1) Scotland focus on away form after thrill of victory
It seems cruel that anyone in Scotland should have to talk about anything other than their victory, but in the hours after the match Gregor Townsend was already thinking about their next Test, away to Ireland. “We’ve got our own issues to deal with,” he said, “we have to show a truer picture of what we’re about when we’re away from home”. Scotland have been a poor side when they’re playing away for a long while now, but those two recent defeats, to England at Twickenham and Wales in Cardiff, were particularly bitter given how much better they’ve become at home. Townsend said he doesn’t necessarily expect to win in Dublin, he just wants his team to reproduce the kind of rugby they play at Murrayfield. They have the makings of a great side. But they need to take that next big step. Andy Bull
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2) England’s defence at heart of problems
Given how spectacularly Scotland have rebounded from their opening weekend debacle in Wales, it is still feasible that England will finish the Six Nations with a flourish. To beat France and Ireland, though, they will have to confound the nagging suspicion that several of their neighbours are now on a steeper upward curve. Eddie Jones insists he will not react by making sweeping changes but there can be no ignoring the defensive gaps that aided Scotland’s three-try first-half fusillade, nor the substitutions of Mike Brown and the captain, Dylan Hartley, after only 56 minutes. It did not feel entirely a matter of England shrinking in hostile surroundings; their impressive hosts were sharper on the day both in thought and deed. As Jones concluded: “We lacked intensity and we’ve got to find out why.” Robert Kitson
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3) Ireland’s replacements show strength in depth
All the talk beforehand was of the players Ireland had lost. Three Lions – Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw – joined two others, Sean O’Brien and Jared Payne, on Ireland’s sick list. They were replaced by Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Chris Farrell. Chuck in Dan Leavy, wearing O’Brien’s shirt, and you couldn’t come up with a much better list of Ireland’s outstanding performers on Saturday. The maestri at half-back would certainly be worthy of inclusion, as ever (heaven forbid either of them is lost), but the health of Ireland’s challenge is embodied by the thrusting newbies as much as by anyone. Michael Aylwin
4) Wales make most of limited possession
There is another team who have made it their policy to let opponents attack, then sting them on the counter, and they’ve done all right by it. Whether Wales are deliberately adopting the All Black way is a moot point, but it’s not cool in the modern game to have too much ball. Far better to make the most of what you do get, which is what Wales are doing. It might not have been wise to let Ireland in Dublin have quite as much possession as they did, but Wales are not far off. They are the most effective ball-users of this championship. MA
5) France still off the pace despite victory
A first victory in nearly a year did not disguise how far France have fallen behind England and Ireland and the ground they have to make up on Wales and Scotland. There were individual successes, not least the returning Mathieu Bastareaud in the centre who showed a lightness of touch to complement his bullocking runs, and the No 8 Marco Tauleigne who carried the ball more times than any other player in Marseille, but collectively Les Bleus are lacking. They will welcome England on the rebound in the next round, but considering their financial and playing resources, they are nowhere near where they should, or need to, be. Paul Rees
6) Italy improving but not fast enough
A 15th straight defeat in the Six Nations told its own story. Like France, theirs was a story of individuals rather than a team. The flanker Sebastian Negri again stood out, on his way to replacing Sergio Parisse as the heartbeat of the Azzurri. Parisse’s Test career is in danger of fizzling out: the No 8 is no longer as durable as he was and is becoming increasingly reliant on his team-mates to compensate for what he is no longer able to do, but other than Negri, no one is on his wavelength. Italy are improving under Conor O’Shea, but not at a pace to keep up with the top four, never mind start to close the gap. PR
7) Pearce keeps England on course for France showdown
England and France remain on collision course for a showdown in Grenoble on Saturday week with two more cruising bonus-point wins over Scotland and Italy respectively. England appear to have unearthed another star in the making on the wing with Charlotte Pearce chipping in with two tries on only her second international start while Rochelle Clark became the most capped front-row of all time, moving to 135 and past Wales’s Gethin Jenkins. After three rounds of fine-tuning against opponents who were always expected to be brushed aside, travelling to France will be the acid test for Simon Middleton’s players. If it is anything like the World Cup semi-final last year, it is not to be missed. Gerard Meagher
