Time to shrug off the straitjacket, England

If you put the England backs behind the French pack would they be as good as the French backs? The first thing is they would be very pleased with the prospect! It’s a good question, and a hard one to answer. The English backs would get much quicker ball, and it would then be about them making good decisions, and keeping their depth.

- JEREMY CUSCOTT

The speed of ball from the French forwards was phenomenal against Ireland, and the English backs would love to be on the front foot in the way that Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud were against the Irish. However, comparing the French wings with Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme is not easy. They are different players, and, with a less effective English pack in front of them, both England wings have finished their chances well in this Six Nations.

In the autumn some of England’s tries were well constructed and well finished, particularly in the way they manipulated the defence. It was encouraging that the same applied against Italy for Tom Willis’ opening try, and I particularly liked the way he read the phase play, and then hit the ball on the rattle making him very hard to stop.

Freeman’s ability to be in the right place at the right time earned him a fourth consecutive try in this tournament’s matches although he will know better than anybody that he scored from Elliot Daly’s kick because the Italian defence was asleep.

As for which of the two teams have made the most progress in this tournament, data areas like penalties and scrums show that England have improved. Their attack still has some way to go but there were positive signs in Cardiff yesterday. By comparison, if France do not win another Championship or Grand Slam in this era, with this team, it will not reflect how good they are.

When it comes to their loss to England, it does not matter so much how they lost – which was mainly inaccuracy – but it does matter why. To my eye France are unconstructed in the way they play, whereas for the most part Ireland still looked very well organised, despite their defeat in Dublin. The execution of most of what the Irish do, and the options when they work through the phases with their pods, is impressive.