There was time left after the penalty therefore there had to be a restart; the ref would have informed both captains.

Putting the restart out on the full deliberately is a penalty (restart out on the full = scrum on halfway awarded to receiving side); either way the match must be restarted and cannot end until the next dead ball

re: not dropping long on the restart, the Scots said they wanted a chance to regain & win a penalty although how likely was that with 13 men on the pitch?? Wales cross-kicking with the next dead ball bringing the final whistle took a pair! paid off in spades though
Scot now to battle for the spoon with the eyeties, 2 losses & 3 key players crocked (looks like Evans is going to pull through ok)

Flannery of Ireland cited for his assault on the French winger winning his first cap and will be taking about 3 months gardening leave. that & a few injuries will weaken Ireland for Twickers on 27.2

However England the biggest disappointment, how the biggest & richest union in the world can continue to look so nearly clueless is beyond me. When they kept the ball in hand they made inroads but persisted in punting it to hand with no chasers (and when Moody did chase he took the Italian 15 out in the air and should have been binned)
Captain Bother kept calling long throws when Hartley couldn't hit a barn door and had underthrown about 5 on the trot. I despair

We should have won last year @ Croker; however Sexton to come in @ 10 for Ireland to open it up and if we go into our robotic shell I can well imagine an Ireland victory

France as enigmatic as ever. pole-axed by the All Brags in Nov but 2 solid 6n matches, squeezed the life out of Ireland


roll on round 3!


ps, the Lion is a good venue, many fewer 'ooray 'arries thaan at the Twist.....