the times | Monday May 2 2022 51
Women's Six NationsSport
While England were powering through
the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, a
bugle call was sounded throughout
New Zealand — heard from Bay of
Islands in the north to Bluff way down
south. It had a mournful sound as the
wounds of England’s ruthless savaging
of the Black Ferns in all three Tests at
the end of last year will still be open.
But it was also a summons. Glenn
Moore, the previous man in charge, was
ejected. New Zealand host the World
Cup this year, with vengeance a priori-
ty. For England, above all others, to win
the title under their noses would be a
nightmare without parallel.
The greats answered the call. Sir
Graham Henry, arguably the most
illustrious coach the game has wit-
nessed, came in to head up the new
panel. Wayne Smith became director of
rugby; Mike Cron, the most famous
scrum coach in history, the Professor of
Up Front, also arrived.
Wait a minute. What about the other
great Kiwi coach of the era, Steve
Hansen? What are we going to do
about Steve? Got it! He didn’t make it to
the group so instead they appointed
Whitney Hansen, his daughter. And by
repute, she is a very fine coach.
Ranged against those in the
galacticos dugout, England have Simon
Middleton, the northerner in his late
team’s reaction to New Zealand fans.
England may think that the crowd at
the Jean Dauger on Saturday was hos-
tile and so it was. But the hostility in
French crowds is often skin deep, they
do give the referees a verbal pasting, but
they also applauded England’s lap of
honour at the end.
In New Zealand, the hostility is more
biting, even snidey. New Zealand is
where British & Irish Lions teams are
often booed on to the field and where
tame observers join the national cause
in print, chummy with the coaches.
England need one seminar on likely
reactions to attempting to beat New
Zealand on their own patch. A long one.
No doubt Henry and his unmerry
men will already have gone through the
tapes of England’s grand slam. Any
weaknesses to spot? Yes. The tactical
kicking of Marine Ménager and others
from the backfield often disconcerted
England. Kickers in the women’s game
are gaining length all the time but it is
still rare for a team to be able to roast an
opponent by pinging it over their heads
to order. England often looked to be
disconcerted.
And the back play? Well in Bayonne,Scorers: France: Tries Ménager (4min), Deshaye
(67). Con Drouin. England: Tries Bern 2 (12, 27),
Ward (17). Cons Scarratt 3. Pen Scarratt.
France C Jacquet; C Boujard (E Boulard 59),
M Filopon, G Vernier (J Trémoulière 67),
M Ménager; C Drouin, L Sansus (A Chambon 78);
A Deshaye, A Sochat (L Touye 64), C Joyeux
(Y Brosseau 64), M Fall, A Forlani, C Ferer,
G Hermet, R Ménager (E Gros 67).
England H Rowland; L Thompson, E Scarratt,
H Aitchison, J Breach; Z Harrison (sin-bin 42-52,
E Kildunne 72), L Infante (N Hunt 59);
V Cornborough, L Davies (H Botterman 57),
S Bern (M Muir 64), Z Aldcroft, A Ward,
A Matthews (S Beckett 78), M Packer, P Cleall
(R Galligan 52).
Referee H Davidson (Sco).England unity a match for Kiwi galacticos
they now have a limited time — they
have to know each player intimately,
what they can achieve at the
height of their ability and
what exists in the depths of
their soul.
They have to recognise
the minor twitches of
body language and
probably have the
humility to agree that
they are beginners in their
new field, maestros though
they may be.
Middleton and his
lieutenants may lack
the same global
triumphs and the
slow-car parades
but they are so
beautifully
tuned into
their char-
ges, they
know every-
thing, about
everyone, soul-
deep. This
England squad is
the most dedi-
cated, industrious
and engaging
group I have
encountered in
sport — and I have
encountered a few.
Perhaps the only
imponderable is the0
2Stephen Jones
1
France
England
12
24
there wasn’t any. Fine — coach Middle-
ton had a slam to win and he won it by
imposing the driving maul. But he
knows they will have to expand in the
World Cup. “We didn’t always free
ourselves up to play, a shame when we
have some fabulous attacking players,”
he said.
Zoe Harrison at fly half is a splendid,
calm operator but the great attacking
weapons that are Emily Scarratt, Jess
Breach and Lydia Thompson, re-
mained unused outside her.
But England are still flying; it is New
Zealand who are trying to catch up.
After the match, Middleton declared
that the night belonged to the players,
he declared the intention to celebrate
with enthusiasm. But as the team wan-
dered into the Biarritz evening, you
wondered if everyone in this fanatically
dedicated bunch could remember what
to do on a night out.
New Zealand may need every crafty
scrap of the grizzled and steely coach-
ing experience they have drafted. It will
be a wondrous confrontation.fifties with no track record in the men’s
game, plus two former players, Louis
Deacon and Scott Bemand,
both of whom are still learn-
ing about coaching.
“To be coaching
against such a fantastic
group as that will be
awesome,” Middleton
said after the grand-
slam victory against
France in Bayonne on
Saturday. “And it will be
interesting to see how they
gel.”
That is an excellent point. Just
adding up coaching caps may be a
brainwave, but it’s not a guarantee.
You can employ the six greatest
drummers in the world to bash the
skins but you may just be left
with a bloody row and a
headache.
Will the Henry
group gel? Can
they turn back
the clock? Or,
more impor-
tantly, can
they look
forward,
because
the game
and the
way in
which it
is refer-
eed
changes
by the
hour.
And23
Victories in a row
for England’s women —
one short of their all-time
record set between 1992
and 1997Final standings
P W L D PF PA PD B Pts
England (C)5 5 0 0 28222 260 7 27
France 5 4 1 0 152 48 104 4 20
Wales 5 2 3 0 69 139 -70 3 11
Ireland 5 2 3 0 68 158 -90 1 9
Italy 5 2 3 0 44 163 -119 0 8
Scotland 5 0 5 059 144 -85 3 3Middleton lifts
the trophy with
Rosie Galligan