Few annual tournaments lay bare the truth as brutally or swiftly as the Six Nations. There are no play-yourself-in pool games, no one-off-the-mark half-volleys. The opposition want your guts from minute one and, particularly away from home, there is no hiding place. Even in boxing they allow you a pair of padded gloves and a breather every three minutes.
If you are not quite at the level of your opponent, even for a relatively short period of time, the scoreboard rarely lies. Until their late, late flurry in Dublin, England were 27-10 down and already pinned on the ropes. Over in Paris on Friday night there were moments when you almost wanted the referee, Paul Williams, to step in and save Wales from any more punishment.
