There would have been more than a few England fans dreaming of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time since 2003 during the country’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa on October 21st, 2023.
Heartbreak in Paris
Cruelly, the semi-final in Paris would turn into a crushing affair after the Springboks snatched victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to a Handre Pollard penalty at the eleventh hour. Up until then, however, Steve Borthwick’s men had led the game for 78 minutes and were only seconds away from beating the eventual champions.
Handre Pollard puts the Springboks ahead!#RWC2023 | #ENGvRSA pic.twitter.com/cJ5oW3T01c
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) October 21, 2023
As heartbreaking as this seemingly unjust end was, the reality is that despite losing the game, this was England’s best performance since beating the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semi-final in Japan.
Now, with the Six Nations approaching and England still without the personnel to play an expensive brand of rugby, they should revert to the highly effective game plan deployed against the South Africans.
Play to your strengths
Undoubtedly, keeping it simple is England’s best chance of winning the Six Nations for the first time since 2020 as they are likely to come up against teams in 2024 who will blow them away if they try to match their attacking running.
In particular, Ireland and France both opt for a free-flowing philosophy that seeks to widen the pitch and exploit gaps in the opposition’s defence. At this moment in history, England can’t go toe to toe with this high-octane approach and tellingly, the latest outright odds for the Six Nations provide further evidence of the current gulf in class.
Indeed, France has been priced as the favourites at 6/5 while Ireland is at 6/4, England, meanwhile, is at longer odds of 5/1. What these prices suggest is that England is better suited to strangling the contest by choosing to kick as often as possible or else they will be overrun.
Fans who feel that Borthwick’s charges can defy their long Six Nations odds can claim these no deposit free bets being offered by Midnite, Fafabet and Paddy Power. In some instances, as much as £50 in bonuses are on offer to new customers which can be used to bet on England going all the way in 2024.
Just one month until our @SixNationsRugby campaign kicks off against @Federugby 😝 pic.twitter.com/IC1m3WnuhI
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 3, 2024
It might not be that unheard of if England can execute the same strategy witnessed against the Boks in Paris. Yes, with similar levels of discipline and precision, the Red Roses can successfully disrupt the flow of their European neighbours.
Tried and tested
Admittedly, there will be some fans who will bemoan excessive kicking given that the onus is on the opposition making mistakes under the high ball rather than creatively playing through a team. While valid concerns, the truth is that the Springboks have played this way throughout their history and have won more World Cups than any other nation.
It is an approach that guarantees results or at the very least, a far closer contest as England proved in Paris when they matched the Boks’ physicality and kicking.
There might come a time when England can return to a set of tactics that centres on overwhelming the opposition with flare and superior ball handling but for now, turning their Six Nations fixtures into an unsightly arm wrestle is a pragmatic way to ensure they remain competitive. With a bit of luck that was missing in Paris, England might even go all the way.
