This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/22/england-france-six-nations-world-cup
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| England narrowly fail to claim Six Nations but have hope for World Cup | England narrowly fail to claim Six Nations but have hope for World Cup |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Deep in the bowels of Twickenham’s West Stand on Saturday night Stuart Lancaster briefly closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his weary, throbbing head. It did not feel entirely like a joke as he talked about going for a lie-down in a darkened room. But if this was failure, it was unquestionably glorious. How often do an England team stick 55 points on France and still feel they have lost? | Deep in the bowels of Twickenham’s West Stand on Saturday night Stuart Lancaster briefly closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his weary, throbbing head. It did not feel entirely like a joke as he talked about going for a lie-down in a darkened room. But if this was failure, it was unquestionably glorious. How often do an England team stick 55 points on France and still feel they have lost? |
| In the coming years people will stare at this bizarre scoreline and assume it was an unalloyed triumph. Seven tries? Against the French? | In the coming years people will stare at this bizarre scoreline and assume it was an unalloyed triumph. Seven tries? Against the French? |
| Not to mention 18 tries in the championship, a figure exceeded by no other country in Six Nations history. When Sir Clive Woodward’s England secured their famous grand slam in 2003 they racked up precisely the same number. Yet here sat Lancaster, having to field awkward questions about yet another English near-miss. | Not to mention 18 tries in the championship, a figure exceeded by no other country in Six Nations history. When Sir Clive Woodward’s England secured their famous grand slam in 2003 they racked up precisely the same number. Yet here sat Lancaster, having to field awkward questions about yet another English near-miss. |
| Finishing as runners-up for four consecutive years, admittedly, is not a sequence to strike World Cup dread into Kiwi hearts, but some context is required. Just one more converted try against Scotland last week – and England squandered plenty more chances than that – would have banished any talk of under-achievement. Last year it took a last-minute try in Paris to deny them a slam. This time they drove en masse towards the line in the closing seconds only for the referee, Nigel Owens – outstanding all day – to award a penalty to France for sealing off. | |
| We all know modern-day margins are microchip-thin but this was ridiculous. Wales’s Roman romp triggered a chain reaction so spectacular it blew conservatism to all parts. A target of 26 points to win the title felt unlikely before kick-off; with England trailing 15-7 after 26 minutes, it felt inconceivable. To respond with six tries against a French side who at times played with genuine devil would, on any other day, have been hailed as a hugely significant achievement. | We all know modern-day margins are microchip-thin but this was ridiculous. Wales’s Roman romp triggered a chain reaction so spectacular it blew conservatism to all parts. A target of 26 points to win the title felt unlikely before kick-off; with England trailing 15-7 after 26 minutes, it felt inconceivable. To respond with six tries against a French side who at times played with genuine devil would, on any other day, have been hailed as a hugely significant achievement. |
| Hence the need for a little perspective. Ireland are a fine side, exceptionally coached and led, and worthy winners of their first back-to-back championship titles since 1948 and 1949. England have also beaten both their World Cup pool opponents, Wales and Australia, inside the last five months and run New Zealand repeatedly close. Over the course of this season they have either found or revitalised four players – George Ford, Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola and Jonathan Joseph – who have given them an extra attacking dimension. They can win playing in a variety of styles. In that respect, the small print of a championship table is not absolutely the be-all and end-all. | Hence the need for a little perspective. Ireland are a fine side, exceptionally coached and led, and worthy winners of their first back-to-back championship titles since 1948 and 1949. England have also beaten both their World Cup pool opponents, Wales and Australia, inside the last five months and run New Zealand repeatedly close. Over the course of this season they have either found or revitalised four players – George Ford, Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola and Jonathan Joseph – who have given them an extra attacking dimension. They can win playing in a variety of styles. In that respect, the small print of a championship table is not absolutely the be-all and end-all. |
| Instead of ripping everything up, then, it is more a case of judicious tweaking in a bid to ensure they win these photo-finishes next season. There is little doubt their still-injured posse – Manu Tuilagi, Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, David Wilson, Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell – will add heft to the mix. Exeter’s Henry Slade was a non-playing reserve at the weekend and also looks set to be among the 45 players due to assemble on 22 June for a pre-World Cup training camp. | Instead of ripping everything up, then, it is more a case of judicious tweaking in a bid to ensure they win these photo-finishes next season. There is little doubt their still-injured posse – Manu Tuilagi, Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, David Wilson, Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell – will add heft to the mix. Exeter’s Henry Slade was a non-playing reserve at the weekend and also looks set to be among the 45 players due to assemble on 22 June for a pre-World Cup training camp. |
| Whether Steffon Armitage is involved or not will be equally fascinating, as will the identity of the man wearing No12 in September. If the powerful Tuilagi is fully fit, it may well be him. | Whether Steffon Armitage is involved or not will be equally fascinating, as will the identity of the man wearing No12 in September. If the powerful Tuilagi is fully fit, it may well be him. |
