LONDON : All the talk after England's 19-17 win over Wales on Saturday was about Owen Farrell's dangerous tackle red card and how many World Cup games he might miss, yet the flyhalf's enforced absence could well work in the team's favour.The England captain was sent off after smashing his shoulder into th
LONDON : All the talk after England's 19-17 win over Wales on Saturday was about Owen Farrell's dangerous tackle red card and how many World Cup games he might miss, yet the flyhalf's enforced absence could well work in the team's favour.
However, while Farrell is undoubtedly the beating heart of the team, a warrior who every coach wants in his side, his enforced absence paves the way for George Ford to slot in at flyhalf, with the mercurial talents of Marcus Smith on the bench. His precision and leadership - less vocal but more structured than Farrell's - were key in the comeback, and England would hardly be weaker with him as the starting 10.
Obviously it is far from ideal for a team to be heading into a tournament with so many unknowns in their backline but, given how thin England's attack has looked in recent games, it is hardly a case of breaking up a smooth-running machine. For the first hour England hardly fired a shot, looking even less dangerous than in last week's defeat in Cardiff when they at least routinely threatened the try line, before too often spilling the ball.
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