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Six Nations 2016: Updated Table, Results and Round 4 Fixtures
February 27, 2016
England moved back to the summit of the 2016 RBS Six Nations table on Saturday after Eddie Jones extended his winning run as head coach thanks to a 21-10 over reigning champions Ireland.
Defeat at Twickenham means Ireland won't seal a third successive Six Nations title, while England are the only team who can dream of a Grand Slam after winning their first three matches of the tournament.
Scotland clinched their first victory of this year's Six Nations earlier on Saturday after defeating Italy 36-20 at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, sealing their third successive win over the Azzurri in the process.
Wales continued their unbeaten run in the competition by beating France 19-10 on Friday evening, building anticipation prior to their Round 4 trip to Twickenham, where they will now face a potential title decider against England.
Read on for a roundup of the Round 3 results and a look ahead to the fourth-round fixture schedule.
| 2016 RBS Six Nations Standings | ||||||||
| Position | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
| 1 | England | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 28 | 6 |
| 2 | Wales | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 49 | 5 |
| 3 | France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 49 | 4 |
| 4 | Scotland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 68 | 62 | 2 |
| 5 | Ireland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 47 | 1 |
| 6 | Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 99 | 0 |
| BBC Sport | ||||||||
| 2016 Six Nations: Round 3 Scores | ||
| Home | Score | Away |
| England | 21-10 | Ireland |
| Italy | 20-36 | Scotland |
| Wales | 19-10 | France |
| BBC Sport | ||
Here's the Round 4 schedule:
| 2016 Six Nations: Round 4 Schedule | ||
| Date | Time | Fixture |
| Saturday, March 12 | 1:30 p.m. GMT/8:30 a.m. ET | Ireland vs. Italy |
| Saturday, March 12 | 4 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET | England vs. Wales |
| Sunday, March 13 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Scotland vs. France |
| BBC Sport | ||
Round 3 Roundup
Ireland came close to causing an upset at Twickenham in Round 3, but their reserves ultimately ran dry, as second-half tries from Anthony Watson and Mike Brown outshone the sole score of Irish scrum-half Conor Murray.
Ireland trailed 6-3 at the break, but the Irish Times' Andy McGeady depicted precisely how the game shifted after the break, and it was England who proved the deserving victors as their winning run continued:
Earlier on Saturday, Scotland soared to a 36-20 win in Rome after flankers John Barclay and John Hardie put them in an early lead, only for a late Tommy Seymour try to put the finishing touches on their victory.
Leonardo Ghiraldini and Marco Fuser grabbed tries for the hosts, but Greig Laidlaw's 21 points from the tee provided a strong foundation for Vern Cotter's side as they clinched their first points of the tournament.
That result came after Wales edged France 19-10 in Cardiff on Friday evening, where Warren Gatland's side came out on top of one of the scrappiest Six Nations encounters in recent memory.
George North provided the hosts' only try of the match, while France captain Guilhem Guirado went over for Les Bleus. But it was again the kicking game that proved pivotal, as Dan Bigger notched 14 points with his boot.
Round 4 Preview
All eyes turn back to Twickenham come March 12 as Wales travel to London in the hopes of leap-frogging England into top spot in the Six Nations standings, having performed the same feat in last year's World Cup.
Wales' 16-16 draw against Ireland in Week 1 means they sit a point below England following their encouraging win over France, but captain Sam Warburton has demanded more from his troops, per BBC Sport: "We're undefeated in three games and it sets it up a massive game for two weeks time in Twickenham. Everyone knows what is on that match. It's a match the fans want to see."
There isn't a time where a clash between Wales and England won't be hotly contested and bitterly fierce, but the circumstances surrounding this Six Nations collision merely make it all the more enticing.
Simon Thomas of Wales Online has picked up on the media tactics of England coach Jones as a particularly new edge to the entertainment factor:
We'll also see Ireland host Italy in Round 4, and for once it's the Dublin hosts who could be the nervous party considering they've yet to win, and victory over the Azzurri is a must if they're to save face.
Meanwhile, France travel to Scotland hoping to bounce back to their winning ways immediately, but Vern Cotter's men will have fire in their belly after Saturday's victory against the Italians.