After the disappointing performances of the first game, the clash at Croke Park was somewhat more entertaining. It was a much closer game, and showed plenty of skill from both teams.

After an early Irish penalty, the French struck with a try from old war-horse Imanol Harinordiquy [left]. He’s been in and out of the team for years, but fully justified his inclusion today with some sublime play at the set piece, at the breakdown and in the loose.

The Irish pulled back to within a point after a Ronan O’Gara penatly. Then a try by Jamie Heaslip pulled them further ahead. The French landed a drop goal just before half time to bring the score to 13-10.

The second half was bearly 3 minutes old when Ireland’s talisman Captain Brian O’Driscoll [right] showed why he’s still in the team. He takes a quick ball off the top of a lineout and evades his man for a wonderfully engineered try. Vintage O’Driscoll, for sure.

France hit back on 50 minutes when Lionel Beauxis kicks to his wing and Maxime Medard crosses to bring the scoreline to 20-15. Beauxis adds three points with another drop goal to bring the French to within two points, 20-18

The Irish turned the screw in the 66th minute when Gordon D’Arcy crossed just by the posts after a lovely sideways jink to evade the French fingertips. O’Gara’s conversion put the men in green further ahead.

A penalty apiece before the end of the game brought the final score to 30-21. It was a highly entertaining game, and the Irish will be pleased at how confident and fit the team looked. They will head to Rome with their tails up. Meanwhile, the French will need to regroup before they go back home to Paris to face Scotland next weekend.

The Six Nations has rolled around again, and every England fan was hoping for an improvement over their lacklustre Autumn performances. When Andy Goode [left] scored a try within 95 seconds of kickoff, we were thinking it might come true. But the euphoria was short lived.

To be honest, most people were more interested in the shocking performance of the hapless Mauro Bergamasco, a Flanker playing Scrum Half. Itatian coach Nick Mallett might have had his hands forced by injury nightmares, but within the first few minutes, it was obvious to everyone that he was far from competant at No. 9.

Another Bergamasco error saw him sucked into a ruck, missing the ball as it popped up for James Haskell to flick a pass towards Harry Ellis [right], who took full advantage and sprinted 20m to cross the line with a slide, evading Italian defenders.

Minutes later the Italian’s day went from bad to nightmare when he botched a pass to Gonzalo Garcia, enabling Andy Goode to gather, kick ahead and the move was finished off by Riki Flutey [left].

That left England going in at the break 22-6 up.

Thankfully, Mallett put us all out of our misery an brought on his 5th choice Scrum Half  Giulio Toniolatt for his second cap in the second half. He was certainly an improvement!

There were three more tries in the second period – a second for Man-Of-The-Match Ellis, a consolation try for Miro Bergamasco (at least one brother did something right), and a welcome return to the scoreboard (and team) for Winger Mark Cueto [right].

The final result was a rather flattering 36-11. There will be plenty for Martin Johnson to work on during the coming seven days. I can hardly see the Welsh quaking in their boots for next week’s clash at the Millennium Stadium. But one or two England fans might be.

Saracens’ fans didn’t dare hope they might see such a turn around in their team’s fortunes, but they were surprised and delighted with the guys’ performance against the Ospreys at Vicarage Road.

It was one of the best games I have ever witnessed Saracens play, in my 4+ years of watching them. Everyone from 1 to 22 put their all into the game.

[Slippery Winger Shane Williams is tackled by ferocious Sarries defence. By closing him down so often, Sarries severely restricted the Ospreys' scoring ability]

The Ospreys started brightly enough, with James Hook slotting a penalty in the 2nd minute. Sarries’ Glen Jackson replied with two of his own in the 10th and 15th minutes. By the half hour, Sarries had lost both Brent Russell (hamstring) and Andy Farrell (shoulder) to injury. That could have proved to be unsettling for the team, but subs Francicso Leonelli and Adam Powell slotted in with barely a stutter.

Just before half time, Paul Gustard made a break but was brought up within inches short of the line, the TMO having to decide, much to the disappointment of the home fans.

[Fly Half James Hook was far from his usual best. Another factor in the Ospreys losing the plot]

Leonelli scored a crucial try in the 2nd mintue of the new half, with Glen Jackson having no trouble with the wide out conversion. In the 57th minute, Sarries were all but home again when Osprey Lee Byrne knocked on deliberately in a desparate attempt at defence. The ref had no hesitation in sending him to the bin for 10 minutes for cynical play, and Jackson slotted the extras to take Sarries to a 16-3 lead.

