England keeps 6 Nations hopes alive
Source: Agencies |
March 13, 2012, Tuesday
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AN improving England team survived a late comeback from France to win 24-22 on Sunday, keeping alive its slim chances of retaining the Six Nations title and ending the host's hopes of winning the tournament.
England led 24-15 at Stade de France thanks to flanker Tom Croft's try with only a few minutes remaining, but France suddenly remembered how to play attacking rugby to allow Wesley Fofana to score in the corner to raise hopes of an improbable win.
"England games always have a particular scent about them, but when you lose it stinks a bit," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "I'm very disappointed, very bitter. It's my first defeat and I'll face up to that. Now we have a huge challenge, to go to Cardiff next week and take the grand slam away from Wales."
Burly center Manu Tuilagi and fullback Ben Foden scored first-half tries to put England in control against an error-prone French team.
"In terms of the performance, I'm delighted. It's not easy to come here and win. The players deserve great credit. It really epitomizes the character in the side," England interim coach Stuart Lancaster said. "Great credit to the French as well, they never gave up. They got back in a position where they could have dropped the ball to win the game."
England, which won its three away matches for the first time in the Six Nations, can retain its title if it convincingly beats Ireland next weekend at Twickenham and France thrashes Wales in Cardiff.
"You can't control the other results," Lancaster said. "But what we can do is really focus on playing an Irish side we have a huge amount of respect for. We're playing at home, playing at Twickenham and we'll have our supporters behind us." The win boosts Lancaster's chances of getting the England job fulltime.
England led 24-15 at Stade de France thanks to flanker Tom Croft's try with only a few minutes remaining, but France suddenly remembered how to play attacking rugby to allow Wesley Fofana to score in the corner to raise hopes of an improbable win.
"England games always have a particular scent about them, but when you lose it stinks a bit," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "I'm very disappointed, very bitter. It's my first defeat and I'll face up to that. Now we have a huge challenge, to go to Cardiff next week and take the grand slam away from Wales."
Burly center Manu Tuilagi and fullback Ben Foden scored first-half tries to put England in control against an error-prone French team.
"In terms of the performance, I'm delighted. It's not easy to come here and win. The players deserve great credit. It really epitomizes the character in the side," England interim coach Stuart Lancaster said. "Great credit to the French as well, they never gave up. They got back in a position where they could have dropped the ball to win the game."
England, which won its three away matches for the first time in the Six Nations, can retain its title if it convincingly beats Ireland next weekend at Twickenham and France thrashes Wales in Cardiff.
"You can't control the other results," Lancaster said. "But what we can do is really focus on playing an Irish side we have a huge amount of respect for. We're playing at home, playing at Twickenham and we'll have our supporters behind us." The win boosts Lancaster's chances of getting the England job fulltime.
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