Now repeat it. That’s the difficult problem. After scaling the heights to shock Eire final Saturday, England are on a twin-peaks campaign which doubles as a revenge mission.Seven days in the past, coach Steve Borthwick’s workforce produced simmering, dazzling defiance to ambush the Six Nations title-holders at Twickenham, after being written off following their defeat by Scotland at Murrayfield. Now, on the ultimate weekend of the championship, the motivation is totally different. That is all about payback and redemption.It’s 12 months since France got here to south-west London and condemned their cross-Channel rivals to a record-breaking 53-10 defeat. It was not a lot Le Crunch as Le Crash. Fabien Galthie’s aspect had the run of England’s residence turf. There was annihilation and humiliation for the hosts. The scars from that ordeal have but to heal. The recollections are uncomfortably uncooked. There are 10 survivors from that horror present within the guests’ squad of 23 for this rematch and one among them is captain Jamie George. He defined how the 2023 expertise could be channelled.‘We have been terrible,’ admitted the Saracens hooker with typical candour. ‘It wasn’t simply the outcome — we didn’t work. The naked minimal of what we must be about is struggle and displaying character. That show was the exact opposite. We gave up, we regarded drained, we didn’t entrance up bodily. That isn’t the form of workforce we wish to be and it nonetheless hurts me to this present day. That’s definitely within the motivation.’ England produced simmering, dazzling defiance to see off Eire at Twickenham final week They subsequent play France who humiliated them 53-10 on their residence floor a yr in the past Steve Borthwick’s aspect shall be out for revenge after they play France in Lyon on SaturdayIt will assist England’s quest to fulfill fireplace with fireplace right here that they’ve these ghosts at the back of their minds. It is going to assist as a result of they can’t simply fall again on an us-against-the-world want to ship a retort to their critics this time, for the easy motive that there aren’t any critics.They’ve been rightly acclaimed for his or her efficiency within the 23-22 win over Eire. All of the ‘exterior noise’ they typically discuss has been optimistic for every week. There was no circling of the wagons, so various gas is required. Hitting the heights once more in that state of affairs gained’t be straightforward and George is aware of it.‘It’s apparent to thrive if you end up written off,’ mentioned the skipper. ‘If you find yourself backed right into a nook, you struggle your means out of it. We achieved one thing particular final weekend however having the ability to again it up is a big motivation for me. Good groups react effectively to setbacks — nice groups ensure they again it up.‘We obtained some issues precisely proper emotionally final week and plenty of that got here from sticking two fingers as much as some individuals who have been saying some dangerous issues about us after the Scotland sport. However you should use various things to drive emotion.’George has a cautionary story from when England got here near reaching world glory within the Far East. The very fact they fell quick — dropping a World Cup last 32-12 in opposition to South Africa after beating the All Blacks the earlier weekend — was triggered partly by changing into caught up in outdoors pleasure and dropping sight of their goal.‘I discovered a giant lesson in 2019 after the New Zealand efficiency, round issues like emotional highs and lows,’ mentioned George. ‘We believed the hype. You’re in a World Cup last week and I had each distraction below the solar — individuals wanting to come back over, hundreds of individuals asking for tickets, individuals from college popping out the woodwork who I hadn’t spoken to for 10 years.‘It’s nice however it may be actually distracting and I in all probability discovered that the laborious means.‘We undoubtedly obtained it fallacious in 2019. We didn’t attain the highs of the week earlier than and what I discovered is that you just want to have the ability to give your self the house to get away from issues and mirror, do what you’ve obtained to do after which spike once more. A very powerful factor is that spike reaches related ranges or above to final Saturday.’ England captain Jamie George admitted his workforce have been ‘terrible’ in opposition to France final yr, and there may be ‘motivation’ for revenge after the painful loss which nonetheless hurts him to this present day George (pictured on the ball) needs to again up the win over Eire with one other optimistic resultRealistically, Eire shall be quaffing champagne out of the Six Nations trophy by the point this match kicks off, however England have lots to play for.In addition to revenge, they will end with 4 wins from 5 — a powerful return final achieved in 2020. Doing that may endorse the transition course of which Borthwick is overseeing, with a blitz defence intertwined with high-tempo attacking ambition.On the flipside, there’s a hazard of ending fourth if England lose. Scotland and France can each overtake them within the occasion of a house win at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium on this last fixture.Fourth would really feel like a letdown, given how the French, with a lingering World Cup hangover, have struggled on this marketing campaign with out Antoine Dupont.What Galthie’s aspect have lacked in cohesion and confidence, they’ve alleviated — to an extent — with sheer energy. Eire could seal the title earlier than England play, however Borthwick’s aspect nonetheless have lots to play for France have struggled on this Six Nations marketing campaign with out main star Antoine DupontTheir pack is gigantic, so this shall be a take a look at of bravery and bodily dedication for England. In the event that they fall wanting the depth they produced in opposition to Eire, it gained’t finish effectively. Regardless of the frustration of dropping Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — such an thrilling new asset — after he was discovered to have concussion signs, George Furbank shall be buoyed by his very good contribution at Twickenham every week in the past, as will Ollie Lawrence.The strain is off that pair, who had a tough time at Murrayfield, and the identical goes for George Ford at 10. He can management proceedings way more successfully than the erratic Thomas Ramos, France’s non-tackling, faux fly-half, though Nolann Le Garrec, the brand new darling within the iconic No 9 shirt, poses an almighty particular person menace.George Martin, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill and Co can cease the Gallic giants on the gainline, bringing explosive power with their physicality, which their huge rivals lack.And if Ellis Genge and others blast dents within the opposition line, as they did so successfully in opposition to the Irish, England can scale the second of their twin peaks, avenge the ordeal of 12 months in the past and show past all doubt they’re very a lot on the rise once more.
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CHRIS FOY: England have been humiliated by the French a yr in the past however after beating Eire they’re REBORN… their Six Nations conflict with Les Bleus in Lyon is all about revenge
