With the second round of the Six Nations in the bag, England are the only side left with Grand Slam hopes alive after both Wales and Scotland saw their unbeaten starts come to an end on a thrilling weekend of action.

Ireland got the ball rolling with a demolition in Rome as they trounced Italy 63-10, with both CJ Stander and replacement Craig Gilroy scoring hat-tricks in a nine-try victory that also saw the first try-scoring bonus point dished out of the championship.

For Italy, it was a disastrous result that leaves them bottom of the pile without a point to their name and a five-point gap to the next team.

Next came the match of the weekend as Wales and England collided in Cardiff in a Six Nations encounter that lived up to it hefty billing. Both sides gave it their all, but when it looked as though Wales had done enough to end Eddie Jones’s winning streak as England head coach, Elliot Daly scored a brilliant 30m try to stretch their unbeaten run to 16 matches courtesy of a 21-16 victory.

The win means England are the only team now capable of winning the Grand Slam, a feat they are trying to do for the second year in a row that would be a first in the Six Nations era.

Finally, a thrilling encounter in Paris followed on Sunday as Scotland just came up short in their quest to end their 18-year wait for a win over France across the channel in a 22-16 defeat. Stuart Hogg and Tim Swinson both scored tries for the Scots, but a Gael Fickou score and 17 points from the boot of Camille Lopez ensured France recorded their first win over the tournament.

So who makes out round two team of the weekend? Two players manage to retain their positions, with five Englishmen, four Irishmen, three Welshmen and two Frenchmen and one Scotsman making up the side.

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