| Defensive organisation also has to be tightened – only Scotland and Italy leaked more tries than the 11 conceded by England. The biggest issue, though, is between the ears. Amidst Saturday’s oohs and aahs, the management’s pre-match words about playing the game rather than the scoreboard early on disappeared out of the window. When they re-watch it, the coaches will particularly shudder at the kamikaze rugby following Youngs’ gift-wrapped first early try. Was it inaccuracy or over-excitement that presented tries to Sébastien Tillous-Borde and Noa Nakaitaci, the latter courtesy of a wafer-thin TMO call which saved the winger from a lifetime of internet sniggering? Either way, it cost the home side big time. | Defensive organisation also has to be tightened – only Scotland and Italy leaked more tries than the 11 conceded by England. The biggest issue, though, is between the ears. Amidst Saturday’s oohs and aahs, the management’s pre-match words about playing the game rather than the scoreboard early on disappeared out of the window. When they re-watch it, the coaches will particularly shudder at the kamikaze rugby following Youngs’ gift-wrapped first early try. Was it inaccuracy or over-excitement that presented tries to Sébastien Tillous-Borde and Noa Nakaitaci, the latter courtesy of a wafer-thin TMO call which saved the winger from a lifetime of internet sniggering? Either way, it cost the home side big time. |
| For the third time inside two months it also left England to scramble rather than dictate terms. They did so magnificently – this group will never lack for spirit – but consistent precision remains elusive. James Haskell also saw yellow for an ill-timed trip and there will be days when borderline legal tackles such as Courtney Lawes’ hit on Jules Plisson do not end happily for either party. | For the third time inside two months it also left England to scramble rather than dictate terms. They did so magnificently – this group will never lack for spirit – but consistent precision remains elusive. James Haskell also saw yellow for an ill-timed trip and there will be days when borderline legal tackles such as Courtney Lawes’ hit on Jules Plisson do not end happily for either party. |
| The other burning question is this: why do England – and everyone else – not try to play like this every week? This may have been a wonderful advertisement for not staging final-day games simultaneously but it also underlined what is possible when sides are encouraged to be positive. Bonus points are not everyone’s idea of progress but settling for one exhilarating weekend in every five seems a waste of everyone’s resources. | The other burning question is this: why do England – and everyone else – not try to play like this every week? This may have been a wonderful advertisement for not staging final-day games simultaneously but it also underlined what is possible when sides are encouraged to be positive. Bonus points are not everyone’s idea of progress but settling for one exhilarating weekend in every five seems a waste of everyone’s resources. |
| Whatever the catalyst, this was rugby union’s best sales pitch in years. As the stadiums shook and television viewers across Europe, not least in Ireland, pulled their hair out, even France did their best to join in the fun. They managed five tries of their own, including sweet efforts from Maxime Mermoz and, remarkably, the galloping loose-head Vincent Debaty, whose long-range effort deserved its own celebratory chorus of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. After Benjamin Kayser’s score, the BBC’s scorer was so excited he briefly awarded five points to both sides. It was that kind of bonkers occasion. | Whatever the catalyst, this was rugby union’s best sales pitch in years. As the stadiums shook and television viewers across Europe, not least in Ireland, pulled their hair out, even France did their best to join in the fun. They managed five tries of their own, including sweet efforts from Maxime Mermoz and, remarkably, the galloping loose-head Vincent Debaty, whose long-range effort deserved its own celebratory chorus of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. After Benjamin Kayser’s score, the BBC’s scorer was so excited he briefly awarded five points to both sides. It was that kind of bonkers occasion. |
| The abiding image, though, will be England pouring forward late on, their attacking shape as good as it has been in ages. Ford has made a huge difference in that department and Jack Nowell’s lovely second try was no less than both the scorer and creator deserved. Could they complete mission impossible? Lancaster and his players felt the ball may have been grounded over the French line prior to the final penalty but it was a forlorn hope. At least Chris Robshaw’s side went down more honourably than two years ago in Cardiff. As with Andy Murray at Wimbledon, you have to believe England will get there eventually. | |
| England Brown; Watson (Cipriani, 62), Joseph, Burrell (Twelvetrees, 71), Nowell; Ford, B Youngs (Wigglesworth, 71); Marler (M Vunipola, 62), Hartley (T Youngs, 53), Cole (Brookes, 62), Parling (Easter, 67), Lawes, Haskell (Wood, 67), Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola. | England Brown; Watson (Cipriani, 62), Joseph, Burrell (Twelvetrees, 71), Nowell; Ford, B Youngs (Wigglesworth, 71); Marler (M Vunipola, 62), Hartley (T Youngs, 53), Cole (Brookes, 62), Parling (Easter, 67), Lawes, Haskell (Wood, 67), Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola. |
| Tries B Youngs 2, Watson, Ford, Nowell 2, B Vunipola. Cons Ford 7. Pens Ford 2. | Tries B Youngs 2, Watson, Ford, Nowell 2, B Vunipola. Cons Ford 7. Pens Ford 2. |
| Sin-bin Haskell, 57. | Sin-bin Haskell, 57. |
| France Spedding; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz (Bastareaud, 71), Nakaitaci; Plisson, Tillous-Borde (Kockott, 47); Debaty (Atonio, 60), Guirado (Kayser, 47), Mas (Slimani, 47), Flanquart, Maestri (Taofifénua, 67), Dusautoir (capt), Le Roux, Goujon (Chouly, 62). | France Spedding; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz (Bastareaud, 71), Nakaitaci; Plisson, Tillous-Borde (Kockott, 47); Debaty (Atonio, 60), Guirado (Kayser, 47), Mas (Slimani, 47), Flanquart, Maestri (Taofifénua, 67), Dusautoir (capt), Le Roux, Goujon (Chouly, 62). |
| Tries Tillous-Borde, Nakaitaci, Mermoz, Debaty, Kayser. Cons Plisson 2. Pens Plisson, Kockott. | Tries Tillous-Borde, Nakaitaci, Mermoz, Debaty, Kayser. Cons Plisson 2. Pens Plisson, Kockott. |
| Referee N Owens (Wales). Att 82,319. | Referee N Owens (Wales). Att 82,319. |