6 NATIONS

First the good news - Italy beat Scotland. Sadly I didn't see the game but the result seems to confirm the demise of Scottish Rugby. They are rapidly heading towards oblivion. Good. Couldn't happen to a more "chippy" bunch of moaners.

And now the bad news. England beaten at home by Ireland. And my god were we well beaten. The final scoreline hopelessly flatters England. We were comprehensively outplayed all over the park, and the less said about the lineouts the better. England had a couple of chances to snatch victory towards the death, when we finally started to string a few passes together and the forwards finally remembered how to keep the ball, but if we had somehow snuck a victory it would have been an outrageous travesty.

This means that France V England on 28 March is not necessarily the decider it was expected to be. Assuming Ireland beat Italy and Scotland, then if England beat France there will be 3 teams with 3 wins and 1 loss - then it all gets mathematical as to who wins the championship. If France beat England however then the Grand Slam is theirs.

There's still plenty to play for.....