Picking a more adventurous fly-half opens up the chance to find a new gear in attack that’s needed to match the world’s bestSteve Borthwick is not a coach who makes statements or grand gestures for the sake of it. He is always someone who leads with his actions rather than his words. But his team selection against France gives off a clear message. It is an acknowledgment that the game we have seen England developing in this Six Nations is not enough to win a World Cup.It is not enough, either, to beat the teams ranked second and first in the world. A solid set piece, a solid defence and kicking gameplan is all well and good. But that does...
A team has been picked with Les Bleus in mind – opponents who have not won a Six Nations match in London since 2005This already has the feel of a vintage Six Nations season and the next two weekends could be similarly memorable. Even at a grey, deserted Twickenham, as England’s players huddled tight in their final eve-of-game training session, there was a sense of anticipation in the chilly air. If France are to win a championship game in London for the first time since 2005 they are going to have to earn it.Because, in all sorts of ways, this is a game England have been waiting for. The frantic early weeks of Steve Borthwick’s regime have been replaced by...
The world’s top rugby union teams at the moment are those who can strike the right balance between risk and rewardEven when they lose England’s cricketers are making everyone sit up and pay attention. Their one-run second Test defeat in New Zealand after enforcing the follow-on is merely the latest compelling example of their determination, win or lose, to make things happen. How good it is to watch international players exhibiting so little fear, trusting their instincts and, where possible, having some fun.In rugby union, the same is presently true of Finn Russell and the now-injured Ange Capuozzo but not a whole heap of others. The orthodoxy, as underlined by the Wales v England game in Cardiff at the weekend,...
Win or lose, the match in Paris offers added value for Australia – it is a benchmark before next year’s World CupWhen Australia play France there are always fireworks. The tempo was set in the very first Test in 1928 when French prop Jean Morere headbutted Jim Tancred and was left-hooked by NSW flanker Bluey Greatorex. After their next encounter in 1948, “one hundred infuriated spectators rushed on the field, hit the referee and threw mud at him”. In 1967, captain John Thornett told the referee his side would walk-off “if you don’t stop the Frenchmen kicking us”. In 1997, No 8 Troy Coker was asked why he punched Fabian Pelous. “What are you supposed to do when a guy...
Squad strength in depth and open-minded coaches have led to the grand slam and now the biggest prize awaitsLet’s start with Ange Capuozzo’s break, one step, two steps, a swerve, a curve, a burst, 10, 20, 30, 40m and more past one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine flailing Welsh defenders. You knew Capuozzo must be good just from the look of him when he came off the bench to make his debut against Scotland the previous week –a man that small and pretty must have something about him to get ahead in Test rugby – but it’s been startling to watch him this past fortnight, when he has scored two tries and set up one of the...