England Deaf take on France
As the England team was battling it out in the Rugby World Cup in Australia, another England rugby team took on France, in the Stade Champfleuri in Montargis, near Paris.
The nation’s newest international side, the England Deaf Rugby Union, were playing their first ever competitive match, which was also their inaugural international, putting up a spirited display to lose by only 16 – 3 to a team which has been training and playing for the past two years.
The encounter had all the pre-match tension: the marching bands, handshakes from civic and rugby dignitaries and two stirring national anthems. England captain, Richard Jackson, led by example from number 8, as France’s sizeable pack pressurised the England players into off side infringements giving away several penalty attempts
France took a 3 – 0 lead but against the bigger, heavier forwards, England flankers Barnes and Pruce constantly hassled at the breakdowns to salvage some scraps for the backs. England outside half Gavin Jackson tried to set up Doyle and Gilbert for the centres to penetrate the midfield but for most part the three quarters were on the back foot.
Persistent French pressure led to a second French penalty and a 6-0 lead. But with England’s Gavin Jackson rewarded at his second penalty attempt the score went to 6 – 3.
The English front five tackled everything that came at them. Millership, Pothecray and Taylor were never afraid to lay their bodies on the line, while locks Phinney and Valentine did much unseen work to stem the French attacks.
It was no surprise that the French started the second half keeping the ball amongst their pack, which paid off when they rolled a mass of French bodies over the line for an unconverted try (11-3).
England’s lineout play improved with hooker Pothecray finding skipper Jackson jumping at number 2. Using the ball gathered from those front ball lineouts, scrum half Everett tried to get his three quarters away but the English backs didn’t see enough clean ball to set up any moves. The French continued to catch England players infringing at rucks and mauls and gain penalties. One of those occasions that saw the most bizarre incident of the match. France elected to kick a penalty which was missed but the referee indicated that some England players had moved forward as the kick was taken. The French full back then kicked the ball to touch and from the resulting French lineout on the English five metre line they rolled the maul over the line for a try, which again went unconverted.
With little time to go England almost scored the try they richly deserved when a good passing move in the backs saw full back Dalzeil run round the French to score by the corner flag. The celebration of the squad and England supporters in the 500 strong crowd was short lived, however, as the touch judge had raised his flag considering Dalzeil had stepped into touch. The referee’s whistle signalled the end of the match on 80 minutes and though the England squad was disappointed this was a magnificent first effort against a much more experienced team.
As head coach Geoff Atkinson told his men “You were brilliant out there – all of you. This was your first game and that score was nothing. This is just the start. We are going to win the 4 Nations and we will beat the French when we return.
Having had just four training session few can doubt that the England players will be formidable challengers for the IDRO 4 Nations Championship.
