6N: Six takeaways from round four of the 2025 Six Nations

Today at 01:03 PM

1.  Time, please, gentlemen

I used to work on a trading floor in London and one colleague had a handy ploy. He was from Norway and disliked the regimented hours we had to put in. His solution was simple. He buggered off home whenever the urge took him after lunch and left his jacket on the desk so that the boss would assume he was: 1. in a meeting; 2. wandering the floor; 3. doing research; or 4. in the loo. I am beginning to think that Scotland are using the same trick. They leave their jerseys on the field but their minds and hearts and concentration are elsewhere. When was the last time they actually played an 80 minute match? Australia last November. Probably. Yet when it comes to the Six Nations, the biggest annual bonanza rugby has to offer, they are bunking off after lunch. Against Italy they took a mid-match siesta. Ireland played the opening 30 minutes (more or less) unopposed. At Twickenham, the Scots started very brightly and then slowly faded, like a torch running out of batteries, before a brief flash of effort/energy/inspiration at the death. Against Wales, for the second time in two years, Scotland simply downed tools after scoring early in the second half. It has become such a feature of this team it is close to defining them.

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2. Congratulations!

To the Scotland U20s who won on Friday night at Hive Stadium even if they were helped by the indiscipline of the Welsh who collected one 20 minute and one full fat red-card. The young ones were good for their win, only their second in the last 24 matches. Freddy Douglas was the stand-out player, capped captain and scorer of two of Scotland's four tries. He won the man-of-the0match award although I would have been tempted to give the accolade to No 8 Reuben Logan, if only to spread the love a little. Scotland don't produce many big ball-carriers but Logan (son of Kenny, if anyone has been in winter hibernation) is exactly that. Athletic but not shy in the contact zone, he was pounding away in the final quarter just as hard as he did in the first 20 minutes. He is exactly the sort of player that Gregor Townsend needs. Perhaps that is why he opted for Scotland?

3. I did not see that coming!

I thought Ireland at home would squeak past France. I was very wrong but delighted when Les Blues hit their straps to consign the home side to their most comprehensive defeat in many a long moon. There is something awesome about seeing France play joined-up rugby at its very best; one of the Seven Wonders of the Sporting World (feel free to offer the other six below). Their rugby in Dublin looked seamless even though it came from the actions of 15 individuals. It's a little like Dutch ‘total football’ in that no one frets about the number on their back. The Paul Boudehent try on 47 minutes only came about thanks to two, blind pop-passes that kept the move alive, the first was from loosehead prop Jean-Baptiste Gros, the second from replacement scrummy Maxime Lucu. At one point in the game, the flying winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who proved his attacking prowess with two tries, absolutely halved one poor Irishman in a brutal tackle. The smallest man on the field! With one game to go France are in the box-seat(s), which is what you expect from the best team in the tourney.

4. Should we be worried?

I apologise in advance for focusing on one individual's shortcomings but I am not convinced that Will Hurd is up to the task of playing international rugby right now, although he is only 25-years-old so he may grow into it given time. Looking at the minutes Hurd has picked up in this Championship, you have to think that Townsend shares my concerns. Hurd got 12 minutes against Italy, 13 against Ireland, when the only thing I remember him doing is conceding a scrum penalty, four whole minutes at Twickenham and 19 minutes against Wales when Scotland's scrum was creaking and conceded at least one penalty. Zander Fagerson is a beast but tight-head is exhausting, usually the first position to be replaced, rather than the last. Scotland play France in Paris next Saturday. Jean-Baptiste Gros has been starting at loose-head for France and playing extremely well. He has been replaced by Cyril Baille, the best loose-head in the world according to many. The opposition has targeted Hurd and you fancy France/Baille will do the same, especially as the Toulousain wants his starting spot back. Scotland junior tight-head Ollie Blyth-Rafferty is growing up fast but needs more time. How did we get to the stage where Scotland has one Test tight-head and what the hell happens if Zander pulls a hammy in the warm up!?

5. Italy are a pleasure to watch … and play against!

Italy scored two of the best tries this year against England, one scored by the diminutive Ange Capuozzo and one by Ross Vintcent, the fastest breakaway in the business (although it was created by Capuozzo's line break). Sadly, Capuozzo's attacking verve is not matched by defensive rigour. The Italian scores lit up Twickenham but only briefly because England's forwards found the going a little too easy and the backs, for once in their lives, looked like they knew each other pretty well. Five hailed from Northampton Saints so that much was true. It will be interesting to see if Steve Borthwick leaves his backline as it finished, with Elliot Daly at outside centre where he moved on Sunday following Ollie Lawrence's painful looking injury, or whether the coach tweaks his midfield … yet again? Italy play nice rugby, you can see the coach's influence on the field, but the back-five of the Azzurri pack are a little underpowered. They have hugely skilful players like Federico Ruzza who has more line-out takes than anyone else in the tourney but he is not built to run through a brick wall. Italy needs more beef for the modern power game.

6. Richie McCaw's invisibility cloak is broken

There were at least three instances where the invisibility cloak that the Kiwi skipper employed throughout his career to good effect was borrowed by big, dumb forwards who then discovered that it only works with charismatic superheroes! I expect Ireland lock Joe McCarthy to start for the Lions, he has it all, with the possible exception of a soupcon of self awareness. His yellow-card in the first half against France didn't cause the defeat but it certainly didn't help matters. I was torn between astonishment at him keeping pace with Tomos Ramos and being stunned by his blatant Incredible Hulk jersey grab from behind that lifted the French full-back off his feet and landed him on the Dublin turf. All done immediately in front of two match officials and, of course, the ever present TMO. You could see the infringement from space, never mind the sidelines. WillGriff John was almost as dumb when kicking the ball from Ben White's hands from an offside position while another Welshman, U20 lock forward Tom Cottie, clattered into Scotland's Noah Cowan to receive a permanent red card (rather than the 20 minutes sort). A giant lock barreling into a small scrum-half is never a good look, especially without a wrap and with the ball already halfway to the North Stand.

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