France Vs England, Six Nations 2020

[Bones]

The debuting fullbacks are having rather contrasting games.

[sparky]

Bouthier excellent for France.

[sparky]

Good lineout steal by England, but terrible hands by Farrell. Drops one cold.

[sparky]

England look very rusty, a shadow of the team they were in the Rugby World Cup. Poor composure, poor option-taking, a fullback who appears out of his depth.

Need some points before half time, then start again.

[sparky]

Very impressed by Dupont. Toulouse half back pulling the strings.

[sparky]

Nigel Owens pings Itoje again for offside. He has lost his cloak of invisibility from the RWC Semi.

[sparky]

Heading to half time. Lots of drop balls from both sides in the rain. A long way back for England.

[sparky]

Big scrum by England. Win a penalty. Farrell kicks long. England one more chance before half time.

[sparky]

15 phases in France's half but not much go-forward ball for England. Ball lost then kicked out by France.

France 17 England 0.

First time since 1988 England have failed to score in the first half of a 5/6 Nations game.

[Bones]

Holy shit. The last time England had a scoreless first half in an x-nations match was 1988.

[sparky]

Back to the TV. Heard a Kiwi accent on the BBC panel. I thought who's that?

Dylan Hartley :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_closed_eyes:

[Victor Meldrew]

Some of the pre-match comments from Comical Eddie about England "absolutely brutalizing a young French team" seem pretty comical at half-time.

Shaun Edwards has raised Frances defence to another level.

[sparky]

Martin Johnson talking so much good sense on the half time panel.

[sparky]

All England at the start of the Second Half.

[sparky]

Penalty right in front. Turn it down for a scrum.

[Victor Meldrew]

Phase after phase on the Frog line with overlaps right and left and England batter away.

Where's the thinking?

[Bones]

That was shit from England. So many quick ball opportunities where they could have scored but they just wanted to meander around and play for the penalty.

[sparky]

Joseph loses it forward with line open but France offside.

Penalty. Turned down. Another 5m scrum.

[Bones]

Geez it's not England's day.

[Victor Meldrew]

Joseph drops the ball with the line in sight.

God almighty, England have been woeful thus far