That’s about all from this year’s Six Nations, one that will live long in the memory with Ireland’s slam, Scotland’s resurgence and England’s fall from grace. Keep it Guardian Sport for reports, reaction and analysis from the final day. Thanks for joining me, and let’s do it all again next year.
“The final score is pretty enough for this Welsh ex-pat following from Toronto,” says Susan Al-Aggad. Fair point, boyo/buddy - Wales finish second, and that’s what counts. They join Ireland and Scotland in the top three for the first time since 1975.
The final Six Nations table
Ireland win the grand slam, and win the title by 11 points. Wales finish as runners-up, and Scotland complete a Celtic 1-2-3. England finish fifth, their worst campaign since 1983. Who’d have thunk it?
Ireland 5-0 PD 78 Pts 26
Wales 3-2 PD 36 Pts 15
Scotland 3-2 PD -27 Pts 13
France 2-3 PD 14 Pts 11
England 2-3 PD 10 Pts 10
Italy 2-3 PD -111 Pts 1
Full time: Wales 14-13 France
France prise the ball back, and prime themselves for one last run downfield - but it’s over within seconds, Wales turning it over and Gareth Davies kicking for touch. It wasn’t pretty, but Wales win!
78 mins: France choose to kick downfield, and after Wales come again, France concede the penalty. Halfpenny kicks for the corner, as Wales look to run the last 90 seconds down...
77 mins: Wales roll forward, deep into the French 22, but are penalised for holding on. Second place, and the not insignificant prize money bonus - there’s a difference of £2m between second and fifth - is three minutes away.
Here’s reaction to Ireland’s win at Twickenham, which sealed the slam and condemned England to a third straight defeat:
75 mins: From the French lineout, Wales apply pressure to the maul and win the scrum. They’re getting closer...
74 mins: With the finish line in sight, Wales roll through eight phases - but at the breakdown, Samson Lee concedes a penalty, and France can clear. Wales into double figures in penalties now.
72 mins: Elliot Dee comes on for Ken Owens, while for France, Lionel Beauxis is on.
71 mins: Ooh, they so nearly do here as Remy Grosso gallops down the left flank - but Leigh Halfpenny races across to the touchline and makes a superb tackle!
70 mins: Bradley Davies comes on for Cory Hill. Ten minutes left and despite repeated invitation, France have so far declined to take this game away from Wales.
Missed penalty! Wales 14-13 France
Oh, Francois! With Machenaud off, Trinh-Duc lines up the regulation kick - and sends it wide! Dreadful.
67 mins: Wales get their scrum all wrong, and No8 Marco Tauleigne breaks the tackle and charges downfield. Liam Williams steps offside, and France have a penalty...
65 mins: Trinh-Duc is having one today. He collects a clearing kick, and throws it a foot forward to Fall. Wales have a scrum, in French territory, from absolutely nowhere.
64 mins: Nicky Smith and Samson Lee are on for Wales, replacing Rob Evans and Tomas Francis.
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62 mins: Never mind your end-to-end rugby and fleet-footed backs - the Six Nations is wrapping up in old school fashion, scrum after scrum as Wales try to hang onto this advantage. They get another penalty, and can clear their lines.
60 mins: France go for the far corner, Wales repel them once again, but Machenaud keeps it moving. Bastareaud has the ball, a couple of metres out - but Wales stand him up, and get the penalty! That’s terrific defence. For France, Machenaud is off, replaced by Baptiste Couilloud.
58 mins: Trinh-Duc’s kick through lands a foot from the back of the goal area, and Wales can clear - but it keeps coming back. France swarm forward again, and Wales are penalised for a high tackle - Alun Wyn Jones on Fall. The crowd don’t like it, but he’s above the neck.
56 mins: France have dominated this half, but can they get their noses in front? Wales continue to stand firm, Parkes bravely trying to put one on Bastareaud. Aaron Shingler is on for Wales, replacing Tipuric.
54 mins: Ken Owens spills the ball to end a Welsh attack. Only 23% possession for Wales in this second half; they’ve looked nervous.
52 mins: Another penalty for France, but Trinh-Duc can’t punish them, sending his kick beyond the try line and out of play! Oh dear. Camille Chat and Rabah Slimani come on to bolster the French pack.
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50 mins: Davies charges down a kick and scurries to within sight of the French line, but France turn it over and have a chance to break. Hadleigh Parkes, who always sounds to me like a character from Dynasty, makes a crucial intervention.
Wales 14-13 France (Machenaud penalty)
Machenaud does the business, and France are within a point. This one’s going to the wire.
47 mins: France work through the phases, getting up to 20 before Wales concede a penalty, Gareth Davies not rolling away. The advantage is lost after a knock-on, so Machenaud will kick for goal...
45 mins: Frustration for Wales as another passing move breaks down with spare men on the outside. France get the lineout, and win it, in their own half.
42 mins: Halfpenny collects an up-and-under and the ball is worked to Faletau, who barrels through a gap in midfield. Space opening up for Wales down the left, but Davies can’t collect his pass.
We're off!
Forty more minutes to play in this year’s Six Nations. Drink it in!
Eddie Jones, speaking on the radio, has apparently said some of his team “played their last game for England today”. Ouch. He added that next year’s World Cup remains the primary goal. What can England achieve in Japan? And what about Ireland, who have never been to a semi-final but now look like the north’s dominant force?
Here are our match reports from earlier today:
On a thrilling final day of the Six Nations, I’d like to take a moment to remember Dan Lucas. Dan helmed our live rugby union coverage until his tragic, sudden death last year. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, but made it accessible to every type of rugby fan.
