What we learned from round two of the Six Nations and the Super Rugby warm-up matches, according to CRAIG LEWIS.
England possess killer instinct
They say winning is a habit and England have proved this to be true over the first two weeks of the Six Nations. For large parts of their opening game against France, and again against Wales on Saturday, they were clearly the inferior team. However, they have added composure and resilience to their all-round game, and in both games found a way to score late tries to secure hard-fought wins. It’s left them only three victories away from the tier-one winning record of 19 consecutive Tests, while keeping them on track to defend their Six Nations title.
HIGHLIGHTS: Wales vs England (2017)
Northern hemisphere rugby has evolved
Before the start of the Six Nations, former All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw reiterated a popular sentiment when he agreed that there was very little that separated Test teams from the southern and northern hemisphere. And although the start to the Six Nations has hardly been filled with flawless rugby, there have also been periods of enthralling action in a number of closely contested encounters. It’s easy to see why the Boks struggled as they did on their end-of-year tour, with drab and dour northern hemisphere rugby now a thing of the past.
France will challenge the Boks in June
The incoming series against France is shaping up to be a make-or-break affair for Allister Coetzee, and there is no doubt he will not be receiving a get-out-of-jail free card. Under astute coach Guy Noves, it appears that France have slowly begun to rediscover their mojo, and after competing strongly against England last weekend, they completed an important win against the brave Scots on Sunday. If Les Bleus continue to build momentum over the coming weeks, they’ll come to South Africa with real confidence that they can cause an upset or two against the battling Boks.
HIGHLIGHTS: France vs Scotland (2017)
Stander star continues to rise
Over the last year or two, it’s become more evident than ever that South African-born CJ Stander is the one that got away. Deemed to be too small to play in the loose trio, he decided to make the move abroad, where he has quickly become a cult hero in Munster. After qualifying to play for Ireland, he has now transposed his club form to the international scene, and was once again in unstoppable form this past weekend. Stander scored a hat-trick of tries as Ireland claimed a resounding 63-10 win against Italy, and once again provided an indication that he remains one of the more influential players in world rugby right now.
HIGHLIGHTS: Italy vs Ireland (2017)
Stormers, Sharks have made pre-season statements
It’s always dangerous business reading too much into Super Rugby warm-up matches while experimentation and squad rotation takes place. However, the Stormers and Sharks will be particularly pleased with the manner in which they have gone about their business thus far. The Stormers have won all three of their pre-season games and thrashed a strong Lions team this past weekend, but they did suffer two considerable blows after Leolin Zas and Juan de Jongh sustained serious injuries. The Sharks have also shown some encouraging early-season form, with wins over the Cheetahs and a Bulls XV, and while these results need to be seen in context, it should allow them to take some confidence into the Super Rugby season.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
