Ford puts England or on the front foot
The Rugby Paper|August 13, 2023
THERE was a moment six minutes into the second-half which summed up England. Courtney Lawes stole a lineout near Wales’s line, prime attacking ball with the opposition not set up in defence
PAUL REES
Ford puts England or on the front foot

England had laboured to create openings, despite the promptings of Owen Farrell who mixed up his game from the outset, but here was the opportunity to extend their lead to 13 points, wake up the crowd and leave Wales with it all to do.

England failed to react. No one took charge, Wales helped themselves to the ball and won a penalty. Having failed to score a try in Cardiff the previous week, England offered no threat until, with three players in the sin-bin, they kicked a penalty to touch and rolled a maul over the line to seize the momentum.

Steve Borthwick said afterwards it was a victory for spirit and character, which it was. But had Wales had any sort of a lineout, it would not have been enough. “I did not feel they put us under a huge amount of pressure from an attacking perspective,” said Wales’s head coach Warren Gatland. “We shot ourselves in the foot.”

Borthwick made the point afterwards that moulding an attack took longer than shaping a defence or calibrating the set-pieces. Eddie Jones used to say the same, but it is one thing to execute moves and another to improvise and react off the cuff.

England have for too long been a team comfortable in structure but horribly slow to react as if programmed to the point where instinct is expelled. They were at their most effective in the final 15 minutes when confronted by adversity with captain Farrell waiting for his yellow card to be upgraded to a red for a high tackle on Taine Basham that may see him banned for the first two matches of the World Cup.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 13, 2023 من The Rugby Paper.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 13, 2023 من The Rugby Paper.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE RUGBY PAPER مشاهدة الكل
England can find a little bit of cheer
The Rugby Paper

England can find a little bit of cheer

SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
The Rugby Paper

Stop messing with Marcus - Campese

DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
The Rugby Paper

Being a Lion was the highlight of my career

I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
The Rugby Paper

Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half

THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
The Rugby Paper

Forwards pack a punch for the Reds

OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
The Rugby Paper

Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley

SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
The Rugby Paper

Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon

FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 24, 2024
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
The Rugby Paper

It's a whole new ball game for Rigg

WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
The Rugby Paper

Scarratt leads the way for Lightning

LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.

time-read
1 min  |
November 24, 2024
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
The Rugby Paper

Becconsall: We need to release pressure

WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 24, 2024