'We've got a game plan in place that we think is going to be very effective'
Courtney Lawes insists England are ready to feed off the emotion of a Paris crowd willing France to win the Grand Slam as he heaps pressure on the hosts.
England are aiming to ease the scrutiny of their under-fire head coach Eddie Jones by preventing Antoine Dupont’s favourites from claiming a first Championship title for 12 years.
Defeats by Scotland and Ireland limit their ambitions to finishing third, although if they are toppled at the Stade de France and results elsewhere on ‘Super Saturday’ go against them they will be staring at another disastrous fifth place.
Even without the title in their sights the stakes are high and not least for Jones, who will face renewed questions over his future just 18 months out from the World Cup should they end up in the bottom half of the table again.
But Lawes insists his team are ready to continue fighting for each other knowing they can play without the burden of expectation.
“It’s a very hostile crowd at the Stade de France and you have to be prepared for that,” England’s captain said.
“It’s part and parcel of playing away from home on the international stage, especially against a team going for the Grand Slam. That’s absolutely fine for us. We can use it for motivation and use it to give us energy.
“You have to change the mentality of the crowd. It was similar at Murrayfield where we were getting booed on the way in. You have got to prove these people wrong and essentially try to make them quiet.
“France are still playing to win the Championship, so essentially all the pressure is on them. We’ve got a game plan in place that we think is going to be very effective.
“For us, the power of playing for each other is the best motivation you can have as a rugby player. It’s the most consistent motivation, anyway.
“It’s perfect for us to go out there and show what it actually means to be part of this group and be able to play for England with boys like this.”
Needing to replenish depleted energy reserves after the monumental resistance displayed with 14 men against Ireland in round four, the squad have experienced a lighter training load this week.
It is hoped the adjustment, negotiated by Lawes on behalf of the squad, will enable them to carry the fight against France.
“We spoke to Eddie as a leadership group on Monday morning and just made sure he realised what an emotional hit it is to play a game where you have to give absolutely everything you’ve got,” Lawes said.
“We want to go out in the right way, we want to go out and perform this weekend. To do that you need to make sure you recharge, emotionally and mentally as well as physically.
“Eddie put a plan together, I put it across to the boys, we made a couple of tweaks and were off to the races. We’re really happy with how it went and hopefully it will bode well for us.
“To get back up emotionally after a game like Ireland actually takes a lot. If we were knocking each other about all through the week it’s going to be a lot harder to get up there emotionally for the weekend.
“In years gone by there wouldn’t have been that communication. It shows that we’re developing as a team and Eddie’s developing as a coach.
“We can all get our heads together and find the right plan, rather than just being told where to go. It’s a really effective way of being a team.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments