How England’s ‘old dogs’ helped script unlikely Six Nations plot twist

Steve Borthwick’s improved bench came good at last to help England to an unlikely victory over France

The post from Jamie George on social media was typically wry. “There’s life in the old dogs yet,” George quipped beneath a snap of the England hooker and old mucker Elliot Daly, with the pair good mates, club colleagues and international stalwarts. Across the best part of 200 combined caps, the duo have seen just about everything there is to see in Test rugby, plenty of highs, plenty of lows, and plenty in-between.

Yet even George and Daly’s sage heads might have struggled to make sense of it all on Saturday evening. It had been an entirely curious, at times incomprehensible contest, France seemingly seconds from accelerating out of sight repeatedly yet each time contriving to drop the ball. On another day, none of Antoine Dupont, Damian Penaud or Peato Mauvaka fumble with the line in sight and France would have continued on their grand slam march.

But England have come out on the wrong side of such hypotheticals so often in the last 12 months that they might feel that such luck and opposition profligacy was overdue. Twice now in two years they have derailed the tournament favourites at Twickenham when few gave the hosts a hope.

England snatched an unexpected late victory against France (Action Images/Reuters)

From scenario to scenario late on, the problems of the past kept threatening to reappear, images and ignominies of the seven near misses resurfacing: the no-arms tackle in Lyon, the maul falling inches short in Auckland; the spilled restart against Australia; that lineout misfire against South Africa. There were so many situations where things could, and have previously, gone wrong – but at last, they didn’t.

The impact of the bench was key within that. Derided in Dublin, triumphant in Twickenham, a much-maligned unit at last provided the impact that had been found wanting so often over the last 12 months. Borthwick conceded ahead of this game that he had probably erred in naming such a callow group against Ireland. The nous and gnarl that George and Daly so obviously possess proved key qualities in avoiding yet more heartache.

“Ireland’s bench last week was terrific and the way they played the second half, tactically, was exceptional,” Borthwick outlined. “I thought today that we had real impact off the bench.

“Jamie George and Elliot Daly came on and added. Between them, they rose our caps by about 170 and they increased our average age of a team by nearly two years. They certainly brought all that intelligence and experience onto the grass.”

Allied with the arrival of Ollie Chessum, George stabilised a lineout that had been wobbling. Chessum was the recipient of the two crucial throws, first taking at the tail to set up Fin Baxter’s score before surviving the attentions of Hugo Auradou to lay the platform for Daly’s match-winning try. Another replacement, Ben Curry, set up that position with a crucial jackal turnover after England had trusted their kick pressure game to create an opportunity.

The arrival of Ollie Chessum and Jamie George stabilised England’s lineout (Getty)

George’s impact was felt elsewhere, too. These can’t have been easy weeks for the hooker, having suffered an untimely injury just days after being stripped of the captaincy, but he is one of England’s great team men and showed that character here. “He comes on the pitch and it’s all calm,” Daly explained of his chum. “He nails his lineouts, gets round the pitch, makes linebreaks.

“He just brings that calm, especially in those situations where we could chase the game, but we know the only way to get back into the game is to do what you do and do it well – double down on it. He was instrumental in that.”

Alongside George Ford and others, the trio have played a vital role in the last year. For England’s youth movement, the goals are longer-term, the pain now worth it if it culminates in success down the line. That is not such a straightforward sell for the older guard who may not make the 2027 World Cup, the promise of a bright spring inconsequential for someone nearing their final winter. It is testament to the character of Daly, George and others how well they have guided and glued the squad throughout the recent missteps.

Veterans Elliot Daly and Jamie George have been key off-field forces for England in moulding a young squad (Getty)

Fin Smith’s calm and composure have been obvious as he has made his way at Worcester and Northampton but Ford has had great influence on the two younger fly-halves in camp. “The way the players like Elliot and George Ford, to name just two, add in the training week is incredible,” Borthwick stressed. “The players are willing to give so much – in George Ford’s case, he’s not even in the 23 and he’s given so much to the team.”

This enigmatic side continue to be quite the conundrum. The challenge will be to build from here as they failed to do so after stunning Ireland last March. England’s head coach touched on the need for tangible progress repeatedly post-match, recognising that all the urgings of encouragement that he was providing both his side and the supporters were growing tough to digest amid the gut-wrenching run. It is hoped that this instils the belief they will need to go on.

This strange bunch are quite capable of another setback in a fortnight against Scotland but this should prove another key building block for the Borthwick project. Maro Itoje, the England captain, described the result as a “vindication” – and a number of bold calls certainly came good.

England, true to their coach’s character, will not get ahead of themselves after so many false dawns in recent years. Their recent Calcutta Cup subjugation will no doubt dominate the fortnight before Scotland come to Twickenham.

But having seemed to be sliding towards another year of title irrelevancy, England have a real foothold with a kind finish to the campaign. “You’ve got to win your home games in this tournament; we’ve got two more home games in this competition – that will put us in good stead,” Daly assessed. “We haven’t beaten Scotland in the past four times, so we want to make sure we’re ready for them coming down here and try to get a result.”