Six Nations Championship - Jonny returns....and tears Scotland to shreds

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RUGBY

Jonny Wilkinson, who hasn't played for England since he scored the Drop Goal in the 2003 World Cup Final against Australia that won England the World Cup, returned for England yesterday after a long period of injury and put in such a remarkable performance it's as though he hasn't been away. His 27 points (out of England's total of 42) helped the World Champions rip Scotland to shreds on the opening day of the 2007 Six Nations Championship. Despite only playing half an hour of rugby in 3 years he still put in one of the best performances of his career. Wilkinson's 27 points was the highest amount of points ever scored by one person in an England/Scotland game. The England/Scotland game is a one-game, mini-tournament within the Six Nations itself - the winner of this game is always presented with the Calcutta Cup.

In the other game, France thrashed whipping boys Italy 39-3 in Rome. Today's game is Wales VS Ireland
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Jonny's back ... with a point to prove (27 of them in fact)

By MARTIN SMITH
3rd February 2007

SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP, 2007

Hammer of the Scots: England's Jonny Wilkinson scores a try yesterday as the World Champions destroyed Scotland



ENGLAND 42-20 SCOTLAND


He had not kicked a ball in anger in an England rugby shirt since his World Cup-winning drop goal against Australia 1,168 days ago.

But yesterday a bloodied but unbowed Jonny Wilkinson made an extraordinary return to international duty at Twickenham when he scored 27 of England's points as they humbled Scotland 42-20 in the opening match of the RBS Six Nations tournament.

His tally of a try, five penalties, a drop goal and two conversions was a record in the Calcutta Cup contested between England and Scotland.

And it was more than enough to silence critics who said that Wilkinson, 27, was still not ready for another full England cap after a series of career-threatening injuries that had sidelined him for so long.

Since his heart-stopping drop goal 29 seconds before the end of extra-time in Sydney in 2003, his catalogue of 11 injuries has included a fractured vertebrae, knee ligament damage, a torn thigh muscle and more recently a lacerated kidney.

On Saturday every lens was on him from the moment he came out for pre-match kicking practice - and Twickenham's favourite son did not disappoint, after shaking off early rustiness.

He was finally substituted after 73 minutes, his shirt soaked in blood from a cut lip, to a standing ovation from the 82,000 crowd, many of them Scots who still admire a brave adversary. Wilkinson, England's record points scorer, has maintained a punishing training routine in the gym at the isolated Northumberland farmhouse he shares with his brother. Out went fast food, chocolate and alcohol as he battled to regain his status.

His devotion to rugby led in part to his break-up with model girlfriend Diana Stewart in 2004.
Before yesterday's match he said: "I have had ample time to prepare, so I have no excuses. It's a fantastic feeling, a mouth-watering prospect."

The Standings

..................P...W...D...L...F...A...Pts.........PD
France.........1....1...0...0....39...3.......2.........+36
England.......1....1...0....0...42...20.......2........+22
Ireland........0....0...0....0....0....0.......0..........0
Wales.........0....0...0...0.....0.....0......0............0
Scotland......1.....0...0....1....20..42......0........-22
Italy............1....0....0...1....3....39.....0.........-36

ITALY 3-39 FRANCE

Today: WALES VS IRELAND

Wilkinson makes his presence felt when he calmly slots home a penalty to open the scoring and put England ahead
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There was a bit of a worry when blood started pouring from a gash in Wilkinson's face. England fans were thinking: "Oh no. He's not got another serious injury again, has he?" But it was minor and he went on to tear the Scots aparts like lambs in a lions' cage.
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Early in the game Scotland took a surpise lead, scoring this try to go 8-6 ahead.
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But Scotland kept making too many mistakes and gifting England penalties, which were duly slotted away by Wilkinson
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Jason Robinson smiles as he scores the first of his two tries
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His second try coming when Sean Lamont fumbled the ball leaving Robinson to pounce on it.
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Wilkinson, probably getting bored of just kicking goals, then decided that he would score a try, too.
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A Magnus Lund try put England 42-13 in front, before Scotland got a late consolation try.
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England: Morgan; Lewsey, Tindall, Farrell, Robinson; Wilkinson, Ellis; Freshwater, Chuter, Vickery (capt), Deacon, Grewcock, Worsley, Lund, Corry.
Replacements: Mears, White, Palmer, Rees, Richards, Flood, Tait.
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Scotland: Southwell; S Lamont, Di Rollo, Henderson, Paterson (capt), Parks, Cusiter; Kerr, Hall, E Murray, Kellock, Hamilton, Taylor, Callam, Brown.
Replacements: Ford, Jacobsen, S Murray, Hogg, Lawson, Dewey, R Lamont.

dailymail.co.uk

 

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The Sunday Times
February 04, 2007

The king is back

Stephen Jones, rugby correspondent, at Twickenham

Wilkinson’s 27-point return hands England 42-20 win over Scots

Thanks to the return of the world's best player, England are starting to play like the World Champions that they are

RUGBY is seen as the ultimate team game, and yet at Twickenham yesterday we saw a brilliant demonstration of the ability of an individual to galvanise a team, and even a sporting nation.

