[2025 Six Nations] England vs France - 08/02/25

[Reiser99]

Positive
we won a tight match
Showed intensity in defence
Both Smiths looked comfortable

Negative
Still lacking attacking ideas, kicking from hands too much
Still need more speed.

Disagree about the attack. We scored 4 tries. I think as Fin Smith grew in confidence he really started to get England going.

Defence for me was the issue, we bite in too much and give teams far too much space outside our defence which is narrow.

Also disagree about Marcus looking comfortable. He wasn't terrible, but wasn't great either.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

ROG being the best you mean.

He was Saint's best player in a Heineken Cup final, and that was excellent, but not quite enough to be in the conversation.

 

[Arcturus]

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I know, Captain for my fantasy team and he's only got 10pts.

Scrum halves dont score that highly in fantasy rugby. None of the scoring categories suit their strengths.

 

[McTallshort]

The one we just did and all premiership matches this season.

You crack on, enjoy the win.

Thank you I will

 

[Crash Hamster]

Positive
we won a tight match
Showed intensity in defence
Both Smiths looked comfortable

Negative
Still lacking attacking ideas, kicking from hands too much
Still need more speed.

France undeniably left about 26 points out there by dropping the ball and missing kicks, but England still scored 4 tries and put to bed the 'last 20' hoodoo for the day.

Tight 5 stood up well against some huge opponents. T. Curry in particular was monstrous. Willis was good and Earl too. Mitchell and FSmith looked in control. Lawrence was good again (except when he kicked possession away with 3 minutes to go).

definitely worried that it'll be back to the drawing board after getting humped by Scotland though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Galthié joins the chopping block?

The knife has been put down for Steve but he's not got up yet.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Scrum halves dont score that highly in fantasy rugby. None of the scoring categories suit their strengths.

TBF, the scoring system in Superbru is poor; too many players score 8-12 per game and it mostly depends on getting your captain to score a hat trick. Whatever the old one was called had a better, if more complicated, system.

 

[TommiG88]

France undeniably left about 26 points out there by dropping the ball and missing kicks, but England still scored 4 tries and put to bed the 'last 20' hoodoo for the day.

Tight 5 stood up well against some huge opponents. T. Curry in particular was monstrous. Willis was good and Earl too. Mitchell and FSmith looked in control. Lawrence was good again (except when he kicked possession away with 3 minutes to go).

definitely worried that it'll be back to the drawing board after getting humped by Scotland though.

I think england left 7 out there though…. Haha

 

[Rugbyfan564]

England v France player ratings: Fin Smith shows nerves of steel but Marcus fluffs his lines

It was a tale of two Smiths at Twickenham in nailbiting Six Nations victory

www.telegraph.co.uk

M Smith - 4/10
Freeman - 8/10
Lawrence - 7/10
Slade - 6/10
Sleightholme - 7/10
F Smith - 9/10
Mitchell - 8/10
Genge - 6/10
Cowan-Dickie - 5/10
Stuart - 6/10
Itoje - 7/10
Martin - 7/10
T Curry - 9/10
Earl -7/10
Willis - 7/10
Replacements - 8/10

France
Ramos - 5/10
Penaud - 6/10
Barassi - 6/10
Moefana - 5/10
Bielle-Biarrey - 6/10
Jailbert - 5/10
Dupont - 6/10
Gros - 6/10
Mauvaka - 6/10
Atonio - 6/10
Roumat - 5/10
Meafou - 7/10
Cros - 7/10
Boudehant - 6/10
Alldritt - 7/10
Replacements - 6/10

Unusually for now a days two of the England bench and one of the French bench didn't get on.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

He couldnt stop the try (hello captain obvious!) but i was amazed by the fact he actually managed to catch and tackle a player like Daly from that position.

Very good game by England. Sure, France missed some chances, but so did England.
Congrats, outstanding effort. Enjoy the win.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Penaud 4/10? Same bloke who scored one try and made at least one other? Blimey.

