Eddie’s talk of brutality is from the Stone Age ... it’s nonsense
It’s not the team I’d have picked — too many are out of position
Did you correctly predict the starting XV to play France in Paris tomorrow?
Me neither. But whatever your views the only thing that really matters now is how this England team actually perform. What i want to see is an all-court game full of nous, tempo, risk and rugby intelligence.
Can this England team get all our fans — in the stadium, in rugby clubs across the country and at home on the sofa — out of their seats going crazy about how we are playing?
That’s how you beat France in Paris. Take real responsibility for your own performance and make sure you really contribute to the magic of the Six Nations.
What i don’t want to see — and what won’t work — is an oldfashioned, bare-knuckle slugfest of a Test. i was really disappointed to read the following quote from Eddie yesterday.
‘France can expect absolute brutality from England, we are going to go out there to make sure they understand what Test rugby is. it is about being brutal, it is about being physical.’
What utter nonsense. This is straight from rugby’s Stone Age. A meaningless but deliberate soundbite that will look even more ill-chosen if, heaven forbid, somebody gets badly injured tomorrow afternoon
i have no idea why Jones is taking this line — or being allowed to take this line — which he has been peddling for most of the week. France’s manager Raphael ibanez was a real warrior who learned to control those instincts as a player to lead France to two Grand Slams. ibanez questioned Jones on it earlier in the week, pointing out it was unnecessary and very easy for those sitting in the stands to go around insisting on brutality on the pitch.
Of course it will be very tough and physical at the Stade de France, every international match is. it is a given in Test rugby, especially when England play France in Paris.
The way to win in Paris? Focus relentlessly on the basics of scrum, line-outs and restarts and make sure that the best rugby team wins by playing with pace, skill and passion — but certainly not with brutality.
So i confess to being bemused by this approach and can only trust that the England players themselves — especially the experienced core of the team — don’t get distracted by it.
This is exactly the sort of highly pressurised game where i can now see a red card being dished out.
it’s a strong England line-up but not the team i would have picked, purely based on the fact that so many are being played out of position. i am a big fan of Alex dombrandt at Quins and would have started him at No 8 and gone with the ‘Kamikaze Kids’ as my flankers with Ben Earl on the bench.
Now we have Tom Curry, a magnificent openside jackal, playing out of position in the specialist No 8 position where his undoubted scavenging skills will be underused. We also have Courtney Lawes, a terrific lock, playing at blindside, a switch that for me has never really worked.
i would have started with the in-form George Kruis at lock keeping that Saracens boilerhouse together with Maro itoje.
in the backs we are again into the realms of players not quite being in their best positions.
Who knows what Elliot daly’s best position is. He has been appearing at full back for a year or more and now finds himself back on the wing. Jonathan Joseph is the in-form 13 but Manu Tuilagi is selected there with Joseph on the bench.
i would have had Farrell at 10 and Tuilagi at 12 — undoubtedly his best position. He just doesn’t have the fluency at 13 to release the dangerous back three but his strength is still something England can benefit from.
The absence of Mako Vunipola in the front row — held back for Scotland apparently — has limited the options there. Given that Harry Williams didn’t even make the 25 i would have gone for a front row of Ellis Genge, Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler. That would be very exciting but i am reassured to see hard-scrummaging Will Stuart on the bench. He might have a major role to play if the French pack do get on top and changes have to be made.
This is going to be England’s toughest fixture this Six Nations, and my feeling is that England will do exceptionally well to win.