Jonny Wilkinson, on the back of only 40 minutes of true action after recovering from the latest in a series of devastating injuries, and playing his first game for England since his extra-time drop goal won the World Cup final in November 2003, supervised an English revival which gave a team on the verge of complete disintegration last autumn soaring hope for the rest of the 2007 RBS Six Nations.

And if Wilkinson and England can maintain this level of improvement, then they can even contemplate making a convincing defence of their world title in the World Cup in September.

Wilkinson was replaced with six minutes remaining and was given one of the finest ovations Twickenham has seen. It was an ovation tinged with relief, not only that Wilkinson, who contributed 27 points, had come off unscathed apart from some stitches to his mouth. The relief was also that Twickenham itself had seen something of which to be proud because the same stadium loudly booed their team throughout the depressing autumn series.

The other Englishman on everyone’s lips last night was undoubtedly Brian Ashton, the 60-year-old Lancastrian coach. Ashton is famous for producing teams with innovative backs, but this England team is not constructed in that image. Ashton decided that the best way to unleash his backs was on the back of some old-fashioned England forward power, and he conjured a performance of sheer scrummaging and driving in which English giants such at Danny Grewcock and Phil Vickery were prominent.

England now go on to face Italy in the next round of the Six Nations, at Twickenham on Saturday. The Italians were desperately disappointing in their 39-3 defeat at the hands of France in Rome yesterday, when the championship kicked off with an easy away victory.

England will be anxious to re-establish this new momentum, and to record a thumping victory to send them onwards to Dublin later in the month. The Ireland-England match is already looming as one of the sporting epics of the year, especially if Ireland can beat Wales in Cardiff today.

But for now the toast is Wilkinson. “It means a huge amount to be here,” he said, clutching the bottle of champagne he was presented as man-of-the-match.

“I’ve got a lot to pay back to the people who took a gamble on me. Twickenham’s such a great place, the crowd are so supportive. The noise when I was running out made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, especially when I hadn’t heard that for so long. I’ve had enormous support all week, it’s been fantastic.”

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France also hads a good start to this year's Six Nations......

ITALY 3-39 FRANCE


Italy: (3) 3
Pens: Pez
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France: (22) 39
Tries: Dominici, Heymans, Chabal 2, Jauzion
Cons: Skrela 4
Pens: Skrela, Beauxis

France opened the defence of their RBS Six Nations title with a crushing five-try win over a disappointing Italy at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome.

Italy had been thought capable of springing a shock, but the home side failed to convert chances into points.

Tries from Christophe Dominici, Cedric Heymans and Sebastien Chabal put France in a commanding 22-3 lead at the break.

It was more of the same in the second half, with Chabal crossing again before Yannick Jauzion added a fifth.

Italy's formidable pack had been talked up before the match as one which could push France all the way.

And Italy had chances early on - but a misdirected long-range penalty from Andrea Scanavacca set the tone as their good work in open play was frequently undone by mistakes at key times.

A promising early attack saw Mauro Bergamasco latch onto a Scanavacca chip ahead but the flanker was dragged down just short of the line.

The home team won a penalty for their efforts but Roland de Marigny's effort at goal was woefully wide.

France started to show some of the flair missing from their autumn displays with half-backs David Skrela and Pierre Mignoni impressing with ball in hand.

Dominici scored France's first try on 24 minutes


Skrela, given the chance to stake his claim in France's problem fly-half position, kicked his side into the lead but their first try came from an Italy mistake.

A run-around move broke down in midfield, and Raphael Ibanez hacked the loose ball on for Dominici to gather and outpace the cover defence.

The next try was a product of some old-fashioned forward play from Chabal, as he battered over the gain line before releasing quick ball.

A swift pass from Mignoni found Skrela, and the fly-half slipped the ball to Heymans in the blink of an eye to allow the winger to race down the tryline.

France's handsome lead should have been cut moments later though.

But hooker Fabio Ongaro butchered a two-on-one overlap, preferring to cut inside and take contact. To add insult to injury, Ongaro found himself turned over and France cleared their lines.

Ramiro Pez's penalty finally got Italy on the scoreboard on 37 minutes but there was time enough for Chabal to power through three tackles for his first score.

After the break, France soon showed they were in the mood to extend their lead.

Italy's Sergio Parisse got little change out of France's defence


A brilliant Skrela kick set up the position, and a few phases later the outstanding Chabal was taking a short pass from Mignoni to amble over for his second try.

Italy won and retained their fair share of possession but looked like a side desperately short of ideas, and a lack of precision in midfield saw France able to hack through on several occasions.

Andrea Masi had to pull off a tremendous tackle on Skrela after the fly-half ran onto a loose ball from an Italy mistake.

But the fifth try was not long in coming, with Jauzion able to cross after Skrela's cross-kick found its way to Clement Poitrenaud and the full-back cut inside before releasing the centre. Italy continued to push with more than 17 minutes left to go, but they never looked in serious danger of crossing France's tryline.

