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Coach Eddie Jones admitted he was “gutted” with the feeble display by England in Paris on Saturday night, when the visitors lost 22-16 to a French side that prior to the match had won only one of their last eight internationals.
England now face Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday, a match that a few weeks ago was being billed as the likely Grand Slam decider. But while the Irish - who clinched the championship with their impressive 28-8 defeat of Scotland in Dublin on Saturday - are on course for only the third Grand Slam in their history, England are on the cusp of a crisis.
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“It is just a tough period for us,” admitted Jones. “We are always going to go through this at some stage. Any team that is developing, as we are, you go through these tough periods where the game does not love you.
“If the game loves us today then we might win the game, but we don’t get bounce of the ball, we don’t get that 50/50 decision and we are in the losers’ chair and it is not a very happy place. I don’t think we should get too carried away or too melodramatic about where we are.”
That won't wash with the majority of the fans and the pundits, who first saw the cracks in Jones’ squad 12 months ago when they lost to Ireland in Dublin.
England have now lost their last three away-games in the Six Nations, with defeats to Scotland and France, and Saturday’s loss in Paris is the most alarming yet, given the distinct mediocrity of the opposition.
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France had little to offer other than thunderous defence, yet England lacked the intelligence, discipline and physicality to overcome their limited hosts.
“We did not learn quick enough,” said Jones, whose side conceded 16 penalties and coughed up 12 turnovers. “Why I am not 100% sure. The game is changing a little bit, and we are probably slow to adapt to it.”
Despite the fact that Saturday’s match is at Twickenham, Ireland are favourites to beat England and clinch their third title in five years.
“We’re going to have to probably save the best for last,” said Ireland captain Rory Best. “That’s what it’s going to take to win everything next week.”
Best, along with full-back Rob Kearney, is the only member of the current squad who featured in Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam triumph, and he also played in Ireland’s last win at Twickenham in 2010.
“Everyone knows the size of the challenge, they haven’t lost there under Eddie Jones,” said Best. “It is about as much as possible trying to treat it like another game.”
With Ireland already crowned champions, and Italy sure of the wooden spoon after losing yesterday to Wales 38-14 (their 16th consecutive Six Nations defeat), the main interest in the final weekend of action will be to see who finishes second.
The Welsh currently occupy second spot on 11 points, one more than England and France. Scotland are fifth on eight points, but will fancy their chances of taking the maximum five points against Italy.
With everything so tight, it will probably come down to bonus points, with the Welsh assured of second spot if they clinch a bonus point win in Cardiff against France.
2018 Six Nations results, fixtures and TV schedule