 

[TommiG88]

England v France player ratings: Fin Smith shows nerves of steel but Marcus fluffs his lines

It was a tale of two Smiths at Twickenham in nailbiting Six Nations victory

www.telegraph.co.uk

M Smith - 4/10
Freeman - 8/10
Lawrence - 7/10
Slade - 6/10
Sleightholme - 7/10
F Smith - 9/10
Mitchell - 8/10
Genge - 6/10
Cowan-Dickie - 5/10
Stuart - 6/10
Itoje - 6/10
Martin - 7/10
T Curry - 9/10
Earl -7/10
Willis - 7/10
Replacements - 8/10

France
Ramos - 5/10
Penaud - 4/10
Barassi - 6/10
Moefana - 5/10
Bielle-Biarrey - 6/10
Jailbert - 5/10
Dupont - 6/10
Gros - 6/10
Mauvaka - 6/10
Atonio - 6/10
Roumat - 5/10
Meafou - 7/10
Cros - 7/10
Boudehant - 6/10
Alldritt - 7/10
Replacements - 6/10

Unusually for now a days two of the England bench and one of the French bench didn't get on.

Wow that's harsh on Marcus, he's no worse than Slade in my opinion

 

[TommiG88]

Penaud 4/10? Same bloke who scored one try and made at least one other? Blimey.

I didn't even look at the French ratings!

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Sorry I made an error writing it out. Penaud got a 6/10 not a 4/10 Itoje also got 7/10 not 6/10. Have edited it.

 

[Grizwald]

England v France player ratings: Fin Smith shows nerves of steel but Marcus fluffs his lines

It was a tale of two Smiths at Twickenham in nailbiting Six Nations victory

www.telegraph.co.uk

M Smith - 4/10
Freeman - 8/10
Lawrence - 7/10
Slade - 6/10
Sleightholme - 7/10
F Smith - 9/10
Mitchell - 8/10
Genge - 6/10
Cowan-Dickie - 5/10
Stuart - 6/10
Itoje - 6/10
Martin - 7/10
T Curry - 9/10
Earl -7/10
Willis - 7/10
Replacements - 8/10

France
Ramos - 5/10
Penaud - 4/10
Barassi - 6/10
Moefana - 5/10
Bielle-Biarrey - 6/10
Jailbert - 5/10
Dupont - 6/10
Gros - 6/10
Mauvaka - 6/10
Atonio - 6/10
Roumat - 5/10
Meafou - 7/10
Cros - 7/10
Boudehant - 6/10
Alldritt - 7/10
Replacements - 6/10

Unusually for now a days two of the England bench and one of the French bench didn't get on.

MS missed kicks brought his score down but 4 suggests a shocker and it wasn't.

Earl was an 8 for me. Clearly a back or someone who doesn't really understand the game. Itoje did a hell of a lot of the unseen stuff, plus Will Stuart was absolutely solid.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Wow that's harsh on Marcus, he's no worse than Slade in my opinion

It feels like the writer doesn't like him. His write up was 'Tried so hard to make things happen but English rugby's previous golden boy turned most things to lead, never more so than when he threw himself in front of Mitchell's pass.' He also co headlined the whole article alongside Fin Smith.

 

[Geordie]

I'm glad Borthwick wasn't jumping up and down with happiness. Hopefully hes thinking we got a good win, but by god we got out of jail a few times in the first half.

Back row was excellent.
Freeman starting to look comfortable at this level now and needs to continue to be more influential

The rest not bad. Want to see another improvement v Scotland next.

 

[TommiG88]

It feels like the writer doesn't like him. His write up was 'Tried so hard to make things happen but English rugby's previous golden boy turned most things to lead, never more so than when he threw himself in front of Mitchell's pass.' He also co headlined the whole article alongside Fin Smith.

Certainly, throwing himself in front of Mitchell's pass. I had that on Mitchell for picking the wrong person, should have gone out the back as Smith had the defenders eyes on him

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Charles Richardson is a ******* hack and hates any FH that isn't Farrell