Eddie Jones’s men were short of inspiration, leaving the coach with much to ponder in terms of personnel and preparationThe battle was lost and the war long gone with barely a shot fired in anger until the closing stages. Thus did England unravel in Paris to the extent they are now at their lowest ebb under Eddie Jones. A late glimpse of what Owen Farrell can do when he is let off the leash may make for a silver lining, if he is given free rein from fly-half in the future. But make no mistake, the clouds looming over English heads have blackened.England were beaten by an underrated French side who were thrown together at the start of the championship...
Six Nations collision in Paris to be a huge struggle for France but England must not allow them to be in with a sniff late onI know precisely what it’s like to play against a France team in the mood. It may be 11 years ago now but I can still vividly remember being part of the All Blacks side who lost the 2007 World Cup quarter‑final against the French.It was as if they grew another leg, arm, heart – it was wave after wave and it was unstoppable. There were blue shirts everywhere and it didn’t matter how hard we tried, there was nothing we could do. I’m sure it was a great spectacle but not so good for...
Can anyone unseat Ireland at the top? Who will make the difference in the final two rounds? And can Italy win a game?Ireland will claim a first Six Nations title since 2015 if they achieve a bonus-point victory over Scotland and England fail to do so in Paris. There was certainly an element of fortune to their victory against France but, as seen in recent years, away wins anywhere but Rome are at a premium – and they followed it up with an emphatic win over Italy and a powerful performance against Wales. Andy Farrell will not be happy with the six tries conceded in those matches but perhaps the most impressive thing about Ireland is how they have coped...
Scotland’s next task is to improve on the road, Wales show their worth with the ball and France still off the paceIt seems cruel that anyone in Scotland should have to talk about anything other than their victory, but in the hours after the match Gregor Townsend was already thinking about their next Test, away to Ireland. “We’ve got our own issues to deal with,” he said, “we have to show a truer picture of what we’re about when we’re away from home”. Scotland have been a poor side when they’re playing away for a long while now, but those two recent defeats, to England at Twickenham and Wales in Cardiff, were particularly bitter given how much better they’ve become...
England should venture outside their London moneypit and take a big game to rugby lovers otherwise disenfranchised by geography and, in some cases, historyIt is October 2007 and the clear Mediterranean sky is turning from sapphire blue to purest velvet. England, against all the odds, have just beaten Australia in the World Cup quarter-finals and down in the Vieux Port area of Marseille a monumental party is brewing. Even before France’s tournament-shaping game against New Zealand in Cardiff kicks off the harbourside vibe makes Twickenham feel like a suburban vicarage.So bienvenue with knobs on to Marseille as the Six Nations’s newest host city. Whether this Friday night’s contest between France and Italy in the 67,000-capacity Stade Vélodrome will induce a...