6 Nations Round 3 – 5 things we learned

If you keep playing the same way someone is going to notice and find a way to counter itThe French pack up to this point had hardly put a foot wrong in the tournament and had done its best to bully both Italy and Ireland in the tight exchanges, using power runners like Safi N'Diaye to soften up defences before finding subsequent holes. Wales had clearly done their homework and apart from one lapse for the French try, put in an astonishing display of defence througout a game which they spent mostly on the backfoot. Once Plan A didn't work, France seemed unable to come with a Plan B as time and time again their big ball carriers crashed into a wall of well organised and highly motivated Welsh defence. Playing to your strengths is all well and good but France will have to show more in the coming games, especially against England on the final day, who will have had plenty of video footage to consider by the time the final game comes around.

Home is where the heart isFrance have always been particularly poor on the road but there have been no big results on away grounds so far this season. Ireland have never beaten England away, and they might have gone into the game at the weekend with reasonable expectations with both sides looking pretty equal around the pitch. But close as they came, they never really looked like taking a huge away scalp. Wales too will be kicking themselves that they couldn't raise their game away in Dublin on the opening day - on yesterday's form, Ireland would struggle with them if the game was next week, but on home soil they were comfortable winners. If England or Wales have a hope of winning the title - they are both going to need at least one big away result each - England against France on the final day or Wales against England in London? We're set up for a highly promising final few weeks.The attacking game has gone backwards, at least for nowWhile this isn't the first time sevens players have been absent from the 6 Nations, it is the first time they have been absent in such vast numbers. It is reasonable to argue that England, Ireland and France's backlines would look completely different - to the point that England's in particular might be a straight swap of 7 players - if this were not Olympic year. Perhaps that is the reason the drop in the quality of attacking in the competition this year with most games pockmarked by poor decision making in wide channels; inaccuracy of passing and no backline really stamping their authority on any game. Experience and time will help but for now it has been a tournament dominated by power play up front.

Past performance is no guide to future successA standard piece of investment advice, and also a pretty good guide to this year’s Six Nations last weekend. Case in point - Wales. Defensive lapses, ill-discipline and often poor decision making resulted in a 21-3 defeat to Ireland in week 1 and a relatively unconvincing win in week two over Scotland. Last weekend it just seemed a question of question of how much France would win by. But instead Wales unearth a rock solid defence backed with iron discipline, resulting in a win they will be celebrating for years to come. “Where the heck did that come from?” spectators could be forgiven for asking. It all makes any punditry for the next round very difficult indeed.All that training ground practice really pays off sometimesTraining can be a bit dull sometimes. Endless repetition of drills can be as exciting as revising for exams, and – just like in exams where the right question never comes up – in game situations things are never like training. Except when they are. At Twickenham on Saturday evening a whole plethroa of training moves came off from England (though arguably the finishing was absent - more on that above).  From faultless lineouts and perfect counter-mauling to other neat ploys that punched big holes in the Irish defence and gave them little or no chance to hit back or generate momentum. It was all obviously well-rehearsed, but it also worked, and England are now in pole-position for a Championship, a Triple Crown and even maybe a Grand Slam.