An absorbing round two of the Guinness Six Nations produced wins for England, Wales and France.

Here, the PA news agency examines five things we learned as the Championship nears the half-way stage

May Day....again

Rugby's authorities have been urged to re-examine the crocodile roll, the controversial but legal method used by Italy flanker Sebastian Negri to remove Jack Willis from the ruck at Twickenham. Willis' knee buckled horrifically under the challenge and the rising England star is now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The enforcement of laws should improve safety at the breakdown, but this technique remains a source of tension in the game.

Six to five

Playing against the most experienced England team of all-time, there was much to applaud about a spirited Italy, who scored their most points in the fixture since 2008. Yet the 80-1 underdogs never went remotely close to causing an upset as they fell to a 29th successive Six Nations defeat. There have been calls for relegation to be introduced but, with Georgia unlikely to provide stiffer opposition, is it time for the Championship to revert to five sides? Take Italy out and it becomes hard-fought competition contested by well-matched teams. It is hard to see how the Azzurri getting thrashed week in, week out aids their development.

King Louis

France showing resilience to guts out a 15-13 victory in Dublin will send shivers down the spines of their title rivals. Inspired by the brilliance of diminutive general Antoine Dupont, they bristle with attacking options, but against Ireland it was their solid foundations that swept them to top of the table. The performance lacked the fireworks of recent wins, but the ability to grind out an ugly result is crucial to any team with aspirations of snatching England's crown.