Wales secured the 2008 Six Nations title following a 29-12 victory over France at The Millennium Stadium. The other two games saw victories for Italy and England over Scotland and Ireland respectively.
Wales 29
Tries: S Williams, M Williams
Cons: S Jones (2)
Pens: Hook (3), S Jones (2)
France 12
Pens: Elissalde (3), Yachvili
Wales defeated France 29-12 on March 15th to complete the Grand Slam and become 2008 Six Nations Champions.
Twp penalties from fly-half James Hook gave Wales an early 6-0 lead. His opposite number Jean-Baptiste Elissalde halved the lead with a penalty of his own before Hook struck a third to restore Wales’s six point advantage.
Just on half time, a high tackle by Gavin Henson resulted in a yellow card for the Welsh centre and a further three points for France from the boot of Elissalde.
Elissalde levelled the scores early in the second half and the tension mounted in the Millennium Stadium as France began to exert pressure on the Welsh defence.
A misplaced pass in midfield proved the turning point.
Yannick Jauzion dropped a difficult pass from David Skrela, allowing Welsh wing Shane Williams to kick through and ground the ball under the posts. Stephen Jones, who had replaced Hook at fly-half, slotted over an easy conversion to take Wales into a 16-9 lead.
Jones added a further penalty but Dimitri Yachvili’s reply kept the French in the game.
Welsh wing Mark Jones almost scored an incredible try, picking up the ball in his own twenty two, before being denied by desperate French defence inches from their line.
The party really began when flanker Martyn Williams burst through and triumphantly grounded under the posts. Jones converted and Wales saw the rest of the game out in front of a jubilant home crowd to secure their 10th Grand Slam.
Italy 23
Tries: Penalty try, Canale
Cons: Marcato (2)
Pens: Marcato (2)
Drop goal: Marcato
Scotland 20
Tries: Hogg, Blair
Cons: Paterson (2)
Pens: Parks, Paterson
A late drop goal by number ten Andrea Marcato gave Italy a 23-20 victory over Scotland and their first win of the 2008 campaign.
Italy scored first through a penalty try after the Scots collapsed the scrum on their own line.
Scotland responded well and scored a try of their own through Allister Hogg. The reliable Chris Paterson converted to tie the score at 7-7. Dan Parks struck a long distance penalty to give Scotland the lead before Marcato levelled with a further penalty.
In first half injury time Mike Blair touched down under the posts after breaking through the Italian defence. A Paterson conversion saw the Scots go in a half time with a 17-10 advantage.
An excellent try by Canale, following Parisse’s interception of Dan Park's pass, and a Marcato conversion saw the scores level.
Marcato and Paterson exchanged penalties before Marcato sealed the victory with a last gasp drop goal in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
England 33
Tries: Sackey, Tait, Noon
Cons: Cipriani (3)
Pens: Cipriani (4)
Ireland 10
Tries: Kearney
Cons: O’Gara
Pen: O’Gara
A solid performance from debutant fly-half Danny Cipriani helped England through to a comfortable 33-10 victory over a disappointing Irish side.
Tries by Paul Sackey, Matthew Tait and Jamie Noon along with 18 points from the boot of Cipriani gave England a 23 point winning margin as Ireland could only reply through a Rob Kearney try and a conversion and penalty from Ronan O’Gara.
Final 2008 Six Nations Table
Wales 10 points
England 6 points
France 6 points
Ireland 4 points
Scotland 2 points
Italy 2 points
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