Standout performance of the series surely goes to Italy. Two wins, and one draw, and that was down to the width of the upright. The fall of the table hides just how good a series they had: only Ireland beat them comprehensively.
Ireland get a "met expectations". They started incredibly, but they came back from the break a bit out of sorts, and really shouldn't have lost to England - but credit to England, that was their best performance of the five, by a long way. Whatever Farrell says publicly, I think they'll be disappointed to have so narrowly missed an unprecedented back-to-back Grand Slam: after the first three matches, you felt they were aiming for a maximum points finish too...
Scotland were something of a disappointment: before the series, the Irish media had them and France as the major obstacles facing Ireland, but they (both) just didn't live up to it.
England underperformed. They had one good performance, against Ireland, aged the rest was messy. There's something not right there: Owen Farrell withdrawing from selection is a symptom of a bigger issue I think. Despite what some of the posh boys say, they missed his ability to score points from play.
France were France. Brilliant and appalling, often in the same game. Second place flatters them - it was only luck that stopped Italy taking them.
I don't know what good point you can take from Wales's series except that it's over now. There's a huge amount of work to do. Gatland did the right thing in offering to resign. Abi Tierney did the right thing by not accepting that offer. From here things can only get better..
Ireland get a "met expectations". They started incredibly, but they came back from the break a bit out of sorts, and really shouldn't have lost to England - but credit to England, that was their best performance of the five, by a long way. Whatever Farrell says publicly, I think they'll be disappointed to have so narrowly missed an unprecedented back-to-back Grand Slam: after the first three matches, you felt they were aiming for a maximum points finish too...
Scotland were something of a disappointment: before the series, the Irish media had them and France as the major obstacles facing Ireland, but they (both) just didn't live up to it.
England underperformed. They had one good performance, against Ireland, aged the rest was messy. There's something not right there: Owen Farrell withdrawing from selection is a symptom of a bigger issue I think. Despite what some of the posh boys say, they missed his ability to score points from play.
France were France. Brilliant and appalling, often in the same game. Second place flatters them - it was only luck that stopped Italy taking them.
I don't know what good point you can take from Wales's series except that it's over now. There's a huge amount of work to do. Gatland did the right thing in offering to resign. Abi Tierney did the right thing by not accepting that offer. From here things can only get better..