Responding on Italy. The team is improving on the individual side, we have very talented youngs that could and actually play, in almost any other rugby top tier team/nation. Regarding team as a whole Quesada already said that it didn't had a lot of time to prepare tactically and strategically this Italy, for this 6N as the other teams did, due the lack of the strongest players (busy with their clubs abroad). So to cut it shortly: we have great players but we need much more time to mold them as a cohese team under the mental side and playing style side.

As an Italian i feel for Welsh, also i don't believe Gatland have some fault here, just the young Welsh players aren't at level, cause if the best player of Wales in the match vs my Italy was Faletau that have 35 y/o that is a pretty well symptom that there's an issue with players, not with coach and staff. You remember my Italy when it was changing coaches in the last 15 years but having always the same results? A coach is good as much are good his players and i think that in the Welsh situation is actually all fault of the WRU not recognizing the lack of talented players this cycle have, as it was all fault of the FIR in the past.

Nice round-up, Alfie - and some very valid questions posed. But BLESS YOU FOR NOT JOINING THE MARCUS PILE-ON!! 👍🏼👍🏼 Some disgusting comments from the usual suspects - and one UNUSUAL one as well. As a Wasps guy thru & thru, I am miles away from being a Quins apologist - but given what Marcus has given to “the cause” since the World Cup, I am left breathless at the sneering which now accompanies him giving 100% in a position he does not play, and has no instincts for. Played his heart out in my book, and a plague on all the armchair-critics who could clearly all do “so much better”.

Last year England beat Ireland by ONE point in Twickenham and went on to underachieve and then this year, England beat France by ONE point in Twickenham. Have we seen another England groundhog day? Or is this year's England better than last year's? Much scratching of heads.....

South African here and for once I was actually supporting England in that win. Well done

As an irish fan - I back Townsend for the time being, hard to judge Scotland's performance missing so many in the backline. Italy definitely improving, just not at a static rate - they need to buy into a play style that compliments them, not just be quite good at everything.

A good result for England; and a better performance than last week, with fewer blunders. Very encouraging as it was last year when they beat Ireland. France, in contrast had 27 handling errors, yet nearly won. If you have concerns about the Scottish coach, you should be asking the same about the English coach. Ireland beat SA away. Perhaps SA should change their coach?

Imagine if Ireland were to practice placing the ball on the grown beyond the try line. Being held up is not a good thing Ireland, it's a bad thing.

I don't really see what Scotland have done to warrant any major expectation. They've had a stranglehold over England who themselves haven't been that good of late but other than that Scotland have done nothing impressive. There's always talk - some tongue-in-cheek, some serious - that it's 'their year' and all that baloney but they're ultimately an average team. They haven't beat Ireland for years and their entire sense of self-assessment is how they do against England and the odd, flukey win against France. They'll probably beat England this year they way they can but that will once again be their highlight.

Sheehan is a good player.....but can he throw straight.....no.

Ireland were all over us like a rash - spoiling everything - fighting for every ball not letting Scotland settle. Slowing the ball down. SA did the same at to us at the RWC. I thought the Scottish pack had taken a step forward against SA in the Autumn when they looked like they were holding their own. (A friendly of-course.) Scotland are brilliant in open unstructured play, a breakaway side. I just think we lack the muscle upfront to deal with the likes of Ireland, NZ and SA. If Scotland can’t get quick enough ball the oppositions defence is set - so they have to rely on opportunistic moments or some magic from Finn to create something from nothing. Disappointing game - but let’s remember this Irish side missed out on two consecutive Grand Slams by a single point last year and are on course for a third. Expectation may have overtaken reality.

So far so good… but the French will be a huge challenge!

"Lads its Tottenham" energy about this fixture

So, that's the Lions XV sorted ☘☘

Ireland played really well, but Scotland looked a bit toothless. For me the game is massive against England, I think if we lose its only going to be 2 wins for the championship as I think they will beat Wales at home and lose to France. If that's the case the team haven't moved forward and I think its time for a change at the top. Some new ideas is probably what this team needs.

Marcus' missing the conversion may actually have spurrred the team towards winning...Had we gone a point up, there might have been a temptation to try to defend the lead. Instead, a point down, we had to keep on going for it, even when the French came back to take the lead in the last ten minutes.

I accept this is off the cuff from you before can get notes together, but my take home point from you is that France somehow contrived to lose rather than going neck and neck against England. That would suggest that England may still be underdogs when Scotland visit

Ireland played a brilliant game JGP definitely best 9 out there. Lowe sublime.

11 losses in a row? Its 4 wins for Scotland in 25 6nations not counting 2 WCs match wins....so 4 wins out of 27....thats not as good as Scotland not winning in " Twickenham ' for 33 years!