[Scrum Half Justin Marshall clears from a ruck, but wasn't able to marshall his troops as well as his name suggests - or with quite the aplomb of injured Mike Phillips]

After a raft of subsitutions for both sides, Osprey replacement Paul James managed to burrow over from close range for a score in the 74th minute. That meant a nailbiling last 6 minutes for Sarries, with only a 6 point advantage.

[Nick Lloyd goes for a trot. To a man, the Sarries boys were popping up all over the pitch in defence and attack, where you least expected them]

The Black defensive line held firm, and they even went on the attack again. Working themselves into the opposition 22, and up towards the 10m line with 2 minutes to go, Glen Jackson kept a calm head and true aim with the boot to drop a goal and put Sarries 9 points up. It was then a case of keeping possession, defending to the death and ticking the clock down.

[right - Hugh Vyvyan clutches the ball like a man possessed, watched by muddy Winger Richard Haughton]

With the crowd counting down the seconds, Sarries regained possession of the ball, hoofed it into the stands and propelled themselves into an historic Heineken Cup Semi Final against Munster at the Ricoh Arena on 27th April.

The sellout home crowd went nuts, such success all too rare in important games at Vicarage Road. Richard Hill, a master all afternoon of the dark arts of defence and disruption, was Man of the Match. Let’s hope the team can take him to greater heights in the next coupld of rounds, and perhaps see him lift the Heineken Cup before he retires at the end of the season. That would indeed be a fitting end to the great man’s career. Allez Les Noirs!

See more photos from the game.

[Paul Gustard is tackled by the Leeds defence, but it doesn't make a lot of difference]

[Tom Ryder amid a sea of yellow jerseys, hangs onto the ball]

[left, Brent Russell is scragged by Kearnan Myall]. Saracens put some decent runs of play together. The midfield were running some good lines, and the tries kept coming. Eleven in all, for the Men In Black, and a consolation try for Leeds’ Captain Stuart Hooper from an intercepted pass late in the game. Sarries put the norhterners to the sword to the tune of 66-7. And although Leeds have been beaten by most of the other sides in the Premiership this season, no-one has put that many points over them so far. At last, The Gaffers‘ words must be sinking in for Sarries.

The team and fans know that the team visiting next week, Wales’ Ospreys, will be a different prospect and much harder to beat. But the win today must have given the boys a welcome confidence boost for the next crucial match. See more photos from the game.

The second semi final was a painful thing to watch for the Saracens faithful, many of whom had travelled through sleet and snow in London to make their way to Cardiff for the game. I, for one, wondered why I’d bothered.

To be fair, the first half was pretty tight, with only Shane Williams‘ unconverted try and a penalty from James Hook giving the Ospreys an 8-0 advantage at the break. We also had a 10-minute spell of snow, leaving the supporters and players to rue the decision to leave the flaming roof open!

[Some idiot left the roof open... hadn't they heard the forecast for snow?]

I don’t know who had done the team talk for Sarries at half time, but I think it was the same bloke who made the one against Newcastle just after Christmas! Please stop already!

[Kris Chesney goes for Mike Phillips in the loose, as the snow falls]

Basically, the floodgates opened. Sarries buckled and the Ospreys made light work of scoring 3 tries and a total of 22 points to Sarries’ 3! NOT a good day at the office for the Men In Black, nor their supporters who trudged back to their buses in a dejected manner for the return trip down the M4. [right] Osprey Jonathan Thomas dominant in the lineout, just as the rest of his team were dominant elsewhere on the pitch.

The Ospreys are due at Vicarage Road in a fortnight for the Heineken Cup Quarterfinal against Saracens. Let’s hope they don’t get such an easy ride next time!

Two casualties of the game were Osprey Mike Phillips who sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury and will be out for up to six months. And Sarries’ Kiwi Lock Chris Jack who’s hand injury rules him out for the rest of the season. He will certainly be missed, on and off the pitch.

The Ospreys are now set for their EDF Final against the Tigers. And Sarries fans are praying The Gaffer can undo the damage to morale for the team. See more match photos from the game.

As a neutral watching the game, it was a very entertaining 80 minutes, with the lead changing hands several times, often against the run of play.

I had travelled to the Millennium Stadium with the Saraacens supporters. We had seats in the East stand, about 4 rows back. Good in theory, but pretty bad for the first 40 minutes on a sunny afternoon with the roof open – couldn’t see a thing with the sun straight in our eyes. Eventually it dipped below the stadium roof, and I was able to get some half-decent photos. Paul Sackey scored a great try in the first half, and the teams went in 13-12 at half time.

