'Seconds from title but Ireland can take positives'

Four years ago, Ireland beat Scotland on the final day to clinch the Triple Crown and stay in the title hunt. On that occasion, for Andy Farrell to win his first championship as Ireland boss, England needed to beat France in Paris in the late kick-off. But there was no late slip from Les Bleus on that particular evening, a 25-13 win sealing the Grand Slam and leaving Ireland second with four wins from five.

England never looked like beating France in 2022. This year it was a different story, but with the same ending. With the Irish media watching on from a packed Aviva Stadium press conference room, England led a head-spinning game 46-45 as the clock ticked into the red.

But after they coughed up a late penalty, nerveless France full-back Thomas Ramos drilled his kick between the posts to cap an extraordinary day and deny Ireland a third title in four years. The wild denouement to events in the French capital will sting for Ireland, but given that their campaign started with a miserable loss in Paris, Farrell and his players will not overlook the resilience they showed to take the title race down to the wire. Like in 2022, a solitary defeat for Ireland in Paris proved decisive this time around.

Four years ago, just as is the case now, the teams were 18 months out from a World Cup. That 2022 Six Nations was a precursor to Ireland's best run under Farrell: the series win in New Zealand and a Grand Slam before heartache on the biggest stage at the hands of the All Blacks. Whether this year's campaign paves the way for a similarly thrilling odyssey remains to be seen, but the stirring reaction to their miserable February night in Paris suggests Farrell has his side on the right track.