France seal the Slam
20 Mar 2010
France secured the Grand Slam with a 12-10 victory over England in Paris.
It promised to be one of the great Test matches of the year, particularly since the oft debilitating effects of pressure weren’t a factor. Ireland’s earlier defeat to Scotland meant France were already Six Nations champions coming into the match, and as a result one braced for an open, flowing contest, with caution being a concept banished from the game plan.
However, the match was spoilt by pedantic refereeing from Bryce Lawrence and consistent and at times torrential rain, which affected handling and ensured the attacking ambitions of both sides were undermined.
Given the perilous conditions it was no surprise that conservatism marked play, with neither side wanting to make errors in their territory, and this translated into a plethora of tactical punts and drives up the middle and around the ruck fringe.
The rain ensured that the bludgeon was preferred to the rapier as a means of attack, and some of the defensive hits, as well as the brutal scrap at the shove and breakdown, was in itself beautiful.
François Trinh-Duc kick-started the scoreboard by landing a drop goal, but England struck the first decisive blow, driving up powerfully through the phases before shovelling the ball wide to Ben Foden to score. Toby Flood added the extras.
That’s as much as England saw of the ball for the first half, as France settled into their groove, and didn’t allow their visitors to do so thanks to some granitic defence that compromised their visitors’ ability to recycle quickly. Furthermore, Les Tricolores progressively began to assert their superiority at scrum time, resulting in England conceding a number of penalties in that facet of play.
Morgan Parra had missed his first attempt at goal, but was clinical in capitalising on England’s ruck and scrum ill-discipline thereafter – his three penalties taking France down the tunnel 12-7 ahead. What followed was a clash of desperation and pragmatism, the latter ultimately emerging victorious.
As they had in the opening quarter, England started brightly, controlling the ball through numerous phases and managing to get some speed on their recycle, which troubled France. However, they failed to convert their possession and territory into points until Jonny Wilkinson, on as a substitute to change England’s fortunes, kicked a gem from the touchline to reduce the deficit to two points with 13 minutes to go.
However, France, sensing England’s urgency switched on and began to slow proceeding to a stroll, setting up phases after phase in their quest to run down the clock. The tactic succeeded and France held on to register a famous victory.
By Ryan Vrede
105 Comments
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20 Mar 2010, 21:15 pm
Come on England Dragons….
20 Mar 2010, 21:17 pm
Blimey, I have not got a dragon for ages…
England, please ‘Your head may be bloody, but unbowed…be The Captain of your souls’
Give the Frogs Hell….COME ON ENGLAND…
20 Mar 2010, 21:30 pm
@carol: Sounds like your voice is cracking with desperation, carol.
20 Mar 2010, 21:33 pm
@carol: congrats on the DRAGON…but tonight i’m shouting for the FROGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20 Mar 2010, 21:51 pm
For once I’m supporting England. Those French ******** need to be taken down a peg or two after the farce at Toulouse.
20 Mar 2010, 21:52 pm
God the English are arrogant when they score.
20 Mar 2010, 21:53 pm
try time baby!
20 Mar 2010, 21:57 pm
C,mon England, it is time to bury these overrated prima donnas once and for all.
20 Mar 2010, 22:16 pm
Cmon France, keep BH in misery
20 Mar 2010, 22:20 pm
England play better than before
The ref is the same Kiwi who gave the Boks the 1st Lions Test on a plate, the Poms have my sympathy
20 Mar 2010, 22:39 pm
@Hondo:
True, the French is getting away with murder around the fringes.
Since Shaw went off, England is struggling in the tight exchanges.
I am afraid it is going to become a long second half for them.
20 Mar 2010, 22:42 pm
@Big Hit: Do you have the link for this game?
20 Mar 2010, 22:47 pm
I’m watching the game live on ESPN. The Pommie commentators must be on “P”. There’re getting their rocks off watching fat bloated guys in white rolling around on the grass.I’d rather be on death row than endure another 40 minutes of this ****.