[Paul Sackey is enveloped by Andy Goode and Harry Ellis, looking sharp for the Leicester defence]

Things opened up a little in the second half, with the Tigers putting more points on the board than Wasps. Sackey managed another touchdown in the second half, along with team mate Danny Cipriani. Whilst for the Tigers, Seru Rabeni, Dan Hipkiss and Martin Castrogiovanni all crossed. No-one was more surprised than the Prop himself, when Castrogiovanni found himself in space, ball in hand and the line 20m away. He lumbered forward and no-one was at home to defend. He did the most exuberant belly-flop to get his try that I’ve ever witnessed. Didn’t realised Props bounce quite that well!

[Martin Castrogiovanni belly-flops his way to a try]

In the end, Leicester were the deserved winners, and will go into the final with confidence after that performance. See more match photos from the game.

Wales made their intentions clear from the start, and were pressing the French lines within five minutes. Then their opponents killed the ball, and James Hook [right] stepped up to take the penatly. First blood to the Welsh, 3-0. Hook had another go at goal in the 14th minute, which saile just wide of the posts.

The French were committing a lot of players to rucks, while Wales only used the minimum. David Skrela’s kicking was pretty awful too – including one restart which actually went backwards!

The Welsh made a break in the 18th minute and Les Bleus found themselves offside. Hook stepped up for another punt which went plumb through the middle, 6-0 up.

In the next minute, Wales themselves were penalised, France took the penalty by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, and they were back in it at 6-3. They gave it away again a few minutes later when Julien Bonnaire was caught monumentally offside at a ruck, Hook made it 9-3.

On the half hour, France made decent inroads into the Welsh half. They recycled several times, inching their way upfield. 10,000 French supporters chanted “Allez Les Bleus!” but they couldn’t turn possession into points.

Just before half time, Gavin Henson [left] was pinged for a high tackle on Fulgence Ouedraogo and went to the bin. The penalty kick from Elissalde was easy, and so Wales went in 9-6 at the break, but with the prospect of starting the second half with only 14 men.

The French came out with all guns blazing, but tried to play too much rugby. They gave away a penalty very close to their own line. Hook took the kick from out wide; it wasn’t quite on target.

Then Les Bleus were making ground again, but ferocious Welsh tackling kept their line firm. Gethin Jenkins clashed heads with a Frenchman and France won another penalty – Elisslade levelled the score at 9-9.

Henson returned a minute or tow later, much to the relief of the crowd. The Welsh were desperate for some possession in order to make headway. Shane Williams broke away, passed to Martyn Williams and worked upfield. France regained after a Welsh chip ahead.

In the 60th minute, the stadium erupted when France spilled the ball, and Shane Williams fell onto the ball just under the posts. It was his 41st try for Wales, making him the all-time try scorer for his country. The conversion by Stephen Jones [left] was a foregone conclusion – and Wales were 16-9 up.

The Welsh were fired up now, three minutes later they won a penalty 37m out from the posts. Jones’ kick was good again and Wales were 19-9 up.

France’s Vincent Clerc made a break and the Welsh fumbled their defence. France got the put in at a 10m scrum. But the Welsh forwards weren’t buckling – they won the scrum against the head.

With almost 10 minute left, Wales gave away another penalty; Dmitri Yachvili on as a replacement, kicked the three points and it was 19-12. Not long after, Stephen Jones eroded the difference again with another penalty and Wales clawed back their 10 point advantage, 22-12.

The final nail in the French coffin came with only 5 minutes left on the clock. Mark Jones broke away and flew up the pitch to within 1m of the French line. France scrambled the defence, a bit of ping-pong, then Lee Byrne caught a phenomenal up-and-under. Martyn Williams [right] did the honours with a 20m run to slide under the posts. Stephen Jones conversion were a formality. Wales 29-12.

The last three minutes were filled with noise from their supporters. A well-deserved victory for Wales, and a great achievement to win the Grand Slam again. They have played some excellent rugby throughout the tournament and fully deserve their title. Remarkably, they only conceded 2 tries in their 5 matches this year. And what a turnaround from their lacklustre World Cup campaign a few months ago.

The ref blew up for full time and the stadium roof almost lifted off with the noise. Well done Wales.

After poor performances from both sides last week, it was crunch time for England and Ireland’s last game of the Championship.

Ireland struck first with a try from Rob Kearney in the 4th minute – just the start that English fans at Twickenham didn’t want! Ronan O’Gara added the extras without a hitch, and the hosts were down 0-7. England were caught holding on a few minutes later, and O’Gara punished them with another kick. 0-10 down and it wasn’t looking good for England.

