WE’LL SLAM CHAMPS
SIX NATIONS May promises fans big win over Irish
JONNY MAY said England owe their fans a big win after their hopes of a third Six Nations title running were battered into submission in Paris.
May scored the only Red Rose try in a six-point defeat and now England face the prospect of champions Ireland claiming a Grand Slam at Twickenham on Saturday.
Another defeat after beatings by Scotland and France could see England finish fifth for the first time since 1983, while Ireland will move above them to world No.2 in the new rankings published today.
Pride
And May said: “We do owe the country. People support us and we have an opportunity when we wear that shirt to inspire them and it hasn’t been good enough in the last couple of weeks.
“We will be more focused on showing pride, it is not a case of stopping them.
“We haven’t shown what we can do in the last couple of weeks so we want to play the way we know we can.”
England coach Eddie Jones has lost back row forwards Nathan Hughes and Courtney Lawes, who both injured knees at the Stade de France and are set to be replaced by Exeter pair Sam Simmonds and Don Armand.
Captain Dylan Hartley will today have a test on the calf injury which forced him out in Paris.
Aussie coach Jones said the players were “very down” after another string of mistakes against an average France side who were fuelled on emotion.
England destroyed their chances when Anthony Watson was sin-binned for a high tackle on Benjamin Fall to give away a penalty try with the game locked at 9-9.
Jones’ men also coughed up a suicidal 16 penalties against next year’s World Cup group opponents.
But Jones said: “We’ve lost two games of rugby – one by a hair’s breadth and the other one we were outplayed, so I don’t see any cycle.
“If we’d had a bit of luck against France, we’d have won the game. We’re going through a difficult period and we’ll come out the other side of it soon I’m sure.”
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has warned that his champions will not take anything for granted at Twickenham and fears an England backlash.
He said: “I think they’re going to be really dangerous. They’re wounded but they’re far from dead and buried.”