Six Nations 2015: Highlights and Key Moments from Super Saturday

The 2015 Six Nations tournament ended on Saturday, as one of the best days in European rugby history saw Ireland retain their crowd by the skin of their teeth. England and France served up a fantastic battle at Twickenham that had the hosts within mere feet of the title, but they ultimately came up just short.

All three of the matches played on Saturday were a sight to behold. Wales briefly took the lead in the standings after their 61-20 win over Italy. Ireland reclaimed the lead despite some shaky play in their 40-10 win over Scotland. And England and France served up an instant classic, combining for 90 points in a 55-35 win for the former.

As Rugby Banter Page put it, it truly was a glorious day for the sport:

"

That was the best day of rugby I have ever watched, anyone agree?

— Rugby Banter Page (@RugbyBanterPag3) March 21, 2015"

Here, we'll list some of the highlights and key moments from Saturday's action. Wales' win over Italy was significant, but only briefly, so we'll focus on the final two matches. But for the fans of those two teams: Here are the full highlights of that match:

Finn Russell Restores Hope for Scotland, England and Wales

Fans thinking the hosts would just roll over at Murrayfield and allow the Irish to open up a 30-point lead before half-time probably didn't like the way the opening 20 minutes of their clash played out. But just as it seemed Ireland would put Scotland away for good, Russell struck back.

WalesOnline Rugby likely felt a bit weird typing this particular tweet:

Scotland's try briefly changed the dynamic of the match. Ireland were chasing a clear target and were not expecting too much resistance from the winless side. And following Finn's score, the pressure seemed to be getting to the visitors a bit.

Johnny Sexton would go on to win two penalty conversions well within his range before finally pushing the defending champions past the mark. And a late flurry saw Ireland build a solid lead over England, who would play later in the day.

Jamie Heaslip Denies Stuart Hogg

In hindsight, this may have been the biggest moment of them all. Hogg seemed to have scored a late try for Ireland, but video replay confirmed Heaslip's tackle knocked the ball free just before the 22-year-old touched down.

Hours later, it became apparent that try would have made the difference for England, who fell just six points shy of overtaking Ireland. SCRUM certainly thought so:

Hogg is one of Scotland's finest young players and already a national hero. And incredibly, they may just love him even more after Saturday, when his slip eventually denied the English the title.

Courtney Lawes Destroys Jules Plisson

Perhaps Noa Nakaitaci's controversial try was more of a key moment, although the Frenchman appeared to be in control and was given the score after a lengthy review. And sure, Lawes' massive hit didn't impact the match that much, even if Plisson looked a bit shaky on his kicks afterward.

But really, any excuse will do to share the replay of this tackle once more. Enjoy.

James Haskell Trips Plisson, Gets Sin-Binned

Like Hogg's spilling of the ball, Haskell's inexplicable decision to football-tackle Plisson ranks among the most impactful moments from Saturday. Yes, momentum is difficult to stop for a man his size, but sliding in like that is reckless and, quite frankly, stupid.

The Croydon Advertiser's Glenn Ebrey voiced what many were thinking, even if he got the colour of the card wrong:

Haskell was rightly yellow-carded, and while he sat in the sin bin, France managed to score two tries at a time they seemed ready to capitulate. Ultimately, it cost them. Haskell deserves credit for a solid tournament, as he did fantastic work for England, but you simply can't look past Saturday's mistake.

France's Last Stand

The images kind of speak for themselves here. The final minutes of the match, just one more try needed and England are knocking on the door with the whole of Twickenham begging for a score. Ireland manager Joe Schmidt was forced to watch helplessly from Scotland, meanwhile. Per the Independent, his reaction to what he was seeing was understandable:

The French's decision to play from the sticks in overtime had everyone in Ireland holding their breath, but give credit to Les Bleus for showing up and not yielding at the end. Sure, the English may be upset they didn't just give in, but in the spirit of sportsmanship, this was an excellent showing.

Ireland Lift The Trophy

Again, no words are needed. Congratulations on defending your title, Ireland.

Ireland will join Wales and England as the favourites among the European nations at the upcoming World Cup. While South Africa and New Zealand will enter the tournament as favourites, their disciplined approach and strong kicking game will make life tough on everyone.

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