Six Nations

The old game has changed a bit in the last few years. Whether by accident or conscious copying of Super Rugby, the European game has become much more open, with a tsunami of tries turning the game on its head.

Glasgow Warriors coach Dave Rennie says the club is conducting a worldwide search to find emergency cover at tighthead prop following the news that Zander Fagerson is out for up to six months after breaking his ankle against Cheetahs.

Scotland prop Zander 
Fagerson is likely to miss next year’s Six Nations after undergoing surgery on his broken ankle, which is set to rule him out for “five to six months”.

The SRU has expressed sadness at the death yesterday of ex-Scotland back-row forward and former national coach Nairn MacEwan at the age of 76.

Richie Gray has been ruled out of Scotland’s Summer Tour of the Americas through injury.

Four men have been summonsed to appear in court after England head rugby coach Eddie Jones was subject to a barrage of foul-mouthed abuse.

Do you ever ask yourself what the future of rugby might look like? It’s a tricky one to answer but the obvious thing to point out is that it will almost certainly be markedly different from today’s game.

Two kicks by Johnny Sexton and one pass by Finn Russell will be remembered for a long time. Sexton’s drop-goal against France deep into what we used to call injury time not only won that match; it set Ireland on the way to their Grand Slam. His second kick was that steepling Garryowen which enabled Gary Ringrose to touch down for Ireland’s first try at Twickenham. The pass was, of course, Finn Russell’s audacious one against England which set Huw Jones off on a run which a moment later saw Russell put Sean Maitland over in the corner for a 
second Scottish try.

Darryl Marfo makes his long-awaited return from injury as Edinburgh head to Galway to face Connacht.

Scottish Rugby have launched an investigation after supporters were filmed using sectarian language during the recent trip to Rome.

Marks out of 10 for every player who made an appearance for Scotland in the 2018 NatWest Six Nations tournament...

Despite a third-place finish, and Stuart Hogg winning the award for the last two years running, no Scots have been shortlisted for the 2018 Six Nations Player of the Tournament award.

Scotland finished the Six Nations in third place with three wins to their credit, although that didn’t look likely for much of Saturday’s game in Rome. The Scots ended this tournament as they had started it, playing badly, and
it took two tries in the final quarter, the first by Sean Maitland, the 
second by Stuart Hogg, to secure 
victory.

Gregor Townsend can be justifiably proud of his first Six Nations season finishing above England and France even if two of Scotland’s three victories owed little to his running rugby philosophy. Certainly Townsend would have bitten your arm off if you’d offered him three wins after the final whistle in Cardiff.

Wales sealed a second-place finish in the Six Nations by holding off France to win 14-13 in a battle of attrition in Cardiff.

It was impossible not to feel a smidgen of sympathy for Italy coach Conor O’Shea, who looked like a badly beaten dog that has had a bone snatched from its jaws just when it thought its luck had turned. Italy bossed much of this match and led from the 13th to the 72nd minute only to see that elusive win slip through their fingers again.

Ireland ignited the St Patrick’s Day celebrations by completing the third Grand Slam in their history as England collapsed to a 24-15 defeat that nudges them towards NatWest 6 Nations despair.

Greig Laidlaw’s last-gasp penalty saved Scotland from final-day defeat as they edged out Italy 29-27 in Rome.

Italy always believe they can beat Scotland, and after witnessing yesterday’s match it is easy to understand why. The Scots got the win, and their first bonus point of the series, but they made life horribly difficult for themselves, having to bounce back from 17-5 and 24-12 down to win with a Greig Laidlaw penalty less than two minutes from time.