The grim statistics around England's recent struggles
A record home defeat against France on Saturday added to a difficult spell for England. After the 53-10 Guinness Six Nations humbling at Twickenham, the PA news agency looks at what the statistics tell us about the Red Rose’s recent struggles.
Twickenham toppled
Saturday’s seven-try humbling broke the record set by a 42-6 home loss to South Africa in 2008, when the Springboks ran in five tries and fly-half Ruan Pienaar contributed 20 points in total.
Thomas Ramos exceeded that mark by three with a try, six conversions and two penalties for France, with two tries apiece for Thibaut Flament, Charles Ollivon and Damian Penaud.
A 27-3 half-time deficit was also a Twickenham record and even Freddie Steward’s second-half try could not salvage respectability for Steve Borthwick’s side.
Six Nations record
The 53 points scored by France are the most ever conceded by England in a Six Nations match – and indeed they have previously gone through their five fixtures conceding fewer points in total.
England won the 2003 Grand Slam under Sir Clive Woodward – eight months before their World Cup win – and conceded only 46 points in the tournament.
They beat Les Bleus 25-17 in their opening game before keeping their four subsequent opponents to single figures – beating Wales 26-9, Italy 40-5, Scotland 40-9 and Ireland 42-6.
That followed on from 53 points conceded in the previous year’s tournament, a total matched by France in Saturday’s game alone.
The seven tries took the total conceded by England to 14, already their worst record in a Six Nations campaign with this week’s trip to Ireland still to come. England conceded fewer than seven in total in 14 of the first 17 editions of the expanded Six Nations format, up to 2016.
Ongoing slump
While Saturday’s result stands out, England’s form over this year and last has been inconsistent at best.
They have won only two of their last six games, against a similarly-struggling Wales team and perennial minnows Italy, while last year’s four-match losing run to Ireland, France, the Barbarians and Australia was England’s worst since a six-game run in 2018 against Scotland, France, Ireland, the Baa-Baas and two Tests against South Africa.
England have won just seven out of 17 games since the start of 2022, winning just under 38.5 per cent last year and 50 per cent this year – with the threat of defeat in Dublin dropping that to 40 per cent.
They won 70 per cent in 2021, 89 per cent in 2020 and 71 per cent in 2019, illustrating just how far off their best the current group are.
Of course, even in that context, conceding 53 points to France was a shock to the system.
It was the second time in 12 Tests England had conceded 50 or more, though the other came in June’s non-cap international against the Barbarians when a side then managed by Eddie Jones went down 52-21 at Twickenham.
That was the first 50-point haul given up by England since another Barbarians game in 2018, before which it had not happened since back-to-back Tests away to South Africa in 2007. That means before the two recent examples it had only occurred once in England’s previous 136 Tests, while if Barbarians exhibitions are excluded, the France game was the first time in 144 matches.
Comments on RugbyPass
He 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?
1 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
18 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 comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to comments