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Italy 3-39 France: Spectators at the Flaminio Stadium in Rome enjoy a theatrical opening to the 2007 Six Nations
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France start briskly and go ahead with a David Skrela penalty, after Italy squander their own early attempt for three points
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Diminutive scrum-half Pierre Mignoni runs into trouble but keeps Italy on the defensive with some sniping runs
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But a try from Cedric Heymans and scores from Sebastien Chabal each side of the break stretch France's lead to 3-29
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France celebrate as a fifth try from Yannick Jauzion and a final penalty wrap up a fine start to their campaign


Italy: De Marigny; Dallan, Canale, Mi Bergamasco, Masi; Scanavacca, Griffen; Perugini, Ongaro, Nieto, Dellape, Bortolami (capt), Sole, Ma Bergamasco, Parisse.
Replacements: Festuccia, Lo Cicero, Castrogiovanni, Mandelli, Troncon, Pez, Robertson.
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France: Poitrenaud; Heymans, Fritz, Jauzion, Dominici; Skrela, Mignoni; Milloud, Ibanez (cap), De Villiers, Nallet, Thion, Betsen, Bonnaire, Chabal.
Replacements: Szarzewski, Marconnet, Pape, Harinordoquy, Yachvili, Beauxis, Clerc. -

timesonline.co.uk

 

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VICTORIES FOR ENGLAND, IRELAND AND FRANCE ON THE SECOND WEEKEND OF THE SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

England 20-7 Italy


Scotland 21-9 Wales


Ireland 17-20 France


Ireland's dreams of their first grandslam (winning all their Championshop games) since 1948 have been shattered after losing 20-17 against - France scoring their winning try with just 2 minutes remaining. At that point, Ireland looked like having the win, leading 17-13. Last week, the Irish defeated the Welsh 19-9.


England's victory over Italy means that both England and France top the table, the only teams to have won all their games so far.
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Ireland denied by last-gasp Clerc try


By Telegraph online and PA

11/02/2007


Ireland 17 France 20


IRELAND LOOKED LIKE GETTING A VICTORY, BUT A FRENCH TRY WITH JUST SECONDS REMAINING LEAVES THEM DISTRAUGHT

Vincent Clerc broke Irish hearts with a last-gasp try that kept France on course to retain the Six Nations title and silenced Croke Park.

Dominant: O'Gara had scored all of Ireland's points


The Toulouse wing produced a devastating finish after it looked as though Ronan O'Gara had done enough to steer Ireland to a stirring win.

Substitute Lionel Beauxis added the conversion, destroying Irish Grand Slam hopes when they desperately wanted to christen their temporary Dublin home with a first victory over France since 2003.

Ireland wiped out a 10-point deficit, but they face a huge psychological task in recovering in time for England's Feb 24 visit.

Munster star O'Gara scored a sparkling try and slotted four penalties during an intriguing contest when Ireland recovered brilliantly from an error-strewn opening quarter.

France, though, dug deep when it really mattered, ultimately stunning Ireland after captain Raphael Ibanez touched down for the visitors to reward initial dominance, while fly-half David Skrela slotted two penalties and a conversion.

Ireland looked to have overcome the absence of injured skipper Brian O'Driscoll and scrum-half Peter Stringer, but they had to regroup after making a terrible start. The hosts conceded 13 points in the first 14 minutes as their scrum and lineout malfunctioned, with France forging clear through hooker Ibanez's well-worked try after Skrela slotted two early penalties.

O'Driscoll was badly missed during the early stages - Ireland appeared flustered and indecisive in his absence - and it was not until eight minutes before half-time that an 81,000 crowd had something to celebrate.

O'Gara wrong-footed the French defence when he feigned a drop-goal attempt, and slick passing by Denis Hickie and Shane Horgan worked space out wide, where flanker David Wallace's exquisite offload freed O'Gara in the corner.

Having seen their advantage slashed to 13-11, France should still have enjoyed a healthy interval advantage, but Ireland wing Geordan Murphy's defensive intercept thwarted a three-man overlap and Skrela missed two injury-time penalty chances.

O'Gara edged Ireland ahead for the first time on 56 minutes, and both sides defied fatigue to maintain a thrilling tempo. France were denied when substitute Lionel Beauxis' 74th-minute drop-goal hit the post before O'Gara struck a long-range clincher three minutes later and Clerc administered a world-class finish.

THE STANDINGS

...............P.....W....D....L....F....A...T...Points.....P/D
France.............2....0....0....59...20...7...4.........+39
England.....2......2....0....0...62...27...5...4.........+35
Ireland.....2......1....0....1....36...29...4...2.........+7
Scotland...2......1....0....1....41...51...2...2.........-10
Wales......2......0....0....2....18...40...0...0.........-22
Italy........2......0... 0....2....10...59...1...0.........-49

Next games

Saturday 24th February

Scotland VS Italy (1500 GMT)
Ireland VS England (1730 GMT)
France VS Wales (2000 GMT)

telegraph.co.uk