A third Grand Chelem in a decade is not to be sniffed at, and France were this season's best Six Nations team by a distance.
Are you ready for the "But..."?
But... Gods, they were boring! Controlled aggression in Scotland, followed by a clinical demolition of Ireland in Paris, seemed to show a ruthless streak allied to their usual flair; and if that flair had seemed rather subdued this time... well, that wouldn't last, right?
Wrong. France proceeded to strangle a Wales side that played 100% of the rugby on display, winning with interceptions and penalty goals. Mightily impressive once more, but - whisper it - a bit dull? Where was the élan? Where was the gallic swagger? Well, we got some at last - against Italy. Big deal. Finally, a previously timid and directionless England side stepped up for the slaughter in Paris. Surely this was the cue for the show to finally start?
...12-10?!?!
England - Martin Johnson's England, for Pete's sake - showed all the ambition, all the passion, and scored the only try of the game, a peach from New White Hope Ben Foden. France scored one scruffy drop-goal and three penalties. England won the second half 3-0.
Even from an armchair in Swansea - a vantage from which watching England lose never seems to get old - it felt like one final English push upfield, ending the French party with a Wilko special, would have been no more than natural justice.
We rightly praise teams for pragmatism; for knowing the right time to concentrate on playing rugby, and the right time to focus on stopping the opposition from doing likewise. But we could frankly do without teams who choose safety first, second and third. France had a license to cut loose against an England side who, for all their bravery, could not possibly have resisted them had they done so. They chose not to do so. No, it wasn't England forcing France back into their shells - they withdrew there of their own accord. Always in complete control, they deliberately opted for negativity.
Congratulations, France. But shame on you, too.
1 comment:
A rather Butler-esque analysis there, Rob... stylistically speaking. You're correct though - France seemed content to do enough to edge games. Wales may have taken the lead had Robert's pass gone to Hook's hands rather than his face, but I always felt it would have been a temporary state of affairs.
Similarly, England played the more adventurous game (have you any idea how much it hurt to write that?), but had they contrived to huff their way to a position where the left peg of Wilko might have been a factor, surely a blue shirted figure would have snatched the ball and run 70 metres to dap down under the posts.
Control is all - do that and you win the game - it matters little whether the control is in defence or in attack - it you're on top of the opposition then they can play all the rugby they like - they will get nowhere. This is true of everyone who played France this season.
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