The Irish are indeed the best rugby players in the northern hemisphere. The XV of Clover won the 2024 edition of the Six Nations Tournament by winning 17-13, Saturday March 16, in Dublin, against Scotland. The men in green, already winners of the European competition in 2023, did not, this time, achieve the Grand Slam, only beaten by one point (23-22) by England, during the 4th day of the Tournament .
This Saturday, Irish captain Peter O'Mahony and his teammates were first surprised by fly-half Finn Russell, with a penalty struck from 40 meters (8th). But the Aviva Stadium continued to push, and rightly so, since under the clamor of its supporters, Clover immediately took the lead, through its hooker Dan Sheehan (13th), before the Opener Jack Crowley does not convert the locals' first try.
Once in the lead, coach Andy Farell's men kept the lead for the rest of the match, against the eye-catching, but unhappy, Scots. Long in possession of the ball, the Chardon XV multiplied the construction phases, without ever succeeding in breaking through the Irish defense. And the agility of Finn Russell, although valuable, was not enough to revive Scotland. The Scottish opener scored a second penalty (18th), but his Irish counterpart, Jack Crowley, responded after the restart (43rd).
Victorious, even without Jonathan Sexton
The replacement for Jonathan Sexton, best director in the history of Ireland, retired at the end of the 2023 World Cup, seems to have understood the weight of his number. The Munster flyhalf, essential since the retirement of the Clover icon, attacked his team on Saturday.
And the toll could have been heavier. Andy Farell's troops were denied two tries, with Chardon saved by video verification. The 50,000 supporters present were, however, able to celebrate another try for their selection, Andrew Porter definitively sealing the fate of the match (65th), after occupying the last five Scottish meters for many minutes. At the end of the match, the Scots scored, for the honor, thanks to their three-quarter center Huw Jones.
At the opening of this 2024 edition of the Six Nations Tournament, the Irish inflicted a correction (17-38) on the French XV, in Marseille. Quarter-finalists of the 2023 World Cup (beaten 28-24 by New Zealand) like the Blues, the Irish then dominated (36-0) Italy then Wales (31-7), during the 2nd and 3rd days.
A miraculous drop from the Englishman Marcus Smith
The XV of Clover then seemed set for another flawless performance in the Tournament. But he came up against the XV de la Rose on March 9. That day, England won... the English way, snatching victory (23-22) in the final moments of the match, thanks to a miraculous drop from opener Marcus Smith.
In a euphoric Aviva Stadium, the Irish set out to demonstrate, this Saturday, that the defeat at Twickenham against the semi-finalists of the last World Cup was to be classified in the "accident of course" category.
Italy concluded its Six Nations Tournament with a victory (24-21) against Wales in Cardiff. Two victories (against Scotland and Wales) and a draw (against France), the Transalpines have never done better. To close this 2024 edition, France faces England on Saturday evening (9 p.m., to follow live on Lemonde.fr), in Lyon. Before this 5th and final day, the French and English could mathematically dream of a final victory in the Tournament. But the Irish, winners of the competition for the 24th time, have therefore ensured that the future winner of this match only wins a consolation prize.
