Farrell wrapped it up with yet another penalty in the dying moments as England fans sang “Swing low, sweet chariot” to celebrate their success.
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They had claimed the Six Nations title with a round to spare, but masterminding a 13th England Grand Slam was Jones’ clear objective and the Australian delivered to follow up a sequence of four successive runners-up finishes under predecesor Stuart Lancaster. We set ourselves a goal at the start of the Six Nations to be the most dominant team in Europe, and we have achieved that goal. Victory has bred confidence, and vice versa. Once we beat France on Saturday it will feel like that.
“That was our target and we’re on course for it. We just have to keep our heads on it, which is probably the biggest point”.
“The French are going to be doing their absolute utmost to make sure we don’t win”, he said.
“There is a gap between us and England”.
“The English were very rigorous”, he said. “We were dominated in the rucks and the lineouts”.
And that’s how the game would end, with the courageous lion-hearted Englishman pulling off one of the greatest Grand Slams in Six Nations history – given the context of their immensely disappointing World Cup experience just months prior. It got the job done despite giving away nearly as many cheap penalties as the French.
Jones said he thought the first half was “pretty ordinary”.
We always ask which French team is going to turn up, but if we are brutally honest, over the past eight years or so it is hard to recognise France as the scary, brilliant, exciting, attacking side that used to run through teams.
“France look as disorganised as ever”.
At 20-18 behind, France’s defense was generous again. The other five – Joe Marler, Owen Farrell, Joe Launchbury, Mako Vunipola and Chris Robshaw – were at the Millennium Stadium when Wales not only denied England the clean sweep but snatched the title off them. Hartley was concussed trying to make a tackle, but England used his time for treatment to refocus.
France continued to thread some neat passes as the clash gathered pace, but it was England that registered the first try of the match – Danny Care racing through to slam home in the 14th minute, before Farrell converted for 10-3.
Farrell’s conversion missed from wide out, and France hit back yet again with a seventh penalty by Machenaud – an individual total never conceded before by England in a Championship match.
“I don’t really talk to those that are older than me and tell them what to do, I try and show people and I think Maro (Itoje) is a great example of that at the weekend”. I’ve known Matt for a number of years. “We’re at the start of a new project”.
First there is the little matter of completing a Grand Slam at the Stade De France on Saturday evening (8pm).
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Here, Press Association Sport looks at the numbers of their Six Nations so far.
