, although he'll likely make the evening news for another reason, via BBC Rugby Union:
The 25-year-old fly-half will likely be among the main protagonists in Dublin, with both defensive units looking composed and efficient during the first round. The Scots showed France look vulnerable in the scrum, and Ireland should commit less errors, resulting in fewer chances for Les Bleus to grab easy points from penalties.
Scotland Have a Real Chance Against Wales
Sure, France outmuscled Scotland for large stretches of Saturday's match, but the Scots threatened the hosts until the final whistle and could have started their campaign with a massive upset win had a few bounces gone their way.
Captain Greig Laidlaw believes in his team's chances of getting a result over Wales at Murrayfield, via the Scottish Daily Mail's Rob Robertson, and he should:
The Scots left Paris with their heads held high—the Welsh crumbled under the pressure against England, giving up a 10-point lead to a team that was missing a number of key players.
After a fast start, the entire team collapsed. England increased the pace of their attack, and the Welsh simply had no answer. Mental lapses resulted in numerous missed tackles, and ultimately, England walked out of the Millennium Stadium as deserved winners.
That quick-strike attack is something Cotter is also trying to bring to his players, with the team working the ball around well against France. Add to that the likely absence of prop Samson Lee, who suffered a concussion against England, per BBC Sport, and the Welsh have even more worries ahead of their trip.
Wales still have what it takes to beat Scotland at Murrayfield, but after their collapse against England, it wouldn't be a shock if the Scots keep it close and maybe steal a win.
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