In the 12th minute, Danny Cipriani [right] replied with a penalty of his own, clawing back 3 points. A few minutes later, Paul Sackey scored a wonderful try in the corner. Cipriani converted to bring the scores level at 10-all.

Toby Flood chipped ahead and gathered himself, and Irish hands were caught in the subsequent ruck. Another three points for Ciprirani, and England went ahead 13-10. There the score remained for the rest of the first half.

In the second period, England opened the floodgates. Despite an early Irish attack, it came to nothing. Lesley Vainikolo got a bit of a run in the 43rd minute, and England were pressuring the Irish defence. The men in green were caught playing on the ground again, Cipriani added another 3 to his total and England were 16-10 ahead.

Another Irish attack in the 46th minute came to nothing after a knock-on. At 55 minutes, old hand Jonny Wilkinson came on to the park. Then Iain Balshaw flew up the wing, who passed to Matthew Tait [left] to cross in the corner. The extras brought it to 23-10.

In the 70th minute, Jamie Noon broke through the Irish defence in the left corner, juggling the ball in mid air, but keeping control long enough to score by the flag. Another conversion and the Red Rose boys were leading by 20 points, at 30-10.

With 8 minutes left on the clock, the Irish were caught once again, playing the ball in a ruck. The resulting penalty was true from Cipriani and the hosts were 33-10 up.

The last couple of minutes saw Ireland pushing for the line, but they knocked on and England ran a move up into the Irish half. They couldn’t make another score, but at least they looked much more convincing this week.

Danny Cipriani’s full England debut was impressive – Jonny needs to watch his back if he’s not to be overshadowed by the young buck.

The Italians managed first blood when their pack were scrummaging well, and the Scots half collapsed – ref Nigel Owens gave a penalty try on 12 minutes and the conversion was good.

In the 20th minute, Scot Ally Hogg managed a try, his 10th for Scotland, from a great offload in the tackle, just reward for a long period of possession. Only the Scots 2nd try of the championship. Chris Paterson managed his 31st kick at goal with no trouble, to take the scores level at 7-7.

Italy infringed at a ruck in the 25th minute, and up stepped Dan Parks [right] for a huge 43m penalty to take the Scots ahead, 7-10. The just before half time, the Italians drew level once more through a penalty kick. A tense time for both teams, and interesting watching for neutrals.

Scottish Captain Mike Blair broke away from traffic to touch down between the posts just on the stroke of half time. Paterson converted to give them the advantage at the break, 10-17.

The Italians missed a chance for a penalty in the 48th minute. There were a few breaks and half breaks, with Scotland missing some important tackles. The Italian scrum was looking convincing as it had at the start of the first half. Both teams were throwing it around and whilst it was entertaining, there were alos plenty of errors and knock-ons.

The Azzurri turned over a Scottish attack when they intercepted a poor Dan Parks pass. Sergio Parisse flew down the pitch, passed in field to Gonzalo Canale who dived over between the posts. The conversion made it level pegging, 17-all with 20 minutes to go. The Roman crowd went mad, yelling “ITALIA” at the top of their lungs.

Andrea Marcato [left] kicked the home side in front at 70 minutes when Scotland were caught offside. 20-17 up, and the Stadio Flaminio went into overdrive. A couple of minutes later, Scotland levelled it again when Chris Paterson took a penalty, making is 32nd successfull kick in a row. 20-20 with eight minutes left.

In the 77th minute, Italy had an attacking lineout on the Scottish 10m line. The forwards went mauling and then it went to the backs, through several phases. More pick and drive, the clock ticking down. Canale was stopped a couple of metres short of the line. The Italians were chanting in the crowd and the Scottish defence was working overtime. Then it came back to Marcato, in the pocket for a sweet drop goal in the last minute. Italy 23 Scotland 20. The time ticked away, and an Italian boot kicked it out to touch. Once again, the Stadio Flaminio went nuts.

So, Italy won the game, and the Wooden Spoon, but that didn’t seem to matter. And what an entertaining game – always nail-biting, even for a neutral to watch. The Azzurri’s grins said it all.

The Men In Black went ahead by 21 points to 0 initially. Ben Skirving managed a try, as did Prop Cencus Johnston, who scored from a remarkable 20-metre run, evading three tackles to cross the line. Glen Jackson added five kicks to the score too.

[Sebastien Chabal, looking like Neanderthal Man]

[Richard Haughton makes a try-saving tackle]

Sale’s very own Neanderthal Man Sebastien Chabal scored a try, as did Oriel Ripol, but Richard Haughton managed to save another with this tackle above. The final score was 24-20. See more photos from this match.