Six Nations: England players stood dishevelled and bewildered after Paddy O'Brien's whistle brought a conclusion to yesterday's Six Nations Championship match at Twickenham, trying to absorb how they had contrived to carelessly toss away victory. The French celebrated with the joie de vivre of men handed stays of execution in the shadow of the guillotine.
France were rank in the first half, producing a lumbering, error-ridden, kick-fest that was an affront to the traditional values of French rugby. England though contrived to snatch defeat from what should have been a morale-boosting win. Leading 17-6 at the interval, having only rarely had to elevate their rugby above the mediocre, it was the margin rather than victory itself that consumed debate among the 74,000 supporters.
The gap on the scoreboard would have been even greater but for English place-kicking aberrations. Therein lay the core difference at Twickenham: French scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili kicked six penalties from eight opportunities while English outhalf Charlie Hodgson managed three from six and centre Olly Barkley none from three.
In Barkley's case there was some mitigation in that his chances were all from long range - but that in itself was illuminating. In times past England would have kicked the long-range penalties to the corner, cranked up the pressure and patiently awaited a chink or a crack in the visiting defence.
The Welsh defeat though has made the English a little introspective, less assured. There was a palpable desperation as France slowly nudged themselves back into the match, the home side conceding penalties as fear reduced the oxygen flow to the brain. It was death by a thousand cuts.
It wasn't as if France suddenly discovered a sparkle or élan, they just rumbled away, competed at the breakdown, where Serge Betsen was superb, and waited for England to transgress. England obligingly imploded, choosing to ignore O'Brien's warnings at the breakdown area time and again.
And yet Andy Robinson's charges could have won the match but Hodgson snatched at and smothered his 30-metre drop goal attempt from in front of the posts, the ball drifting well wide of the left-hand upright.
It summed up the afternoon for the hapless Sale pivot and will merely accentuate the keening for the missing Jonny Wilkinson. Hodgson should not, however, stand indicted alone. The English pack did reasonably well around the pitch but the statistics show they were second best in the set- pieces. Hooker Steve Thompson is destined for more flak despite a fine performance in the loose as England coughed up five lineouts, three turnovers and two crooked feeds.
Lewis Moody, while competing wholeheartedly, won't enjoy the video reprise as he conceded far too many penalties.
Number eight Martin Corry belied a six-week lay-off to put in a storming display, while behind the scrum Jamie Noon atoned for his Cardiff foibles while Josh Lewsey was an underused option out wide, especially given the manner in which he took his try.
An injury to right wing Jimmy Marlu three minutes after the interval actually seemed to galvanise the French. Damien Traille, previously a ponderous midfield presence alongside the equally conservative Brian Liebenberg, switched to full back with debutant Jean Phillipe Granclaude providing a little spark in the centre.
France were less vulnerable. Up front Betsen was at his cloying, spoiling, destructive best (15 tackles, eight more than anyone else) and ably supported by Julien Bonnaire, who had a big game out of touch. Laporte's decision to freshen his pack with three replacements soon after the interval provided fresh impetus.
The French backplay was nondescript and utterly without the core values but, on the day, Yachvili's boot revitalised their fortunes. It hadn't appeared likely in the opening 40 minutes, the French scrumhalf managing a brace of penalties but England producing the cutting edge with tries from Barkley and Lewsey.
Barkley's came on 18 minutes, Noon running a clever line, facilitated by Liebenberg running slightly ahead of Traille and thereby bending the defensive line. Noon made the initial breach before offloading to Barkley. Hodgson kicked the conversion and tagged on a penalty before the home side struck again.
France should have been reduced to 14 men when full back Elhorga deliberately threw the ball into touch metres from his own line with O'Brien bizarrely observing: 'Professional foul, next time.' There's nothing in the laws about the first one being free.
Grewcock made the initial surge with Lewsey running a sumptuous line, handing off Sebastien Bruno and then accelerating away for a fine individual try. Hodgson converted.
The odds on them not scoring another point in the match would have been long but that is what transpired. France shuffled into contention after the interval on the back of Yachvili's accuracy and England's staggering incompetence. An amazing turnaround.
Scoring sequence: 4 mins: Yachvili pen, 0-3; 18: Barkley try, Hodgson con, 7-3; 26: Hodgson pen, 10-3; 28: Yachvili pen, 10-6; 37: Lewsey try, Hodgson con, 17-6; Half-time: 17-6; 54: Yachvili pen, 17-9; 60: Yachvili pen, 17-12; 67: Yachvili pen, 17-15; 74: Yachvili pen, 17-18.
ENGLAND: J Robinson (Sale Sharks, capt); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle Falcons), O Barkley (Bath), J Lewsey (London Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester Tigers); G Rowntree (Leicester Tigers), S Thompson (Northampton Saints), P Vickery (Gloucester); D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester Tigers); J Worsley (London Wasps), M Corry (Leicester Tigers), L Moody (Leicester Tigers). Replacements: A Hazell (Gloucester) for Corry (66-71 mins); B Cohen (Northampton Saints) for Cueto (74 mins); M Dawson (Wasps) for Ellis (79 mins).
FRANCE: P Elhorga (Agen); J Marlu (Biarritz), B Liebenberg (Stade Français), D Traille (Biarritz), C Dominici (Stade Français); Y Delaigue (Castres), D Yachvili (Biarritz); S Marconnet (Stade Français), S Bruno (Sale Sharks), N Mas (Perpignan); F Pelous (Stade Toulousain, capt), J Thion (Biarritz); S Betsen (Biarritz), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), S Chabal (Sale Sharks). Replacements: JP Granclaude (Perpignan) for Marlu 44 mins; O Milloud (Bourgoin) for Mas (51 mins); Y Nyanga (Beziers) for Chabal (51 mins); W Servat (Stade Toulousain) for Bruno (51 mins); F Michalak (Stade Toulousain) for Delaigue (71 mins); G Lamboley (Stade Toulousain) for Pelous (88 mins).
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand).