I know he was hugely liked and respected by our readers, and every time I cover a rugby match, I know I’m in Dan’s seat, and try my best to do him justice. Dan’s family have raised more than £8,000 in his memory, and you can still donate here.
Going to take a wild guess that Gearoid here might be Irish...
@niallmcveigh the priority here is England coming fifth. BP or better for france and this is the best 6 nations in history.
— Gearoid O Fearghail (@gearoidof) March 17, 2018
Half time: Wales 14-10 France
France win a late penalty which Machenaud lines up from distance - but he misses! That’s half time, and after Scotland’s comeback in Rome and Ireland’s masterclass at Twickenham, this is a different kind of contest. It’s evenly matched, with France threatening going forward, but Wales have picked up 14 points from their opponents’ mistakes. The win, and second place, is up for grabs.
39 mins: From the line-out, Wales probe for a score moments before half-time. They work the ball right but are penalised for holding on - and Gareth Davies is mighty frustrated.
38 mins: Bastareaud crosses the gain line but Doumayrou alongside runs out of options, and it’ll be a Welsh scrum - from which they win a penalty in their own half.
36 mins: France stand firm in the face of a Welsh attack, Liam Williams closed down after a loose pass. ‘Allez, allez’ is the cry from Bastareaud. Get your act together, basically.
34 mins: Benjamin Fall causes panic in the Welsh defence with a slaloming run from deep, but Machenaud lets them off the hook with a forward pass. Plenty of danger among those French backs, though.
Don’t forget, these two are playing for second place after Ireland saw off England to seal the grand slam:
Wales 14-10 France (Halfpenny penalty)
Halfpenny makes no mistake, and Wales continue to punish French indiscretions.
29 mins: After what feels like an hour of pedantic scrum resets, Wales launch an attack. Pelissie concedes another French penalty, this time with a high tackle. Another chance for Halfpenny...
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26 mins: Wales will have a scrum, and the pace has slowed after that opening shootout. Mathieu Babillot replaces the injured Camara, earning his first cap in the process.
24 mins: So far for France, a brilliant counter-attacking try, a drop goal, needless penalties and a defensive mess. How very France.
23 mins: Liam Williams tries to shimmy through the French defence, but gets closed down. Back-row Yacouba Camara looks to be hurt for France, while Doumayrou is back up after treatment.
TRY! Wales 11-10 France (Fickou)
France keep the counter-attack alive through Lauret, and Fickou finishes the move he started, gliding through a gap to score. Machenaud converts, and France cut the gap.
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20 mins: France break upfield as Fickou offloads to Pelissie, who spins, breaks the tackle and moves 10m upfield...
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18 mins: Gareth Davies collects a scrum and tears upfield - France look a little disorganised here. Biggar with the up-and-under, collected after a lucky bounce off Navidi. Bastareaud introduces himself to Rob Evans with a crunching tackle to send the prop into touch.
Wales 11-3 France (Halfpenny penalty)
Another kick slightly left of the posts, and the full-back nails it. Wales eight points clear!
13 mins: France penalised for a tip tackle, and Wales set up a lineout chance downfield. Advantage Wales, Tipuric tackled in the air, and Wales can kick themselves into a healthy lead...
12 mins: A lively start here, with Tipuric doing well to toe-end a loose ball out of danger. Wales have an overlap but Parkes kicks for touch, and misjudges it.
Wales 8-3 France (Halfpenny penalty)
Leigh Halfpenny takes the penalty, from a similar spot to his missed conversion. This time, it sails between the posts.
8 mins: Wales turn the ball over and counter at pace, and France are penalised from a lineout. Wales advantage, but after Gareth Davies fails to find Liam Williams, it’s called back for the kick.
TRY! Wales 5-3 France (Liam Williams)
So much for that good start from France. They get in an awful mess, stopping because they think the Wales kick-off hasn’t gone 10 metres. As they complain, Wales race downfield and after Trinh-Duc misjudges the grubber kick, Liam Williams runs in to score! Halfpenny misses the conversion.
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Drop goal! Wales 0-3 France (Trinh-Duc)
France push upfield, and with a lack of passing options, Trinh-Duc slots the drop goal between the posts.
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2 mins: Wales turn the ball over in midfield but France regain possession as the hosts are penalised...
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Here we go!
Wales in red, France in blue, as it should be.
The anthems ring around the Principality Stadium, and as you’ll be aware, they are a couple of corkers.
So, Ireland have won the grand slam, and set this one up as a battle for the runners’ up spot:
Follow the conclusion of England v Ireland with me over here:
Team news
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Cory Hill, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 6 Justin Tipuric, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Aaron Shingler, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Steff Evans.
France: 15 Benjamin Fall, 14 Gael Fickou, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 11 Remy Grosso, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 1 Jefferson Poirot, 2 Adrien Pelissie, 2 Cedate Gomes Sa, 4 Paul Gabrillagues, 5 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 6 Wenceslas Laurent, 7 Yacouba Camara, 8 Marco Tauleigne.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 1 Dany Priso, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Bernard Le Roux, 20 Mathieu Babillot, 21 Baptiste Couilloud, 22 Lionel Beauxis, 23 Geoffrey Palis.
Preamble
The Six Nations comes to a close in Cardiff, but the tournament’s final match may lack a true sense of occasion. That’s unusual for any game under the lights at the Principality Stadium, and any involving Wales and France, two nations with 20 grand slams and plenty of epic battles between them.
Still, even if the real finale is being played out at Twickenham, there’s a decent consolation prize on offer. If England go on to lose, the winner here will finish runner-up. That’s something to cherish for either a Wales team in transition, or a France side who were on a historic losing run until they bashed their way past Italy.
Kick-off is at 5pm; team news and build-up to follow.
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