We were woeful

Scotland were under pressure already, but losing your two best backs in one incident, with a 6:2 split is a total disaster.

Shame it's not Ireland France on the last weekend!

Prendergast is your ten forever, hes got the goods, wonderfully silky timed passes to set up his outsides, a natural ball player, better than Johnny at the same stage . Scotland are nothing but plucky losers. They were found out. Kinghorn was supposedly great, he blew a try by not passing. Thats getting dropped for selfishness in this part of the world

I get this sounds harsh, but Scotland really aren't as good of a side as we're led to believe every January. They'll get a scalp now and then but they are miles off Ireland and France. Not sure why the pre tournament hype kicks in for them saying this could be their year each championship.

Ireland bossed Scotland and put the to bed in that first half display and to be honest they never really let Scotland back into the game and silenced the home supporters .

I don't think France will let it slip again. Ire vs. Fra will be a cracker.

A ruthless master class display from Ireland who dominated the match Even before Scotland got disrupted As for Scotland flattered to deceive yet again and with what is supposed to be a generational squad Scotland fans must be so frustrated with their team and certainly something needs to change/happen for Scotland if they are ever going to win the 6Ns

Jasus...... we've 3 round left is right

Triple crown is still on for Wales!

Toony has had his time. 9 years, 2 WC’s and zero to show for it. Best finish in 6 nations is 3rd. Not good enough for the squad we have

That idiot Stephen Jones who writes for the Sunday Times will probably give Finn Russell Man of the Match

Ireland for the Triple Crown!

Prendergast probably didn’t deserve motm, but his composure was seriously impressive. Obvs he’s not the finished article, but it’s hard not to be impressed with that performance

☘️☘️☘️👍👍👍

On Lowe and Prendergast both having cannon legs, young Jamie Osborne also has a total howitzer for a leg too. More kids coming through now with stronger background in GAA

The world rankings do not lie! There was a lot of 'nonsense' being said/posted about the Scottish team being equal to the Irish team ... ON PAPER!! WTF??? I know we all suffer from a touch of 'rose tinted glasses' ... BUT on what Planet could anybody reach that conclusion based upon form, performance, consistency and results over the past 4/5 years??? Ireland are simply, currently, on a different level to Scot. They are consistently performing at a level close to or equal to SA and NZ. I would have put Fra in that category BUT after Sat (and not their first disaster in the last couple of years) they are simply not consistent enough. Fra, Eng, Sco, Arg, Aus, Fiji are in the second tier trying to catch up. Italy, Japan, Georgia and Portugal next with 'hapless' Wales in serious trouble!!!

This was one of the channels that kept writing Ireland off, They’re too old, have teams figured them out, do they need to rebuild, a bad autumn etc etc, yet Ireland beat Scotland a lot easier than SA did. Scotland are a great team but again the commentator still believes Ireland won because Scotland were bad, 1 game lost in 3 years and they still don’t get the credit they truly deserve.

We played well and could have likely scored a few more points. Prendergast was outstanding, as was JGP. It was a solid team effort overall. Scotland were unlucky to lose Darge and Russell, but they showed great spirit-nothing less is expected from the Scots. Ireland will face Wales in Cardiff, and despite their current form, they won't make it easy for us. France will be crucial and can beat anyone when they're at their best. Italy continues to play some attractive rugby, so it's far from over. There's plenty to improve on from today, particularly with the lineout.

Furlong, McCarthy and Hansen coming back will be a HUGE boost i excpect a lot will be rested v Wales. Yes France will be though but Ireland will be at home and the French heads will be down after yesterday , ours to lose the GS is on 🇮🇪☘️💚🏉💪🏻 so is 3 in a row 👑🏆🥇

Jaysis take your cacks off the radiator 😂😂

Never ever rule out the French...

James Lowe is playing his best ever rugby. Awesome player

I thought the Scots had stopped mixing up christian and surnames, but we are back with Darcy Graham, when is it going to end. Graham Darcy.

That is sport at all levels of you make mistakes however silly and unexpected you lose.As a golfer now to old for anything else the card just says how many not how you did it..

France have to potentially beat Ireland with a bonus point and deny Ireland either or both a try and losing bonus point.

Its good to talk about Lowe . The level he has got to in workrate and postioning in the last few years . Dont forget he was dropped a few years ago because of those things .

Has anyone else noticed the French can't defend in their own 22? It's been going on for years now!

I still think Ireland have plenty of room for improvement.

Ireland would need to have a very bad day to lose to France in Dublin. But stranger things have happened.

I honestly think ireland were in 3rd gear.