England player ratings vs France - Autumn Nations Cup
England player ratings: Eddie Jones’ side wrapped up their Autumn Nations Cup campaign with a lacklustre but ultimately victorious performance in their 22-19 win over France in extra time at Twickenham, taking home the Cup in the process.
Here’s our England player ratings:
15. ELLIOT DALY – 5/10
The full-back had some struggles with the boots, kicking out on the full and putting too much on a couple of up and unders. He looked for work in the midfield but couldn’t quite unlock the French defence in the way he is capable of.
14. ANTHONY WATSON – 7
Watson was very effective in England’s kick chase and was one of the few players on the pitch wearing a white jersey who looked to offer real attacking threat when he got his hands on the ball, even if those opportunities were limited.
13. HENRY SLADE – 5.5
There were a couple of moments where Slade managed to show his value as a ball-carrier, though like Daly, he wasn’t able to bring the incision in the midfield or unleash the threats of Watson or Jonny May outside of him.
12. OWEN FARRELL – 6
Unlike recent games where Farrell has shaken off an early miss from the tee, the centre struggled at Twickenham on Sunday. He missed four of his nine kicks and was unable to get the England back line clicking or defensively contain the French midfield. He did nail the clutch conversion to tie the game in the 80th minute, though, as well as the winning kick in extra time.
11. JONNY MAY – 6
Like Watson, May did his duties in the kicking game tirelessly and, for the most part, effectively. Didn’t have too many chances to run at space or get the ball in his hands.
10. GEORGE FORD – 6
A couple of clever kicks asked questions of the French defence, as did a few of his skipped passes, but there were also kicks which outdid the English chase and the backline struggled to impact the game. Not great but not bad, either.
9. BEN YOUNGS – 6
Probably needed to take more command of the game in the first half, when opportunities to move the ball and find space were wasted. He looked much sharper in the second half and was an important part of England’s increase in tempo and attacking threat.
1. ELLIS GENGE – 6.5
It was not the overall team performance Genge would have liked in order to show his worth in the battle for the one jersey, but he scrummaged well and was a very willing ball-carrier.
2. JAMIE GEORGE – 5.5
Not quite the usual flawless display at the set-piece from the hooker, as Cameron Woki put significant pressure on the England lineout.
3. KYLE SINCKLER – 6.5
England weren’t as dominant at the scrum as they would have liked against an inexperienced French tight five early on, though they turned the screw in the second half. Sinckler brought plenty of involvement and energy in the loose, too.
4. MARO ITOJE 6.5
A solid outing for most players, although by the standards we have come to expect from Itoje, it was not as influential a performance as many of the ones he so regularly turns in.
5. JOE LAUNCHBURY – 6
The lock had a couple of positive involvements at the breakdown, slowing down French ball, although he was unable to make the impact that he did the previous week against Wales.
6. TOM CURRY – 7
Arguably the pick of the English forwards on Sunday, as he repeatedly dented the French defensive line as a ball-carrier, as well as bringing physicality and line-speed in defence.
7. SAM UNDERHILL – 6
A mixed bag from Underhill, who was typically impactful in defence and at the breakdown, taking momentum away from the French, but it was bundled up with some indiscipline at the contact area and in his maul defence.
8. BILLY VUNIPOLA – 6.5
A quieter game by Vunipola’s standards and he wasn’t able to exert his usual physical dominance at the gain-line on either side of the ball. His defence in the second half was noteworthy, though.
FINISHERS
16. LUKE COWAN-DICKIE – 7
Added a physical carrying edge, nailed the lineout late in the game and got over the try line to tie the game.
17. JOE MARLER – 7
The loosehead popped up with a couple of really impactful carries and tackles after replacing Genge. Scrummaged strongly, too.
18. WILL STUART – 6
He wasn’t able to get his hands on the ball too much after coming on but held his own at the set-piece.
19. JONNY HILL – 6
Tackled and rucked manfully after replacing Launchbury, though perhaps didn’t make enough of a statement that he should be replacing the Wasps man on a permanent basis in the XV.
20. BEN EARL – 7
The flanker brought some much-needed variety in the carry, utilising his footwork to make the defence’s job that bit harder to stop him. Chased well, too.
21. DAN ROBSON – 6
Continued the upped tempo in the second half and a couple of passes that caught their receiver high aside, he contributed well in England’s comeback.
22. MAX MALINS – 7
Added visible impetus and energy. He ran at the gaps in defence with speed and intent and was rewarded with line breaks.
23. JOE MARCHANT – N/A
An unused replacement.
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments