So, what do we know?

The first round of Six Nations games is now over, so what do we know now, that we didn't last Friday?

First, I had forgotten just how long it takes players to transition into an international team, and all sides seemed a little ring rusty. In terms of the games, they were largely as we predicted - a flair France winning relatively easily (though not dominating) Italy, a rather dour encounter at Murrayfield and a highly entertaining game at Lansdowne Road.

Regrettably, there is something else that must be brought up, and that is the booing of penalty kicks, this was common place at Murrayfield and crept in for Halfpenny's final kick at Lansdowne Road. This is something that needs to be stamped on hard and stamped out before the next game. Rugby union is much respected for the fairness of its fans, and this must not be allowed to tarnish.

On a team by team basis then:

England
Defence was excellent across the field, be it forwards or backs, didn't show much going forward though this may come with the return of Toby Flood. Scrum was surprisingly strong, holding its own against a strong front five, the error and penalty count was also held down, though there were soem brainless moments - Matt Stevens in particular. Overall a per / above par performance and likely to improve

France
Didn't annihilate Italy in the style I expected, though that says more about Italy than about France. In patches they'd showed what they might be capable of, like England they will probably improve game on game, though starting from a rather higher base. Still my tournament favourites

Ireland
A few folks have been, I feel, rather tough on Ireland, they played a thrilling game against a very strong Welsh team who were much better than I, and I think many, had expected. Sexton had a bit of an on and off day and I would have brought on the cool head of O'Gara earlier. Scrum was decent against a strong Welsh scrum, though I'm not sure about all the box kicks in the 22 - that only seemed to have worked once, for what looked like a Kidney suggested mantra, and it may have been better to get it outwide and run - use the Welsh wings size against them. Overall, they played well and were edged out by a fantastic performance so I wouldn't be too hard

Italy
Aside from Wales the best performing of all, didn't get annilhilated in France and never looked likely to. Whilst they didn't look likely to win who, bar the All Blacks, would? Brunel can be very pleased and it will give England a lot to think about before next Saturday - Scotland should be worried

Scotland
Gruesome really, the worst thing is that Scotland do have the players to do much better and the fans have the right to their money back. On the plus side Denton was magnificent and Evans showed a real threat out wide. If they can just stick to the very basics they won't be humiliated and will have a chance at least against all bar France. On the flip side, Parks was simply awful, how you can have so much experience and play so badly for so long escapes me, there were really basic errors throughout and I can't help but feel that 60% of Andy Robinson's P45 has alreadt been completed. They have the players and they can improve, but if they play like that week in week out they will finish bottom and be humiliated by France and Wales at least

Wales
Despite missing a few, if not loads, of first choice players, they were very strong. The wings in particular were of Lomu-esque formidability, but they looked strong all over the park in a highly entertaining game. Their one weak spot seemed to be in failing to convert opportunities into points and it remains to be seen whether that was just an off day for Priestland or something more major. The last game against France coudl be very interesting!