Now repeat it. That’s the tough problem. After scaling the heights to shock Eire final Saturday, England are on a twin-peaks campaign which doubles as a revenge mission.
Seven days in the past, coach Steve Borthwick’s crew produced simmering, dazzling defiance to ambush the Six Nations title-holders at Twickenham, after being written off following their defeat by Scotland at Murrayfield. Now, on the ultimate weekend of the championship, the motivation is totally different. That is all about payback and redemption.
It’s 12 months since France got here to south-west London and condemned their cross-Channel rivals to a record-breaking 53-10 defeat. It was not a lot Le Crunch as Le Crash. Fabien Galthie’s aspect had the run of England’s dwelling turf. There was annihilation and humiliation for the hosts.
The scars from that ordeal have but to heal. The reminiscences are uncomfortably uncooked. There are 10 survivors from that horror present within the guests’ squad of 23 for this rematch and considered one of them is captain Jamie George. He defined how the 2023 expertise can be channelled.
‘We have been terrible,’ admitted the Saracens hooker with typical candour. ‘It wasn’t simply the consequence — we didn’t work. The naked minimal of what we ought to be about is struggle and displaying character. That show was the exact opposite. We gave up, we seemed drained, we didn’t entrance up bodily. That isn’t the type of crew we need to be and it nonetheless hurts me to today. That’s actually within the motivation.’
England produced simmering, dazzling defiance to see off Eire at Twickenham final week
They subsequent play France who humiliated them 53-10 on their dwelling floor a yr in the past
Steve Borthwick’s aspect can be out for revenge after they play France in Lyon on Saturday
It’s going to assist England’s quest to satisfy fireplace with fireplace right here that they’ve these ghosts behind their minds. It’s going to assist as a result of they can’t simply fall again on an us-against-the-world want to ship a retort to their critics this time, for the straightforward motive that there are not any critics.
They’ve been rightly acclaimed for his or her efficiency within the 23-22 win over Eire. All of the ‘exterior noise’ they typically discuss has been constructive for every week. There was no circling of the wagons, so different gasoline is required. Hitting the heights once more in that state of affairs gained’t be simple and George is aware of it.
‘It’s apparent to thrive when you’re written off,’ stated the skipper. ‘If you end up backed right into a nook, you struggle your means out of it. We achieved one thing particular final weekend however with the ability to again it up is a large motivation for me. Good groups react effectively to setbacks — nice groups ensure that they again it up.
‘We received some issues precisely proper emotionally final week and plenty of that got here from sticking two fingers as much as some individuals who have been saying some unhealthy issues about us after the Scotland sport. However you should use various things to drive emotion.’
George has a cautionary story from when England got here near attaining world glory within the Far East. The very fact they fell brief — dropping a World Cup closing 32-12 in opposition to South Africa after beating the All Blacks the earlier weekend — was brought on partly by turning into caught up in outdoors pleasure and dropping sight of their goal.
‘I discovered an enormous lesson in 2019 after the New Zealand efficiency, round issues like emotional highs and lows,’ stated George. ‘We believed the hype. You’re in a World Cup closing week and I had each distraction beneath the solar — folks wanting to come back over, 1000’s of individuals asking for tickets, folks from faculty popping out the woodwork who I hadn’t spoken to for 10 years.
‘It’s nice however it may be actually distracting and I in all probability discovered that the laborious means.
‘We undoubtedly received it unsuitable in 2019. We didn’t attain the highs of the week earlier than and what I discovered is that you just want to have the ability to give your self the house to get away from issues and mirror, do what you’ve received to do after which spike once more. A very powerful factor is that spike reaches related ranges or above to final Saturday.’
England captain Jamie George admitted his crew have been ‘terrible’ in opposition to France final yr, and there may be ‘motivation’ for revenge after the painful loss which nonetheless hurts him to today
George (pictured on the ball) desires to again up the win over Eire with one other constructive consequence
Realistically, Eire can be quaffing champagne out of the Six Nations trophy by the point this match kicks off, however England have loads to play for.
In addition to revenge, they’ll end with 4 wins from 5 — a robust return final achieved in 2020. Doing that might endorse the transition course of which Borthwick is overseeing, with a blitz defence intertwined with high-tempo attacking ambition.
On the flipside, there’s a hazard of ending fourth if England lose. Scotland and France can each overtake them within the occasion of a house win at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium on this closing fixture.
Fourth would really feel like a letdown, given how the French, with a lingering World Cup hangover, have struggled on this marketing campaign with out Antoine Dupont.
What Galthie’s aspect have lacked in cohesion and confidence, they’ve alleviated — to an extent — with sheer energy.
Eire could seal the title earlier than England play, however Borthwick’s aspect nonetheless have so much to play for
France have struggled on this Six Nations marketing campaign with out main star Antoine Dupont
Their pack is gigantic, so this can be a take a look at of bravery and bodily dedication for England. In the event that they fall wanting the depth they produced in opposition to Eire, it gained’t finish effectively. Regardless of the frustration of dropping Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — such an thrilling new asset — after he was discovered to have concussion signs, George Furbank can be buoyed by his excellent contribution at Twickenham every week in the past, as will Ollie Lawrence.
The stress is off that pair, who had a tough time at Murrayfield, and the identical goes for George Ford at 10. He can management proceedings way more successfully than the erratic Thomas Ramos, France’s non-tackling, fake fly-half, though Nolann Le Garrec, the brand new darling within the iconic No 9 shirt, poses an almighty particular person risk.
George Martin, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill and Co can cease the Gallic giants on the gainline, bringing explosive vitality with their physicality, which their huge rivals lack.
And if Ellis Genge and others blast dents within the opposition line, as they did so successfully in opposition to the Irish, England can scale the second of their twin peaks, avenge the ordeal of 12 months in the past and show past all doubt they’re very a lot on the rise once more.
