Things almost turned full contact before kick-off as BBC pundit Benjamin Kayser found himself dodging rugby balls during France’s warm-up ahead of their Six Nations clash with Wales.

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Standing pitchside with Gabby Logan and Martin Johnson, the former France hooker repeatedly glanced over his shoulder as kicks and passes flew dangerously close to the broadcast team. Logan, noticing his nervous reactions, asked if he was enjoying the Beeb’s new studio position so close to the action — moments before another ball whistled past.

When it was suggested the guilty party was “one of your former team-mates”, Kayser laughed: “I’ll get him, don’t worry I’ll get him.”

The near-misses kept coming. After another French player drifted too close for comfort, Kayser joked: “I am not sure if they are going to have 23 men, because myself and John (Martin Johnson) are going to sort them out in a second.”

While Kayser was in self-preservation mode, Sam Warburton was analysing the effect of a reduced crowd in Cardiff.

“I’ll be honest, that will be a little bit deflating for the players,” Warburton said. “I was fortunate that Wales were very well supported when I played.

“But you come out for the warm-up and even in the warm-up you get a vibe of what it is like, so the boys can think of that when they come out. You come out and think ‘oh my gosh, this is going to be awesome.’

“But when you see huge slices of people not turning up it’s a little bit deflating.”

Six Nations Team Of The Week: Round Two

1. Danilo Fischetti (Italy)

After conceding an early scrum penalty, Fischetti responded brilliantly. He grew into the contest against Thomas Clarkson and finished the first half in complete control, folding the Irish scrum to force a change at the break. Busy in the loose and combative throughout, it was a powerful display.

2. Julien Marchand (France)

Not flawless, but effective. Marchand’s handling wobbled at times, yet he threw accurately and stayed active. He was the beneficiary of France’s rolling maul early in the second half, dotting down to cap a solid showing.

3. Simone Ferrari (Italy)

Ferrari set the tone with a thunderous early hit on Garry Ringrose and never let up. His scrummaging was equally imposing, winning a key penalty before half-time and backing it up after the restart in a combative performance.

4. Gregor Brown (Scotland)

Brown’s work-rate was immense. Alongside Scott Cummings, he helped halt an England maul in a pivotal moment. Tireless in defence, he repeatedly hit, bounced up and reset to frustrate the visitors.

5. Scott Cummings (Scotland)

A dependable presence in the engine room. Cummings secured valuable lineout ball and put his body on the line in defence, completing 18 tackles in a gritty, disciplined display.

6. Michele Lamaro (Italy)

A captain’s performance. Lamaro was relentless at the breakdown, producing a huge counter-ruck and crucial turnover near his own line. Ferocious in contact and inspirational throughout.

7. Jamie Ritchie (Scotland)

Penalised twice and forced off with a knee injury at half-time, but Ritchie more than justified his recall. He was physical, disruptive and capped his impact with a well-taken try.

8. Ben Earl (England)

England lacked rhythm, but Earl never stopped carrying. He racked up 23 carries and topped the tackle count, showing sharp footwork in tight spaces. Rewarded with a late try in a tireless individual effort.

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