BONUS FALL
Dawson: England’s failure to grab point against Scots could cost them the title
MATT DAWSON fears England may already have blown their Six Nations hat-trick bid by failing to earn even a losing bonus point in Scotland.
Returning from Murrayfield empty-handed leaves Eddie Jones’ team five points behind Ireland with two rounds to go.
That puts the destiny of the title firmly in Irish hands – even though Joe Schmidt’s side must come to Twickenham on the final weekend. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror Maul Six Nations Podcast, England’s World Cup-winning scrum-half said: “It was a key moment not getting a bonus point given the way the championship now lies.”
Bonus points are awarded for scoring four tries in a game as well as restricting a losing margin to seven points or fewer.
“You’d say England getting a bonus point in France is going to be a tall order,” Dawson added.
“You’d think Ireland have got a better chance of getting one at home to Scotland.
“Therefore the championship could be over by round four.
“There is probably a 50-50 chance Ireland could have the championship wrapped up, then come to Twickenham looking for a Grand Slam – and England have to spoil the party.” Dawson (above) had warned in his Daily Mirror column on the day of the game that the Calcutta Cup fixture was a “potential banana skin”.
Having seen the Scots rampage to a 25-13 win, he hailed their “ferocious and disciplined” defence which “punched England drunk”. So good were the Scots, Dawson added, that had their players been wearing black, “you’d have said ‘textbook All Black performance’.”
Asked if the pre-match tunnel scuffle involving Owen Farrell (left) and Ryan Wilson had any impact on the game, he said: “It probably would have riled a few.”
But the real blame he lays on England’s failure to douse Scottish fire at the breakdown.
“You know Scotland are going to be ferocious over the ball. You know they’re going to be on the edge of legal,” he said.
“I would have expected the England camp to be doubling up their rucks and making sure at the very least they win their own ball and try to compete for Scotland’s – and they didn’t.
“They went in ones and twos, like they have done in most of their games. And they were given a real lesson.”
■ Listen to the full interview with Matt Dawson on the Mirror Maul Six Nations Podcast at audioboom.com/posts/6696045