England Grand Slam: Can Eddie Jones beat France in Paris?
Six Nations clean sweep in his first season would be a staging post on the road to the 2019 World Cup
England face France in the Six Nations on Saturday, gunning for an unlikely Grand Slam in Eddie Jones's first campaign as coach and six months after the side was humiliated at the Rugby World Cup.
"England have improved steadily but Jones has enjoyed an exceptional start to his tenure as head coach," says Stuart Barnes in The Times. But anything other than victory against France will be a huge disappointment, even though England have been confirmed as Six Nations champions.
"Jones doesn't seem to give much of a damn about the championship... In global terms the teams England have been beating have been little more than tiddlers and he knows it.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The championship is already history, the grand slam a staging post along the road to the 2019 World Cup in Japan."
But it will be a different story if England do slip up, writes Will Greenwood in the Daily Telegraph. He was part of the England setup that missed out on five opportunities to win a Grand Slam between 1998 and 2002. Fortunately, the World Cup win of 2003 means that team is remembered for other reasons.
"The reality and rarity of success is highlighted clearly by the ease with which a chance can be blown," he says, warning that the burden of expectation is also a challenge.
France have been average in the tournament but possess great individual talents who will be determined to win Le Crunch.
"No team likes a Grand Slam to be won on their turf; no side will want to watch as their opponents do a victory lap in their own stadium, least of all Les Bleus," says Greenwood.
The key is sustained pressure, he says, as it will expose the French lack of cohesion in defence.
England will be up against an attack that is the "dullest in the tournament", says Dean Ryan in The Guardian. France's habit of sending big men into contact will play to England's strengths.
Jones has tried to get England to play more off the cuff, and they are likely to get the opportunity this weekend.
"This new, opportunistic mentality should help England capitalise on France's disjointed, off-load obsessed attacking game as turnovers will be there to be won," he says.
And England really should triumph, says Jeremy Guscott of the BBC. "In truth I just can't see France threatening... There has not been any indication that this side has it in them.
"By contrast, you go through the England squad and a lot of them are playing some of the best international rugby of their careers."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
UK gynaecological care crisis: why thousands of women are left in pain
The Explainer Waiting times have tripled over the past decade thanks to lack of prioritisation or funding for women's health
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'The Hum': the real-life noise behind The Listeners
In The Spotlight Can some of us also hear the disturbing sound that plagues characters in the hit TV show – and where is it coming from?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?
Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Eddie Jones named Australia head coach: will he come back to haunt England?
Speed Read There’s every chance England will face the Wallabies in the World Cup knockout stages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Six Nations: a new golden age for French rugby?
feature The hosts of next year’s Rugby World Cup will take some stopping
By The Week Staff Published
-
2022 Six Nations ‘Super Saturday’: round five fixtures, title permutations, TV, standings
In Depth France are on course for the grand slam, but can Ireland pip them to the title?
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Rejuvenated England show spirit, unity and ‘never-say-die courage’
feature Eddie Jones’s new-look side complete autumn Test clean sweep by toppling South Africa
By The Week Staff Published
-
Rugby union lawsuits: impact could be ‘astronomical’ for governing bodies
Speed Read RPA says training protocols ‘need addressing very quickly’ over head injuries
By Mike Starling Published
-
Premier League 2020-21 predictions and odds: champions, top four, relegation
The Week Recommends A look at what the football media has to say ahead of the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich: Alphonso Davies expects a ‘goalfest’
The Week Recommends Key talking points ahead of the Champions League final
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s ‘World Cup’: Pep Guardiola’s team bid for Champions League glory
The Week Recommends Sky Blues prepare for a potential three knockout games in eight days in Portugal
By Mike Starling Published