France have learned from their mistakes and beginnings of a team for tomorrow could be forged against England on SundayIn the aftermath of France’s second-half implosion against Wales, there was an explosion of a lazy stereotype with “typically French” uttered loin et large across TV, radio and social media to explain away the team’s performance.Having spent the past 18 months working in French rugby such pigeonholing sits uncomfortably. Surely no one can have been referring to an inability of French sportsmen and women to deliver when it matters? The current French football world champions, who won the most competitive tournament in the world, might disagree they bottled it for a start. It does not apply in French rugby, either. The...
Dusting down a video of the wing finishing off Twickenham’s greatest try could help Sunday’s deflated visitors turn a cornerEvery now and again sport goes through a glorious retro phase. Cricket is back where it used to be in the 1980s with West Indies smashing England in the Caribbean, while Wolves are once again a footballing force. England’s rugby men are also back in business, evoking memories of 2003 by taking Ireland to the cleaners in Dublin.It is a large part of what keeps every sports lover coming back: the romantic idea that, despite years of evidence to the contrary, the good times will one day return. The Six Nations relies heavily on precisely that emotion. That sense of fresh...
John Mitchell key for England; Wales’ Dan Biggar offers alternative denied to France; Scotland’s chance to show ambition; England women face formidable French packIreland have won every match in the final round of the Six Nations under Joe Schmidt, but they have won only one of their last four on the opening weekend – in France last year when Johnny Sexton’s late, late drop goal took them past France. They were seven points down against England before a number of spectators had found their seats and they didn’t even bear a passing resemblance to the side who had prevented the most free-flowing team in the world, New Zealand, from scoring a try a few months before. In contrast, England have...
With injuries inevitable, coaches need to know who their next cab off the rank is in each key position and Ireland have the system best placed to succeedWhen the Six Nations starts we’ll all enjoy picking and poking over team selection and tactics, how the benches have been used and how the coaches have drawn on all their nous to get the results they need. But one thing you won’t hear much about may end up being one of the most important factors of all in deciding the championship – the depth chart.Every nation will have a spreadsheet with each position on it and then the first choice, second choice, third choice and so on. Often it’s also colour-coded red,...
Away wins are likely to be rare, drop goals less so and the women’s competition looks to be between England and FranceDiscounting matches against Italy, there were two away wins last year, both by Ireland. Twelve months before that just one, by England. On both occasions the side best equipped to win on their travels took the title so expect away victories to be at a premium again. Related: England set to start Manu Tuilagi in Dublin after Ben Te'o injury Continue reading...