Despite a complicated start, England once again dominated France (8-40) this Saturday at the end of the day in Toulouse.
The French team kicks off in a match that on paper seems balanced. The good defense of the Blues causes an English foul and gives France the first chance of the match. Mourgue taps in to follow up on the short side. Fouad Yaha is quicker on the ball and the French open the score after only three minutes of play. Mourgue converts, 6-0.
The showdown begins. The English are dominated territorially but Mourgue drops a ball on a good defensive run. The English are on the attack. Enzo Griffier, 18, shows his defensive qualities and the English are awarded a penalty on the fifth down. At the end of a good chain of downs, Fages’ kick finds the in-goal area, a return under the posts. The chain comes to nothing, well defended by England. But France is installed in the opposing camp.
The minutes pass and the battle in the middle rages. England is penalized for offside. Arthur Mourgue attempts the penalty almost 40 meters in front of the posts. It goes 8-0. The English react. Jack Welsby takes Griffier from behind on the short side. Johnstone inherits the ball and Welsby acrobatically finishes in the corner, 8-6.
England continues. This time, it is on the right side of the attack that they find the fault. Ash Handley is at the finish despite Mourgue’s tackle. Harry Smith misses the conversion this time, 8-10. If the first minutes were French and the following ones balanced, the rest is English. Tom Johnstone, the Catalan, inherits a ball that we would describe as average but he eliminates several French defenders and serves Harry Newman who finds Handley for the double, 8-14.
English domination is now total. They are showing their range. George Williams extends a very long pass to Johnstone who scores easily. 8-18. Great opportunity for France to come back with a penalty against the English who give a ball in the 10 meters but the release of Justin Sangaré is too risky and the ball is lost. A last action on a scrum at 30 meters will not give anything. 10 points ahead for England at the break who after having suffered went into second.
France bows to England
The start of the second half was messy with hand faults on both sides. France benefits from several chains of downs within the opposing 10 meters. Finally, after several minutes of domination, the video refuses the French test. But the domination continues: English forward, dismissal under the posts, etc. But no points scored.
And inevitably, it is the English who will score. Smith’s kick is flattened by Newman, 22-8. Same scenario as in the first period, it continues. Small side in excess easily played with Welsby at the conclusion. 8-28. 10 minutes from the end, French burst with domination similar to that at the start of the second half… sterile.
The next test will therefore be English. Mickey Lewis pierces the defense by starting behind the down and plays his 2 against 1 perfectly against the finish. Try by George Williams, 8-34 with 5 minutes remaining. We thought it was over but the English are teasing and intend to score 40. Smith hits the back of the defense on the first down and Johnstone scores on the horn. You still have to go through the transformation… it’s done. 8-40 final score.
