Six Nations: How each country fared before the competition was suspended

The 2020 Guinness Six Nations saw four matches postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak and is unresolved in terms of its title destination.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the performances of each nation so far.

England

Life after the World Cup in Japan, when England were beaten finalists, could hardly have started on a more painful note as they came horribly unstuck against a rejuvenated French team in Paris. It went badly wrong for Eddie Jones’ team that day, and although they recovered to defeat Scotland in an Edinburgh monsoon, it was not until the first 40 minutes of an emphatic victory over Ireland that they truly hit their straps. Wales at Twickenham two weeks later produced another win, which clinched the Triple Crown, but again it was not entirely convincing. It proved a rollercoaster Six Nations season, but it is a tournament that England can still win if the competition is resumed.

Wales

Scotland

Ireland

Andy Farrell gathered the coaching reins in Ireland, taking over from Joe Schmidt, and it is difficult to make a considered judgement on the Irish after two of their five games were postponed. An underwhelming performance against Scotland still produced a victory, while misfiring Wales were dismissed in bonus-point fashion by a team that did not move out of third gear. The worry for Irish fans will be the way England then dismantled Farrell’s men at Twickenham, especially during a dominant first-half display when Ireland’s forwards were horribly outgunned and revered half-backs Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray had an afternoon to forget. The jury is still out on Farrell’s Ireland.

France

Italy

Italy, once again, propped up the rest. A 15th Six Nations wooden spoon beckons, and in two of their three games played – against Wales and Scotland – they failed to score a point. Their inspirational former captain Sergio Parisse is poised for international rugby retirement, and there appears to be little hope of the Azzurri being genuinely competitive any time soon. The Six Nations promotion and relegation debate continues to be fuelled by Italy making no impact on the competition whatsoever, and it proved another campaign to forget.