Away from the blood, guts, glory and box-kicks, this year’s Six Nations has seen a glut of viral stories.
These are the tales that are not necessarily confined to the pitch and got English, Scots, Welsh, French, Italians and Irish talking, posting, favouriting and tweeting.
1. Huge Martin Bayfield takes little ones to the big game
ITV made a tremendous decision to place the diminutive trio of Gordon D’Arcy, Shane Williams and Maggie Alphonsi next to 6′ 10″ Martin Bayfield ahead of Ireland’s game against Wales.
https://twitter.com/Popicamocha/status/696362722628399104
Those wonderful people on Twitter took the rugby ball and ran with it.
Just caught up with @ITV 6Nations show. @MartinBayfield dwarfing Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Williams and Maggie Alphonsi pic.twitter.com/1VSYmRJoK5
— Chris (@chrisdotlatchem) February 9, 2016
My favourite from today @MartinBayfield @ITVSport 😂 pic.twitter.com/lMXQqv2xUN
— Gordon D'Arcy (@Gordonwdarcy) February 7, 2016
2. Parisse’s drop goal
Trailing 23-21 going into injury time, Italy got themselves in position for a drop goal. Then they did it again. And again. And again.
No-one wanted it.
Step forward Italian captain and No.8, Sergio Parisse.
Did he get it?
"Parisse! No way! Can he do it? The captain… No."#6Nations #FRAITA pic.twitter.com/lfbpp9EV0t
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 6, 2016
No. Did he give a shit enough to try? You bet.
Still, it divided Europe…
https://twitter.com/The_RossHudson/status/696004434715873280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
That awkward moment parisse thinks he's Dan Carter #FRAITA
— Lewis Williams (@LewisWillams13) February 6, 2016
Fair play to parisse stepping up, Clearly no one else had the balls to take the shot, it wasn't his job and a back shouldve stepped up
— Fraser James Muir (@Frazz_Muir) February 6, 2016
3. We’ve heard of biased reffing but this…
Many Irish rugby fans, not to mention players and the head coach, were less than impressed with the refereeing performance of Jaco Peyper in the 10-9 loss to France.
There was a try ruled out for a non-existent knock-on, Irish players head-hunted by French forwards and scrums wheeled with impunity.
Most were not surprised, then, when Peyper plunged into a French ruck to see if they had scored a try between the Irish posts.
https://twitter.com/valley42/status/698536918527713280
Others, meanwhile, had more important things on their mind.
https://twitter.com/GaRoDean/status/698538012519612417/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
4. Dan Biggar’s ankle
A sprained ankle was never going to keep Welsh outhalf Dan Biggar out of his team’s Six Nations opener against Ireland.
Biggar’s ankle was banjoed but he negated any serious flexion by wrapping a couple of rolls of medical tape around it. Sorted!
That is until he limped off midway through the first half. The post-match diagnosis? “High ankle sprain.”
Some great ankle strapping on Dan Biggar there! #rigid #zincoxide #tan #anklestability pic.twitter.com/VVxksMepER
— SPORTTAPE (@SPORTTAPE) February 7, 2016
Somehow, some bloody how, Biggar was able to play against Scotland [sans strapping] only six days later. He had a stormer too.
https://twitter.com/pintsandscrums/status/697885906045243392
5. CJ belts out Amhrán na bhFiann
Christian Johann Stander was born and raised on South Africa’s Western Cape. For most of his life, he dreamed of playing Test rugby. For the last three years, it became his obsession to do it for Ireland.
On February 6, Stander won his Ireland debut against Wales. He put in a man-of-the-match performance but most of Stander talk centred around his rousing rendition of the Irish national anthem.
CJ Stander did learn Amhran na bhFiann. Good lad CJ #rugby #IREvWAL #RBS6Nations pic.twitter.com/olNpxIegtv
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 7, 2016
Welcome CJ 2:0 @CJStander
Singing Amhrán na bhFiann like a patriot and carrying like one too! #IREvWAL— Gráinne Seoige (@grainne_seoige) February 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/SusieOSullivan/status/696347263631757312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
6. Man of the match moans
The beauty of a rugby match – unless someone like David Pocock or Dan Carter is on fire – is that there can be multiple man-of-the-match candidates. Choosing the winner is an object lesson in the subjective.
Everybody has an opinion too.
Those opinions were voiced so loudly when English hat-trick hero Jonathan Joseph missed out on the accolade, after the Italy game, that it eventually drew a catty response from the broadcaster’s MOTM.
Has Jonathan Joseph changed his name to Ben youngs??? #SixNations #ITAvENG
— No (@CountFord) February 14, 2016
Can someone please explain how Ben Youngs got #MOTM today? Did you not see #JonathanJoseph ?! #ITAvENG #Rugby #HappyValentinesDay 🌹
— Blare curgon (@OhItsClareBear) February 14, 2016
The response…
Steady people I didn't pick myself for MOM, I did offer the medal to @Jonathanjoseph0 but he didn't want it as he has enough. So shut up 👍
— Ben Youngs (@benyoungs09) February 14, 2016
Touch. Of. Class.
7. Ireland’s mounting injuries
As of typing this story up, Ireland had 15 senior players out of, or doubtful for, the England game at Twickenham.
The latest bodies to drop were Sean O’Brien, Jared Payne and Dave Kearney, who was cleavered with a late hit by French captain Guilhelm Guirado in Paris.
Sickening hit on Dave Kearney from Guirado. Unbelievable that ref didn't have a second look at it. #FRAvIRE pic.twitter.com/aYKj3I9rIW
— Trevor Hogan (@TrevHogan) February 13, 2016
(Pic via Rugby Banter Page)
By the time you read this, another five Irish rugby players could well have been injured. Someone please light a candle, somewhere, soon.
