Speaking after a long-awaited England win on Saturday night, Steve Borthwick sought to highlight the spirit he believes he has instilled in his team even amid a run of near misses. “What really struck me today was how hard the England players were running back,” the head coach explained. “We said in the week that we would have to – because they’re such a good team – but they ran back and tried to save tries. That’s a real sign of team development.”
There was one moment in particular that summed that ethos up. The match had barely begun again after the interval when Marcus Smith found himself pickpocketed on the touchline, Louis Bielle-Biarrey spinning out of the contact with a pilfered pill and making tracks for home. The France wing is properly rapid; for a moment, all English hope appeared lost as he scurried away.
