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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.”
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.
“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.
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.
“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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