DAWN OF A NEW ERROR!
Eddie’s clumsy carthorses are run ragged by French power and skill
NOT GreaT. Not great at all. england came here on a mission to become the greatest team in the history of rugby but that grand vision promptly turned to dust.
The start of a new era yesterday felt much like the end of the old one as england were physically dominated by their opponents and could not dig themselves out of a hole. This Six Nations opener in Paris had distinct echoes of the World Cup final in Yokohama exactly three months earlier. england were blasted into oblivion by a fired-up France team, just as they had been in Japan by the formidable Springboks.
Pay no attention to a closer scoreline. The losing bonus point was a gift which the visitors scarcely deserved, despite eddie Jones’ claim that his team had been ‘magnificent’ in the second half. They were no such thing. england were better after the break than before it, but that is nothing to write home about, as the opening period was among the worst of Jones’ four-year tenure.
If it hadn’t been for two acts of individual brilliance from Jonny May, this could have ended in pointless humiliation. england were teetering on that precipice when France extended their lead to 24-0 just before the hour, only for Leicester’s electric wing to pull two rabbits out of his hat in the space of eight minutes.
Jones had caused outrage in these parts with his pre-match warning that France’s young team would be subjected to brutality, which was construed here as inciting violence. He promised that his team would produce such an intense onslaught that the opposition would have no answers.
In the event, they had all the answers. Fabien Galthie had promised that his team of tyros would not surrender and they were true to his words. While there were three French tries in dire conditions, the primary factor in this momentous result was their defensive resilience, cohesion and aggression. It was a stunning triumph for the englishman in the Gallic management team. Twelve years ago, Shaun edwards helped Wales upset england at Twickenham as the opening act of Warren Gatland’s reign. Now, this success for Galthie’s youthful side had edwards’ fingerprints all over it.
There was plenty of brutality all right but France provided the vast majority of it. Their No 8 Gregory alldritt was named man of the match for a herculean performance on a day when england tried in vain to cope without a specialist at the base of the scrum. By rights, alex Dombrandt should be expecting an urgent call but in reality the outstanding Harlequins rookie is likely to remain with his club.
No one in white yesterday produced the sort of imposing contribution made by alldritt and the other talismanic figure in the home pack, Bernard le roux — the lock who kept sending english carriers back in the direction they had come from. as if these two didn’t provide enough of the physicality which Jones had assumed would be his team’s trump card, they were aided by Gael Fickou, who threw his weight about to great effect in midfield.
France had artistry as well as ferocity. Until he misread the clock in the closing seconds, to allow england their bonus- point consolation, Toulouse scrum-half antoine Dupont was magnificent. The way he played was what real greatness looks like. He was sharp and shrewd, tenacious and inspired. His weaving run to set up home captain Charles Ollivon’s second try was mesmerising.
That glorious intervention saw Dupont leave Ben Youngs clutching at his vapour trail and the contrast between the scrum-halves was stark. Brutal, even. Youngs has served england well for so long, but he could not live with his vibrant opposite number yesterday. Then Willi Heinz took over and Dupont flattened him, too, to force yet another fumble.
england had far more experience but it didn’t show. as has happened too often in the recent past, they were pushed into a tight corner and had no idea how to extricate themselves. eventually, May made a drama out of a procession, but his tries were not the result of a sustained revival and collective cohesion. He chipped, chased, kicked on and touched down in the 57th minute, then scorched past a series of defenders on a 45-metre solo run to the line for his second.
Suddenly, France had to shut down an outbreak of late resistance and they did so, helped by the fact that their rivals were far from ruthless in the red zone.
France were clinical, england were clumsy. Farrell dropped two passes in the first half that he would normally take with his eyes shut.
Galthie’s young thrusters had seized control after a fast start which said a lot about their desire to make a mockery of Jones’s pre-match mind games. Vincent rattez crossed for the first try in the sixth minute after Dupont and his half-back partner, romain Ntamack, had provided vivid proof of their creative class. Ollivon’s first try was contentious, possibly coming from a French knock-on, but england had no right to complain. There was no injustice.
There are small crumbs of comfort. The scrum was impressive, unlike in Yokohama, and the lineout became dominant as the game wore on. May showed his predatory quality yet again. Lewis Ludlam added impetus when he came on.
But overall, this was a grim way to launch a new era. england have just six days to pick up the pieces before going to Murrayfield to face Scotland, who will believe the auld enemy are there for the taking.
Not great. Not great at all.