Phil Gifford runs the rule over all the talking points from this weekend's action in Super Rugby Pacific and the Six Nations.
THE BEST FUN IN THE WORLD
There may never have been as heartwarming a test try as the one scored by Italian wing Edoardo Padovani that saw Italybreak a 36-game losing streak in Six Nations, and beat Wales 22-21 in Cardiff. I've watched it six times and can't stop smiling.
The man who set up the try and makes it so delightful is fullback Ange Capuozzo. He's 22, but looks 13. He's also tiny, weighing just 68kg. The last time the All Blacks fielded a player that small was in 1964, when Derek Arnold played against France.
So when Capuozzo fielded a Welsh kick well inside his half, with just 95 seconds to go, his running had the scalded cat feel of a wee schoolkid surrounded by big, mean, older boys in the playground. Reasonably enough he wasn't looking for contact, but quickly scuttled past three of the giants, stepped another, kept running for his life, almost fell over in his haste, and then slipped the ball inside for Padovani to score.
Juan Ignacio Brex, Niccolo Cannone and Edoardo Padovani of Italy celebrate victory over Wales. Photo / Getty
The perfect grace note was when Welsh wing Josh Adams, who had been named man of the match, insisted that Capuozzo accept Adams' medal.
YES, IRELAND AND FRANCE WILL BE MASSIVE CHALLENGES
The pressure of being on the cusp of sweeping unbeaten to a Six Nations title meant France were all thumbs against England for a lot of their last round test in Paris. It was however, entirely fitting that their hugely gifted captain and halfback, Antoine Dupont, would seal the game with a blistering 23-metre solo run for a try, which, when converted, took the match 25-13. It'll be a massive confrontation when they play the All Blacks in the opening World Cup game in Paris next year.
Antoine Dupont of France lifts the Six Nations Trophy with teammates. Photo / Getty
Meanwhile, the knives are flashing for England's coach Eddie Jones. In London's Sunday Times Stephen Jones took aim and suggested English fans were so frustrated that as a replacement for Jones "they'd even take a Russian oligarch, providing he knew his rugby. Anything is better than this rubbish."
As for Ireland they were boringly dour in beating Scotland 26-5 in Dublin, but sounded a massive warning that the All Blacks will need to be perfect with their lineout drive defences, or risk being embarrassed when Ireland play here in July. Try after try from lineout shoves may be tedious to watch, but when a pack is as well organised as the Irish are, they can win games.
The skill and ruthlessness with which the Chiefs crushed Moana Pasifika 59-12 at Mt Smart stadium showed clearly that they should be involved in the Super Rugby Pacific grand final.
Coach Clayton McMillan was without captain Sam Cane, and five other All Blacks, but had his team hitting Rolls Royce levels. Covid mandates, and massive upsets from Australian teams, permitting, the Chiefs and the Crusaders are likely to be playing off in the final in June, a game that deserves packed stands.
Emoni Narawa of the Chiefs. Photo / Getty
McMillan, who took over the Chiefs in rather bizarre circumstances last year, when Warren Gatland headed off to coach the Lions in South Africa, has been pure gold in his role, and not just with on the-field performances.
Last year, when his side lost 24-13 to the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Aotearoa final in Christchurch, he was asked after the game about a knife-edge decision which could have seen a try awarded to the Chiefs' Jonah Lowe, after a high tackle by Will Jordan, just before halftime.
McMillan's response was pure class. "We'd probably question whether that was a penalty try, but I don't think he [Lowe] controlled the ball anyway, so it's a little irrelevant. I'm not sure that the head high tackle really had an influence on him not getting the ball down, so they probably made the right decision."
BACK IN 2007 THEY LEARNED THE SAME LESSON
You can train all you like, haunt the gym and the training ground, but in the end there's no substitute for match fitness. In 2007 it was decided 24 All Blacks would miss the first two months of Super Rugby, and instead do an intense conditioning programme. After the All Blacks were knocked out in the quarter-final of the World Cup by France in October, a NZRU commissioned report found that some All Blacks had lost confidence when they returned to rugby after the fitness programme.
Thanks to Covid, the Moana squad had just one pre-season game, and faced the Chiefs in just their second competition match.
As they were against the Crusaders in their opener, Moana were competitive for the first quarter, and then were increasingly picked to bits by the Chiefs. Their schedule now, doubling up on games with midweek fixtures, is fearsome, but while they were gasping for oxygen late in the Chiefs defeat they didn't stop trying. If they hang tough there could be some shocks for the Australian teams they'll soon be playing.
Hamilton Burr came to the Waikato from Scotland for what he called a "last crack" at professional rugby. He'd made an under-20 Scotland team, but with just two professional clubs in Scotland couldn't quite make the jump to the next level.
At Mt Smart the 25-year-old played in Sam Cane's No 7 jersey like a man revelling in the opportunity. His enthusiasm was off the scale, and while he's described himself as a "wee Scottish lad" there's no questions around his physicality either. Hopefully back home people who count in Scottish rugby were watching his game being streamed live in Britain.
