23.02.19 - Wales v England, Guinness Six Nations - Josh Adams of Wales celebrates with Liam Williams of Wales after he scores try
Three teams, two matches and one title to chase
Three teams, two matches and one title to chase – the 2019 Guinness Six Nations is going to be determined by the outcome of the games between Wales and Ireland and England v Scotland on ‘Super Saturday’.
Ireland’s 26-14 win over France in Dublin brought Round 4 to a conclusion in Dublin and kept them within striking distance of the title they won with last season’s Grand Slam. Wales remain in the driving seat after extending their unbeaten record to 13 wins in Scotland.
The 18-11 victory at Murrayfield means a victory against the Irish will not only secure a 12th Grand Slam, but also a 21st Triple Crown and 27th outright title. A draw will hand the initiative to England, who host the Scots at Twickenham in the final game of the day.
It is possible for Wales to get three points from a draw, if they score four tries, which would then require England to beat the Scots to win the title.
They are only one point behind Wales, and one ahead of Ireland, which means if Wales don’t complete the Grand Slam then a bonus point victory will guarantee England the title.
They have a massive points advantage – +83 to Wales’s +31 and Ireland’s +19 – and so unless the Irish win with a bonus point and beat Wales by a 60+ margin, a win of any description will be good enough for the English to triumph.
It all adds up to spine-tingling final weekend as Wales, England and Ireland try to get their hands on the first piece of major rugby silverware up for grabs this year before they all head to Japan to try to wrestle the Webb Ellis Trophy from New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup.
Gatland’s Six Nations Half-Century
The game will also see Wales head coach Warren Gatland take charge of Wales for the 50th time in the Six Nations at the end of his 10th campaign. He missed the 2013 and 2017 tournaments because of his role with the British & Irish Lions.
If he can end on a high with a third Grand Slam, then he will become the first coach in northern hemisphere history to complete the hat-trick.
He is currently one of six coaches with two Grand Slams – John Dawes (Wales – 1976, 1978), Geoff Cooke (England – 1991, 1992), Jacques Fouroux – France 1981, 1987), Jean-Claude Skrela (France – 1997, 1998) and Bernard Laporte (France – 2002, 2004) and Gatland (Wales – 2008, 2012).
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Schmidt’s Last Hurrah
It will also be Joe Schmidt’s last game in charge of Ireland in the competition before he steps down as the Irish head coach after the World Cup. In his six championships he has won the title in three times (2014, 2015, 2018), delivered a Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 2018 and won 21 and drawn another of his 29 games to date.
Also hoping to end on a high will be Irish skipper Rory Best, who is stepping down from the international stage at the end of the World Cup later in the year. The first of his 63 Six Nations matches was against Wales as a replacement in a 31-5 win in Dublin in 2006.
The Wales squad look back on the 2005 title decider between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff
125 and counting for AWJ
Best’s opposite number as captain, Alun Wyn Jones, will be looking to join the exclusive club of Welsh players who have played in three Grand Slam winning teams. He will also be hoping to join Gethin Jenkins and JPR Williams on 34 championship victories, the most by any Welsh player.
Jones surpassed Jenkins’ record of 61 wins in a Welsh shirt with the 18-11 victory in Scotland and will join his former international front five team mate on 134 Test caps for Wales and the Lions.
The game against Ireland will be Jones’ 125th in a Welsh shirt, while Jenkins still leads the way with 129 Welsh caps.
