'On fire' British and Irish Lions contenders stake claim for Australia tour
Updated . First published at
The Six Nations opened to expectations.
Ireland began its three-peat bid by blowing away England during 30-plus minutes of controlled aggression in the second half in Dublin for a 27-22 comeback win.
France steamrolled hapless Wales 43-0 with another maestro display from captain Antoine Dupont.
And a nervous Scotland withstood an Italy comeback 31-19 thanks to Huw Jones' hat trick of tries.
Here are the takeaways from the first round.
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Lions watch
Plenty of players who haven't been British and Irish Lions thrust themselves into the spotlight ahead of this year's tour of Australia.
At Murrayfield, outside centre Huw Jones notched his first Test hat trick and flanker Rory Darge was his usual busy self.
Another flanker, Jac Morgan, was easily Wales' best, while England's Tom Curry, a three-Test Lion starting with his twin Ben for the first time, earned three turnovers off the Irish.
Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park was voted player of the match in Dublin but it was another Lion-in-waiting who really shone, winger James Lowe.
A calf issue prevented him from playing for two months until last weekend, when he proved his fitness with Leinster.
For Ireland, Lowe was on fire.
He's not a speedster but his strength and agility to break tackles and make the last pass set up three of Ireland's four tries.
He rarely has a quiet game.
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James Lowe of Ireland runs with the ball. Getty
Ireland and France, again
Ireland and France have dominated the championship since 2022 and nothing in the first round suggested that will change.
Although it's not a two team race, yet.
A Scotland side supposedly in its prime lies in wait for the Irish on Monday (AEDT) at Murrayfield.
But Scotland has to overcome the mental hurdle of losing its last 10 contests to Ireland and a mental slump that allowed Italy to rally and level the score going into their last 20 minutes on the weekend.
The rumors of Ireland's demise have not been greatly exaggerated but the Irish team shelved its decay from the Autumn Nations Series with a mightily impressive 22 point, three try flex of power that overran an England squad which was ultimately flattered by the final score.
England has another chance on Sunday (AEDT) at Twickenham to challenge the status quo when France visits, but Dupont's imperious talent is inspiring the French despite injuries to six frontline players and an expected suspension for red carded flyhalf Romain Ntamack.
Will Rowlands and his Wales teammates look dejected during the Six Nations. Getty
Wooden spoon decider?
Losses for Italy and Wales confirmed their match on Sunday (AEDT) in Rome will likely determine who will be left with the wooden spoon.
Wales gave no indication in Paris that it won't retain it.
The injection of experience from Liam Williams, Dafydd Jenkins and Josh Adams was expected to make Wales' novice team more competitive but that wasn't the case.
Game-ending injuries to Aaron Wainwright and Owen Watkin in the first 27 minutes didn't help.
Wales was comfortably contained by a French team that scored seven tries without getting out of third gear.
Wales' attack lacks line breakers and imagination.
Italy's only try against Scotland was from an intercept but, as has become customary, it doggedly stayed in the contest.
Italy had momentum at 19-19 going into the last 20 minutes and lost it to an incredible 70m breakout try by Scotland.
Antoine Dupont of France runs with the ball at Stade de France. Getty
Dupont est fantastique
It's far too early to be picking the best player of this Six Nations but Dupont laid a claim to a record fourth award with his opening night performance.
His cross-field kick led to France's first try, his break off a ruck and sidestep led to France's third try, and his lob pass from the base of a close range ruck set up France's fourth try.
That was all in the first half.
He's the only player in the Six Nations era to assist on three tries in more than one game, according to statistician Opta.
When he was replaced in the 50th minute at 28-0 to rest up for the England match this weekend, both sets of fans applauded him.
Andy who?
The relief and joy was obvious at fulltime in the Ireland coaches box at Aviva Stadium.
There were high fives, hugs and handshakes all round.
The victory over England reassured Ireland fans that Simon Easterby, who has the keys to the defending two-time champions, isn't going to drive them into a wall while Andy Farrell is focused on the Lions.
After 67 caps as a flanker for Ireland and the Lions and 11 years in the backroom, Easterby is low key and deeply respected.
But even his heart must have been pounding at halftime with England ahead.
In the end, all of his big calls - notably flyhalf Sam Prendergast starting ahead of Jack Crowley - and substitutions paid off.
Asked afterward if he was proud of his Test coaching debut, Easterby typically deflected the question.
"It's not really about me is it?" he said.
"It's more about what the team have done today in the first round of the Six Nations and it's important that we got the five points."
