1
'Scotland's scrum tried to contain rather than make an even contest - they got away with it'
England hooker Jamie George was the man at the centre of the four overtime scrums which aroused so much Calcutta Cup controversy.
ADVERTISEMENT
And the experienced Saracens no.2 has suggested that Scotland’s front row “got away with it” after referee Ben O’Keefe declined to award England a kickable penalty which could have tied the scores.
“We had an opportunity to win the game at the end with our scrum,” George said. “When an opportunity comes up for myself, Joe Marler and Will Stuart, I’d like to think we can take it and I’m disappointed that we couldn’t get it over in the end.
“We need to have a look at ourselves a bit more, probably take the scrum by the scruff of the neck and hopefully win a penalty.
“Fair play to Scotland, they dug us out and we weren’t able to retain the ball. It’s frustrating on that side, but that’s the fine margins of Test match rugby.
“I felt like we had dominance. I felt like the Scotland scrum were probably just trying to contain rather than to make it an even contest, but they got away with it. Maybe that’s just good play from them.”
ICYMI: RugbyPass refereeing and laws specialist Paul Smith ??? disagreed with Nigel Owens' verdict regarding four reset scrums with no penalty awards.https://t.co/nURs2DdAJF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2022
George insists England will rally around Luke Cowan-Dickie after he conceded the penalty try that turned the dramatic Calcutta Cup contest in their favour.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cowan-Dickie apologised to fans for slapping a Finn Russell cross-field kick forward into touch, denying Darcy Graham the chance to score, and referee Ben O’Keeffe duly punished England.
On top of the seven points awarded to Scotland, the Lions hooker was sent to the sin-bin as a 17-10 lead became 17-17 before Russell eventually landed the decisive penalty.
“Luke’s disappointed. It was a difficult situation,” said George, who replaced Cowan-Dickie at hooker.
“If you actually look at the amount of work Luke did to get to where the ball was, not many hookers in world rugby can do that and none of us are overly comfortable under the high ball.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He’s a tough player and a great person. He’ll come back and be better than ever, I’m sure. The responsibility within the group is to make sure he’s OK.
“He’s going to be beating himself up, of course he is. But it isn’t his fault, it isn’t his fault whatsoever.
“There were lots of other opportunities for us to win that game and to stretch the game out, take it beyond a seven-point game. The front row came on and conceded a scrum penalty also, which we don’t like.
“It’s certainly not because of him that we lost, by any stretch of the imagination. He’ll be disappointed but we’ll come around him because we’re a tight-knit group and that’s what we do.”
Eddie Jones highlighted the decision after the match claiming “I am preparing a video mate”. #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/PdsqEM5AQt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2022
It is the third successive time that England have opened the Six Nations with a defeat, but George is confident they can rebuild.
“It’s frustrating, it’s not how we wanted to start because, off the back of a good autumn, we had some good momentum,” he said. “But at the same time there was a lot of good in the game.
“I didn’t think it was a fair reflection and there were some disappointed guys in that changing room.
“The momentum can pick up pretty quickly. We’ve got Italy next weekend and we’re fully aware that we’ll need five points out of that game and that will be our main focus.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
2 Go to comments