Welcome to the second in our 'Six of the Best' series, a chance to remind you of some of the most memorable matches associated with a particular Six Nations fixture.

This week we consider Wales against Scotland, a contest that stretches back to 1883. Wales have the edge in this particular Celtic rivalry, winning 65 to Scotland's 48 of their 116 meetings, with three draws.

Check out this montage of six of the best games in recent memory between the countries, and you can also watch extended highlights of the 2005 and 2010 matches on the BBC Sport website and Red Button service.

If you would like to share your own memories of these and other matches not included here, this is the place to do so ahead of Sunday's next instalment at the Millennium Stadium.

Read the rest of this entry

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

As the strains of Hymns and Arias drowned out the booing from Irish supporters at the final whistle, the sound of Welsh rejoicing would have reverberated around the Six Nations.

Any year Wales win their first game of the Championship, two words are instantly unavoidable, so we may as well not tread too lightly around the subject.

Another 'Grand Slam' bandwagon has been launched in the Valleys after this stunning last-gasp triumph in Dublin, but the pain writ large all over the battered face of Paul O'Connell should act as at least a momentary handbrake on expectations.

With a minute to go in this thrilling encounter, the Ireland captain could have been the one fielding questions later about his own side's prospects of repeating their 2009 clean sweep, instead of dissecting the finer points of a shattering loss with the assembled media. Rugby can be a cruel game.

Read the rest of this entry

Ireland's Six Nations clash with Wales on Sunday is not short of interesting sub-plots and storylines.

But even 16 months out from the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, the back-row battle is ripe with intrigue.

Ireland duo Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris have already played for the Lions, in South Africa in 2009, while team-mate Sean O'Brien and Wales opponents Sam Warburton and Toby Faletau (plus the injured Dan Lydiate) are also strong contenders - fitness and form permitting - to feature on the next trip down under.

"If you were picking a Lions squad tomorrow, you would be hard pushed to leave out any of them; they are all phenomenal players," says former Wales and Lions flanker Martyn Williams, who won the last of his 99 Wales caps last August.

Williams has played alongside or against (and in some cases both) all of the back-rowers whose contest at Dublin's Aviva Stadium will go a long way to deciding the outcome. The Welsh legend gives us his lowdown on the individuals involved.

Read the rest of this entry