Wales’ grand slam was planned in military detail. If, statistically, it looked a minimalist triumph, based on defence rather than possession, the champions played with a precision honed on the training field and were supremely conditioned. It was not so much that they avoided risk – they ran the ball in the rain with a degree of recklessness on the opening night in Paris and trailed by 16 points at the interval – but contained it. They kept to the speed limit while others were losing control.
Their final match against Ireland, last year’s champions, summed up their campaign. Two years ago they were lured into thinking the England head coach, Eddie Jones, would agree to the roof at the Principality Stadium being closed. When he – bang on deadline – said he wanted it open, it left Wales on the back foot and they duly lost.
Written by Paul Rees
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/21/the-breakdown-wales-six-nations-grand-slam-rugby-union under the title “The Breakdown | Wales won Six Nations by sticking to speed limit while others lost control”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
