MEN OF THE DAY
Wales’s Jamie Roberts was deserving of his man of the match award but who didn’t also enjoy George North’s solo try a year and a week on from that terrible concussion incident against England? A whole new meaning to the Great North Run.
RETURNING HERO
It was good to see Paul O’Connell in the BBC’s studio in Paris, five days after being forced to retire from the game. He got his montage and was an excellent analyst. Toulon’s loss is punditry’s gain.
LOSING STREAKS OF THE DAY
9: The number of consecutive Six Nations matches lost by Scotland since their win in Rome in February 2014.
9: The number of consecutive Scotland defeats at the Millennium Stadium since Gordon Bulloch’s tries sealed a 2002 win.
Hot bonus fact: With four wins over Italy and two over Ireland you have to go back to March 2008 to Scotland’s last Six Nations win over a team not beginning with I, when they beat England 15-9 at Murrayfield.
BEST FADING
For the second time in a week, Ireland led a match at half-time but could not hold on for the win. Last Sunday they converted a 13-10 lead over Wales into a 16-16 draw; on Saturday their 9-3 lead was overhauled by France with 10 minutes to go.
MOST MISERABLE
Anyone taking a train from a very busy Cardiff Central after a Wales game. Next up: a match against France a week on Friday that’s due to finish at 10pm. Goody.
HISTORY REPEATING
During their World Cup win over France, Ireland lost Johnny Sexton and a towering lock – Paul O’Connell – to injury. This time both Sexton and O’Connell’s replacement, Mike McCarthy, went off. Unlike the Cardiff classic last autumn, though, Ireland did not emerge victorious.
PRINCIPALITY WATCH
The people of Wales are quite clear on the matter – Wales is not a principality, hasn’t been one since 1542, and woe betide anyone who says it is. Welcome, then, the Principality Stadium in a 10-year naming deal with a building society. Bravo.
