English again fail to convince on their travels

HIS actions cost Wales a try and the certainty of going in at half time in the lead.

Unfortunately, in the second half, Wales were struck with stage fright.

It was as if they couldn’t believe they were competing so well with England. When Will Greenwood scored at the start of the second half, the initiative was handed to the Englishmen.

Defensively it was a very soft score to concede. In truth, without playing with any real conviction, England dominated the last 30 minutes. The Welsh backs missed far too many first-up tackles.

The physical nature of the game was reflected in the number of injuries suffered by both sides. Once again, England looked less than convincing playing away from their familiar Twickenham surroundings.

While Clive Woodward would never admit it, this must be an increasing worry to his management team. On this display, there is no reason for Ireland to fear their visit to Lansdowne Road. In fact, the evidence of the weekend would suggest that the French could be the side to cause Ireland most concern.

In the Stade de France yesterday, they comprehensively beat a poor Scottish side while playing in second gear.

There was uproar in Scotland last year when Brendan Laney, another “kilted kiwi” was fast-tracked into the Scottish side, after two weeks in the country, to play at full-back.

In the current championship he has played in the centre and at out half. He is clearly not international standard and failed to make any impact on the game. His opposite number Francois Gelez, who was drafted into the French side at the expense of Gerald Merceron, had a far greater influence on the game.

The French forwards dominated possession and will pose a serious threat to the Irish pack.

Their back play was very loose at times and a continuation of this pattern could well play into Irish hands in two weeks time. When they won the Grand Slam last season, their defensive organisation was excellent. On the evidence of their two games to date, they are not as disciplined in this key sector. The most impressive aspect of this current side is their ability to keep the ball alive in the tackle. Their angles of running and support play are excellent and, as with all their predecessors, they are capable of scoring from any part of the field.

Given that these two sides are likely to meet in a World Cup quarter-final later in the year, the result could also have a longer term significance.