PAUL REES

England finished their worst year since 2008 in terms of results by becoming the only Six Nations team not to defeat a Rugby Championship opponent this month. A defeat to Argentina and salvaged draw against New Zealand was followed with a dismantling by the team that defeated them in the 2019 World Cup final, South Africa.
Seldom has the Twickenham crowd been so quiet, finding its voice nine minutes from the end when Henry Slade scored a try, the time when the unlikely comeback against New Zealand had started the previous week. The Springboks were also down to 14 men after the dis...