What The Fox? Four talking points from the weekend's Six Nations

Italy flummox England with an obscure rucking tactic, the Lions captaincy picture changes yet again, and… could Scotland win the Triple Crown?

The anti-ruck tactic
It’s the only topic from England’s match against Italy – nevermind that the hosts ended up scoring six tries in a bonus-point win. ‘The Fox’, as the Italians called it, flummoxed Eddie Jones’s men for the better part of an entire half. Now, you can question the length of time it took for them to work it out. You can mention the fact it has been used before – in Super Rugby, in the European Championship, and even in sevens. You can laugh at James Haskell and Dylan Hartley’s attempts to understand what was going on, and giggle knowingly at referee Romain Poite’s dismissive, ‘I’m sorry, I’m a referee, not a coach’ rejoinder. The fact is no side has ever been subjected to such intense use of the anti-ruck tactic as England were on Sunday. The Azzurri operated within the confines of the laws of the game, but did they remain true to its spirit – and does it really need World Rugby to change the laws? Eddie Jones and George Ford seem to think so. It’s a two-pint discussion at least. Reaching a conclusion may take one more round.

Has AWJ blown his Lions captaincy chances?
Wales’s Alun Wyn Jones has for some time been a strong favourite to lead the Lions on the summer tour of New Zealand – despite the fact that he has remained firmly under head coach Warren Gatland’s captaincy radar for just about his entire Wales career. Until the start of this year’s Six Nations, Jones had captained Wales in just one match, in 2009. Gatland, who has been in charge of Wales for all-but one year of Jones’s international career has preferred Dwayne Peel, Gethin Jones, Ryan Jones, Matthew Rees, Sam Warburton, and even Bradley Davies, to the lock. And, now he is captain, AWJ has done his Lions chances no favours with what seemed to be a weak change of mind during the defeat against Scotland. His dithering as Wales crashed and burned in the second half at Murrayfield hinted at a player not entirely comfortable with his role, and that moment when he allowed Dan Biggar to change his mind over an eminently kickable penalty was embarrassing. 

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Guy Novès really does deserve more time
Ireland was not good for France. Johnny Sexton’s tactical nous and Conor Murray’s brilliance kept Les Bleus at arm’s length for large portions of the game. But, when France were given the chance to attack, they were dangerous and brilliant and inventive. They are clearly on the right road. While patience is now starting to wear very thin in France for the Guy Novès project, he needs more time. His impact has not been as marked as Eddie Jones with England, despite the fact that both coaches started at about the same time. But where Jones inherited a team in crisis, Novès inherited an entire system in chaos.

Scotland’s Triple Crown chances … and vital World Rankings
Almost unnoticed in the Six Nations roar is the fact that if Scotland beat England at Twickenham on Saturday, March 11, they will win not just the Calcutta Cup but the Triple Crown as well. If that would not be reason enough to celebrate, they will have one more match – against Italy at Murrayfield – to move into World Rugby’s top four, which comes with a top seeding at the draw for the 2019 Rugby World Cup on May 10. Meanwhile, Wales and France are both looking nervously over their shoulders after their latest defeats. A turnaround in fortunes is needed if they are to avoid dropping below eighth – which would put them in the third tier for the World Cup draw. France, at least, have Italy in their future. For Wales, it’s Ireland, then France. The two side’s final Six Nations match could have plenty riding on it.