20 Mar 2010, 22:47 pm
@Robzim:
The Ref is an admirer of McCaw,,, everything goes
20 Mar 2010, 23:09 pm
Dammit, England is throwing it away with the bad handling at the last moment.
20 Mar 2010, 23:10 pm
The French are only defending and hanging in for dear life in the second half.
20 Mar 2010, 23:12 pm
@poppa69: A kiwi supporting France?!!
20 Mar 2010, 23:17 pm
Go Johny, massive kick from the touchline!
20 Mar 2010, 23:19 pm
C. mon mr ref, just take the gold watch from the frogs flipping cheat.
20 Mar 2010, 23:31 pm
Brian Moore crying like a girl England are the better team “gulp”
20 Mar 2010, 23:31 pm
useless kiwi ref
20 Mar 2010, 23:33 pm
the co-commentator is a irritating bigot.Bloody anal complaining voice entire game ruined it 4 me.
Good on France.F*ck England,they are poor period.talk about prehistoric tactics and only Ben Foden/James Haskell only real talents.rest old and dogsh*t
20 Mar 2010, 23:35 pm
It’s all over
England had their chances, the two rookies Foden and Ashton didn’t pass to the man at thier shoulder, but the Pom did well against a strong French side.
The Boks lost to the same Frogs side 4 months ago
20 Mar 2010, 23:35 pm
CONGRATS FRANCE
20 Mar 2010, 23:35 pm
OK, grand slam for France, probably well deserved over the whole tournament but today they were not good, they made no play and at times seem to be nearly “choking”
The experience will not do their wc chances any harm though. – they are probably the favourites to win it at this stage.
20 Mar 2010, 23:37 pm
@Robzim:
19
I believe Craig Joubert has one this season already lol
20 Mar 2010, 23:43 pm
Viva la France !!!
Merci vous avez appliqué le finnally Neel mort de ce côté-Angleterre très pauvres. Comme d’habitude, ils prétendront positive du match, mais honnêtement, ils sont ****.
After the Scotland game, this is what MJ had to say…..
Commenting on his selection, Johnson said ‘There were plenty of positives to take away from Murrayfield and we’ve watched the tape and found the best way forward.
‘We’ve been very pleased with the game-plan and we’re clearly progressing in a direction which is best for England rugby.
That’s right Martin, backwards
Listen out for the next MJ speak of the week.
20 Mar 2010, 23:44 pm
From an english perspective i have no problem with the french winning the grand slam they played by far the most attractive and best rugby of the tournament.
Hard to know where we go from here another dissapointing six nations the 7th in a row!! The one amazing fact is that we finally out scored a team in the try stakes are we a new team of flair haha
20 Mar 2010, 23:46 pm
Hondo – The AB’s literally destroyed them. So I guess this puts it all into perspective.
20 Mar 2010, 23:48 pm
England are rubbish,only work on disruption and rain helped them.the likes of:
Hartley
Thompson
Wilson
Payne
Borthwick
Shaw-37/38 yrs old…cmon guys
Easter
Moody
Worsley-what does he do??ala Reuben Thorne
These forward just roll around,no dynamism at all plus conditioning highly suspect-almost all carrying excess weight.
Wilko
Tindall
Banahan-rubbish
Flutey-2nd rate Canes player
Etc how does one expect to progress with above???
Haskell
Foden
Strettle
Above only bright lights
20 Mar 2010, 23:51 pm
@west: if it hadn’t rained, we’d have run away with that imo. France ironically were better in the tight and kicking game.
20 Mar 2010, 23:52 pm
@mshiniwami: contain yourself man.
20 Mar 2010, 23:59 pm
@Big Hit: Do you think we should hang on with MJ, we just dont seem to be getting anywhere one good performance is normally followed by 3-4 shockers.
