Ronan O’Gara scored a 78th minute drop-goal to break Italian hearts and spare Irish blushes.

The final game of the opening weekend was a cracker – with Scotland scoring three tries.  Yes, Scotland scored three tries.  However, on this occasion that would not be enough as the efficient and clinical French scored three tries and a penalty-try to eventually run-out winners.  The Scots could take heart from a gutsy performance in Paris and 34-21 against last year’s Grand Slam champions was not a bad effort for an inexperienced Scottish side.

What could so easily have been a tough test against the dogged Italians turned into a day to remember for England and particularly Chris Ashton.  The Italians had been immense against Ireland but they did not show-up in this match and England comfortably ran away 59-13 winners.  

Unfortunately the Scotland-Wales encounter turned out to be a complete let-down as the Scots were unable to carry their encouraging performance from the previous week into this match and were easily dispatched by the Welsh.  

The little magician Shane Williams added two tries to his immense tally of international tries to make it fifty-three tries in seventy-five games for Wales to help the Welsh home against the lacklustre Scots.

The final game of the second weekend promised to be a classic, and so it proved to be as France took on Ireland at the recently opened Aviva Stadium in Dublin.  Ireland outscored France on the try-count three to one but five Morgan Parra penalties and a Dimitri Yachvili drop-goal and penalty allowed the French to steal victory as the match finished 25-22.  

Twickenham came alive for England’s tie against the French but the match failed to live up to expectations, especially in the first-half.  Both teams made mistakes and the French will have felt aggrieved not to have gone in at half-time ahead and 9-9 at the interval always favoured England. 

In the second-half England improved immeasurably and scored a try through Ben Foden, as well as having two others chalked off controversially.  17-9 the match finished; France had finally been beaten and England were left dreaming of a Grand Slam.

Once again the Italians can count themselves unlucky not to have taken anything away from their battle with the Welsh, who were distinctly under-par and Italy played some decent rugby.  Two tries were scored by either side in a match that finished 24-16 and this gives the Welsh an outside chance of the Championship.

Scotland were abysmal for the second match in succession against a poor Irish side at Murrayfield but they could well have nicked it in the end due to some terrible Irish discipline and debatable refereeing.  Ireland’s three tries to Scotland’s none proved crucial in the end, with Ireland winning 21-18.  Scotland now seemingly face a basement-battle with the Italians to avoid the wooden spoon.

Ultimately the Championship and the Grand Slam are now England’s to lose but a potential banana-skin against the passionate Scots and a tricky away day in Dublin could scupper England’s plans.

France, Ireland and Wales all still have a chance of winning the title whereas Italy and Scotland will be determined to avoid the wooden spoon. This means the last two weekends of the Six Nations could be as fascinating and engrossing as ever.