Five talking points from Six Nations opening round

France were sensational yet inconsistent, England outpowered Wales and it was very, very wet in Rome.

Thursday night was an unconventional starting point for the tournament, and for the first 40 minutes hosts France seemed to be playing a different sport altogether in a 36-14 win against Ireland in Paris.

The electric Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored twice but it was the way France attacked from every position – and their strength in depth – that really impressed the pundits.

France were able to score seemingly at will, and all without all-time top try-scorer Damian Penaud – left out despite scoring 40 tries in 59 appearances for his country.

“The first-half performance from France was amazing – they blew Ireland away,” Grand Slam winner Donncha O’Callaghan told 5 Live Sport.

“They are a level ahead of Ireland, maybe two levels. Ireland couldn’t compete.”

To Ireland’s credit they did threaten a comeback in the second half but France then went again to wrap up an emphatic win.

Chris Ashton added on Rugby Union Weekly: “It was magic. France can flip and flop to different styles seamlessly. There is so much you have to contend with playing against them – you don’t know which fire to put out first.

“It’s got to be a worry for everyone. France have so much depth – the sport is getting bigger and bigger in the country.”

If anyone can match France for strength in depth it is England, who started their campaign by thrashing Wales 48-7.

Wing Henry Arundell was handed a first start for two years and promptly helped himself to a first-half hat-trick, the first treble by an England men’s player since Arundell himself scored five tries against Chile at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Incredibly, it was the team’s first Six Nations hat-trick since Jonny May against France in 2019.

Ben Earl showed some of the fluency France would admire by moving from number eight to centre late on as England showed they are continuing to move in the right direction.

“England now realise where they can be,” former scrum-half Matt Dawson told Rugby Union Weekly.

“Whether that’s winning a Grand Slam or a World Cup, only they will know their internal targets.

“But you can see that winning a scrum is not enough, scoring a try, not enough, winning the game, not enough. They are setting their standards.”

Dawson’s former team-mate Paul Grayson was impressed with England’s speed out of the blocks at the start of a new cycle.

He said: “England were straight in at full tilt – they were ruthless and accurate.

“England are exciting to watch now. There are lots of moving pieces being done brilliantly well and that’s why England are hard to play against now.”

That England visit comes at a crucial time for Scotland and their coach Gregor Townsend.

He came into the tournament courted by Newcastle Red Bulls and with question marks over his commitment to the cause.

A tame display in some horrendous weather in Rome as Italy picked up a famous 18-15 win has left some calling for a change.

Former Scotland forward John Barclay told Rugby Special: “I thought before the Six Nations that Scotland had to finish third or above.

“If they don’t, which is now going to be very hard, I think it becomes a necessity to see a change.

“It’s a good group of players and if you are not seeing an improvement there is an option for change. That might be the best thing for Gregor and for Scotland.”

The conditions made the going tough, but it was Scotland’s heart, not hands, that were questioned.

“Italy were more aggressive and that’s down to desire, not the rain,” former Scotland and British and Irish Lions prop Peter Wright told BBC Scotland.

“Townsend is an experienced coach and should have known they couldn’t play the rugby they wanted to play in those conditions. Scotland lost the war in the set-pieces.”

The defeat was a fifth away loss in a row in the Six Nations for Scotland and their beleaguered coach.

Before the match, Townsend – who is contracted as head coach until the end of the 2027 World Cup – dismissed a report that he has agreed to take over at Newcastle Red Bulls after the World Cup as “pure speculation”.

More displays like this may make that contract end date a moot point. Scotland need to dig deep and find another level of performance against England.

If that defeat left Scotland in crisis, where exactly are Wales?

Thrashed at Twickenham, they have now won only two of their past 24 Tests and have not won a Six Nations match since 2023.

Discipline is a major issue. Wales conceded 16 penalties against England – the most they have conceded in a Test since 2009 – and had four yellow cards, the joint most any team has been shown in a Six Nations match.

Barclay said Wales’ issues are mental, not technical.

They have shipped 248 points and conceded 34 tries in coach Steve Tandy’s first five games in charge.

“It appears there is so much to try and fix in a week for Wales,” Barclay said.

“First up has to be their tackling. Defence is easier to sort than attack – it’s a mindset.

“The lack of intent in the tackle is something to look at. How do you fix ill-discipline? If you fix your defence and be a hard team to beat that will sort itself.”

The opening-day win for Italy was a 17th in the Six Nations – and ninth over Scotland.

Their best campaigns to date have featured two wins, and matching or beating that may be on the agenda.

Italy’s only other home game this year is against England on 7 March, but the Azzurri will surely have their eyes on a trip to Wales a week later.

“It makes you feel very confident in what you can do,” captain Michele Lamaro said. “So now we’ve got a dream in our head. We keep going on.”