Six Nations: England humbled by France
England arrived in Paris last week, for the first match since their World Cup final defeat, “seeking to begin the healing process”, said Gavin Mairs in The Daily Telegraph. Their opening game of the Six Nations was a chance to return to the heights they had hit in their glorious victory over the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-finals. Yet at the Stade de France, England “only managed to aggravate their World Cup scars”, losing 24-17 – a scoreline that flattered them. Their first-half performance was the worst of Eddie Jones’s tenure as head coach; not since 1988 have they failed to score a single point in the opening 40 minutes. Their performance was marred by “missed tackles, lost line-outs, hesitant attacking play, aimless kicking”. It was all so very “un-England”.
What an uninspiring performance, said Andy Bull in The Guardian. In their worst moments, England were “witless and listless”: their defending was dire, and when they had the ball, they “blew their opportunities”. They desperately missed the ball-carrying skills of Billy and Mako Vunipola, who were injured; in Billy’s absence Tom Curry, one of the world’s best flankers, was moved to No. 8, where he was wasted. This match confirmed, once again, that the England captaincy does not bring out the best in Owen Farrell, said Stuart Barnes in The Times. In the first half, the inside centre “cut a frustrated and forlorn figure”; he offered little in the way of guidance. No one can doubt his ability as a player, but the evidence suggests he would be “better without the responsibility”: he has lost eight of his 23 matches as captain. Before this match, Jones had plenty of tough talk for France, said Paul Hayward in The Daily Telegraph. He warned them to expect “brutal physicality” from his players. But that proved to be a “hollow threat”. The coach must now hope that this “ominous performance” was merely a one-off – because while England attempt to regroup, the rest of the world is “moving on”.
No one is moving on more quickly than France, said Mick Cleary in the same paper. They haven’t won the Six Nations in a decade; indeed, they haven’t even finished second since 2011. But this is a “newlook, upbeat team”. On Sunday, they “flirted and fluttered, caressing the ball, striding long and purposefully, making things happen with belief and conviction”. Antoine Dupont, their “crackerjack” 23-year-old scrum-half, was “forever probing”; Grégory Alldritt, their 22-year-old No. 8, was a “colossus”. This team is clearly “on the rise”. That can only be good news for the sport, said Stephen Jones in The Times. For too long, this competition has had “a blue hole in it” – and no Six Nations can truly be “described as vintage” if the French are not in the mix. It’s good to have them back.