Maybe a fresh outlook , I hate to say it a southern hemp coach
21 Mar 2010, 00:00 am
BH
Contain ur commentators and supporters from speaking nonsense.That Moore fellow was bleating the whole game like a b*tch
And look at the team BH…cmon bud
21 Mar 2010, 00:01 am
Horiman
I would have gone with execrable rather than **** …
And it’s equipe rather than cote unless you are talking beef..
21 Mar 2010, 00:05 am
@west: we have a SH coach, Brian Smith. I think a new forwards coach would be the way forward but I forsee no changes being made now.
@mshiniwami: Moore was an idiot agreed, embarrassing. Hopefully someone at the BBC will have a word with him because he’s doing too regularly. The ref wasn’t great but he was nowhere near as bad as Moore was saying. The team did all right tonight, still big Sheridan to return, he would’ve been useful.
21 Mar 2010, 00:09 am
@Big Hit: I think Brian Moore has never got over his hatred of the french, he was the king of baiting them in the late 80s early 90s, its like he is still out there when he is in the box. Should put him, phil Kearnes and murray mexted togeather they would set a new record for complaints.
21 Mar 2010, 00:15 am
@west: yeah he was pumped up tonight, apparently he bellowed out the anthem in the box before kick-off
Ah well, at least we were better tonight, still need change of some sort however, near misses every so often aren’t enough. Anyway, good evening all. I’m outtie.
21 Mar 2010, 00:20 am
So near and yet so far….
21 Mar 2010, 01:07 am
@carol: welcome to the world of the Sharks
21 Mar 2010, 07:31 am
bok selectors must get it right ….france at newlands june 12 as Grand Slam Champions will want to nail the boks as current WC Champs.
Dont mess this one up with poor selections PDV.
21 Mar 2010, 07:51 am
@Big Hit: @31
Lord Barry, there appears to have been a typo.
did you not mean “from” instead of “with” ?
21 Mar 2010, 08:16 am
@Black Panther: it looks like the Frogs are going to ‘choke’ the host nation in the group stages and take the high road in the RWC … be afraid.
21 Mar 2010, 08:17 am
@grant10: he fancies Rose as a fullback.
21 Mar 2010, 08:29 am
@RedLion: I hope not. Some great younsters coming through. Joe from Stormers and PAT LAMBIE. Watch Lambie this year. Going to be a great.
I would get Frans Steyn though back for the World Cup.
Lambie was OUTSTANDING yesterday under the high ball. Only 19 years old. What a talent.
21 Mar 2010, 08:40 am
@RedLion:
a few kiwis i been speaking to think that might be the better half of the draw anyway. aussie in semi at eden park rather than SA. Aussie has a terrible record there, but ABs never play boks at Eden Park so unknown quantity.
they are perhaps suggesting that losing to the french in pool is the easier option….
of course aussie actually need to make the semis.
21 Mar 2010, 08:59 am
@munkiboi: Well…so do the AB’s! Make the semi’s, that is!
21 Mar 2010, 09:11 am
@Puma: Lambie is a good talent, he shoild be playing 10 ahead of the Poms though. Viljoen, Lionel Cronje, Zane all better than Rose at fullback … but PDV and Rose’s dad are buddies … all Bok supporters could feel my pain of having Rose in the 15 jersey.
p.s. Rose missed 7 tackles yesterday and only made 1.
21 Mar 2010, 09:26 am
@RedLion: Lambie was superb yesterday in his debut. He plays FB and inside centre, but yes he would be great at FH too. Goode is going back after the away tour. He was just temporary.
Remember there is still Ludik too (for Boks I am talking about here) needs to recover from that op proper though.
For the wc as it is only next year. I would look no further than Frans Steyn. Even if he is playing overseas PdV would be crazy not to select him.
Rose is just not up to it not at all. Sorry to say that he is not. I know PdV and Rose’s dad are mates, hope that is not the reason he will select him.
I think PdV will go with Zane. Zane not bad but really not in the same class as Frans Steyn, Joe Peterson, or even young Lambie or for that matter Ludik.
21 Mar 2010, 09:35 am
@Puma: congrats on your teams win Puma, I tipped them as well..
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