Italy vs Ireland
The final round of Six Nations fixtures kicks off in Rome, with Ireland hunting just their second victory of the championship. Declan Kidney’s men have not had the tournament they hoped for; having shown such promise against Wales in round one, they have slumped to three consecutive winless games. There is still much for the Irish to play for, however, not least with Lions selection less than six weeks away.Italy will have no shortage of motivation themselves, having never beaten the visitors before in their history. After a combative and much improved performance against England, Italy should feel confident of giving Ireland a good game.
Key contest: Cittadini vs Healy. Martin Castrogiovanni, so often the cornerstone of the Italian pack, is a big loss for the hosts – if Italy are to notch a maiden victory over the visitors his replacement Lorenzo Cittadini must not take a backward step. For Ireland Cian Healy must match Cittadini’s scrummaging, as well as making himself prominent in open play. The Leinster loose-head must also be careful with regards to discipline – a frustrated stamp on the leg of Dan Cole earned him a ban earlier in the championship. Any further disciplinary matters this Saturday and he will be perceived as a liability for Ireland and – perhaps – for the Lions as well.
Wales vs England
All roads, however, lead to Cardiff on Saturday afternoon. It is at the Millennium Stadium where the fate of this season’s championship will be decided. Grand Slam chasing England enter with a marginal advantage of seven on points difference, but with Wales playing at home that slender lead will not offer them much comfort. Ryan Jones misses out on Welsh selection due to injury, with Sam Warburton – irrepressible last weekend – taking his position on the blindside and Gethin Jenkins taking over the captaincy. For England there are returns for Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs, Joe Marler and Tom Croft. This fixture, complete with Lions sub-plots strewn across the field, looks to be the game of the weekend.
Key contest: Warburton vs Croft. Sam Warburton returned to something approaching his best form last weekend in victory over Scotland. He will be a thorn in England’s side at the breakdown, particularly in conjunction with Justin Tipuric on the other flank. England must negate Warburton’s influence if their attacking game is to make any real headway. For England, Tom Croft completes a remarkable comeback from injury to regain the number 6 jersey opposite Warburton. As well as tending to his breakdown duties, Croft will be expected to dominate the lineout, both in attack and defence. Much will depend upon which flanker of the two can secure more possession for his team.
France vs Scotland
The tournament concludes in Paris where Scotland will look to heap woe on Philippe Saint Andre and his side, whose goal is now simply to avoid a first Wooden Spoon since 1957. A Scottish victory would round off a relatively successful tournament for the visitors, who may enjoy a rare finish in the top half of the table. Scott Johnson has recalled Alasdair Strokosch in the back row and handed a debut to Grant Gilchrist of Edinburgh, who replaces the injured Richie Gray in the second row. There are personnel changes for France too, with first international starts for Sebastien Vahaamahina and Antonie Claasen, as well as a recall for Mathieu Bastareaud in the centre.
Key contest: Michalak vs Weir. Michalak has become one of the main talking points within the French side. Having taken so much criticism for much of the tournament, he defied his critics to boot Les Bleus to a draw in Dublin. He continues at fly half where he will line up against Duncan Weir, who played a smart territorial game for much of Scotland’s clash with Wales, but failed to orchestrate a victory. Both fly halves have great potency outside them and it could be one of the most entertaining games of the championship if they can bring the best out of their respective backlines.
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