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‘Low-quality game’: Irish pundit’s brutal summary of England’s win over Wales

George Ford of England looks dejected during the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium on February 10, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Former Ireland backrower Stephen Ferris hasn’t held back in his assessment of England’s 16-14 win over Wales by branding the Six Nations clash at Twickenham “a low-quality game.”

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Playmaker Geoge Ford was the difference as the flyhalf knocked over a 71st penalty goal to ultimately snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

By going off the scoreline alone, the Test seemed to be one for the history books. Wales fell agonisingly short of a historic win with only two points separating the great rugby rivals.

But there’s another side to this tale. Both teams lost at least 13 turnovers, combined for 65 kicks in general play, and conceded 12 penalties between them. There were also three yellow cards on the night, with two England players taking a seat during Wales’ first-half rally.

It was a thrilling Test that came down to the wire, and in the end, it was the England players with wide grins stretched across their faces at full-time – but Irish rugby pundit Stephen Ferris wasn’t nearly as happy with the match that was.

“It was such a low-quality game in terms of the skillset on show, the attacking ability from both sides,” Ferris said on a RTE Rugby panel post-match.

“We’re talking about Freddie Steward, well we certainly were here in the studio, about getting player of the match just because he was taking high balls all afternoon. Tommy Reffell, as well, brilliant around the breakdown.

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“But not that much ball carrying and getting in behind each other’s defences. For me, it was a low-quality game.”

Before Ireland’s clash with Italy, that two-point victory lifted Steve Borthwick’s men up to first on the Six Nations standings with eight competition points to their name.

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England started their campaign with a hard-fought win over Italy in Rome last weekend, and they’re now two for two in 2024 following the win over the Welsh.

But while winning is, of course, the aim of the game, England’s points differential is only +5. Both of their wins to date haven’t been 100 per cent convincing.

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“I can’t see an improvement yet from England,” Ferris added. “Hopefully we see a bit more of it a bit later in the tournament.

“But at the minute they just look like a team that are maybe a little low on confidence and are still a little unsure of what exactly the coaching staff want from them.”

England will look to maintain their unbeaten charge in their Six Nations match when they travel to Edinburgh to take on Scotland at Murrayfield on February 24.

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Comments

4 Comments
S
Shaylen 400 days ago

To say it was a low quality game was a bit harsh. Sure both teams spurned chances and werent accurate at times but it was really entertaining and to be honest the quality was of an international standard. Just because its not the quality of a match between the All Blacks and Ireland doesnt mean its low quality. It was just average

B
Bob Marler 401 days ago

Not sure which 6N Ferris is following. I thought England showed definite improvement. Their defence looked better. Keeping Wales scoreless in the second half tells the story, surely, after shipping tries against Italy in week 1.

With France and Ireland’s attacking capabilities, in this years 6N - Englands best chances are focusing on a super stingy defence and a kicker who can slot goals.

That’s what it’s going to take for England to beat France and Ireland - not trying to razzle and dazzle on attack. With a young team and new coaches. Thats foolish.

England have shown time and again what they can do in knockout games. Treat each of the next games as a knockout game, grind out the win.

I think the aggressive rush defence will get under Ireland and France’s skin in particular.

T
Turlough 402 days ago

Two separate articles on Irish media pundits coverage of two matches. Just give your readers the links to watch the content themselves and cut the articles?

C
Colin 402 days ago

Yes he is correct. a low quality game as was Scotland v France.

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MS 1 hour ago
Why Blair Kinghorn should be nailed on as the Lions starting 15

I can see arguments for both Kinghorn, and Keenan starting for the Lions. But I’m less convinced by some of the claims (clearly partisan) supporters are using to argue the merits of one over the other.


For example, a number of Ireland supporters have suggested Kinghorn is ‘defensively weak’. That’s patently false - or at least on the evidence of this 6N, he’s certainly no weaker there than Keenan is, who is presumably the comparative standard they’re using. Keenan was both shrugged off in contact, and beaten on the edge for pace, a number of times during this competition.


Equally, Scotland supporters arguing Kinghorn is the more capable ‘rugby player’ seem to have overlooked the (frankly sizeable) body of evidence demonstrating that Keenan is an excellent ball in hand distributor and decision maker. So that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny either.


I don’t think there’s all that much to choose between them, and either would be a strong choice. I think it would be really interesting from a pure rugby perspective to see Keenan playing a ‘Scotland-esque’ style of high tempo attacking rugby. Either coming into the line more routinely as first receiver, or being swung as a pendulum and getting the ball on the edge against a stretched defence.


That’s assuming Andy Farrell goes that route, of course. He may well just opt for his Ireland system instead, and populate it with the likes of Henshaw, Ringrose, Lowe and Keenan. I’m sure that would win the series. Quite what effect it might have on a Lions audience who were expecting something other than ‘Ireland on tour, but wearing red’ would remain to be seen.


As for the debate at FB, the only ‘eye test’ difference I feel exists is in the pace of rugby Kinghorn (Toulouse? Scotland?) tends to play. His passing/offload game feels crisper and higher tempo than Keenan’s - and as we saw in Paris, his pace and eye for a gap from deep are superior.


But again, that will only prove a decisive factor if Andy Farrell wants to play that way. If all he wants from his FB is to sit deep, field high balls, and mop up then there’s little between these two equally excellent players.

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