George Ford reflects on challenging playing conditions in England’s 34-12 victory over Japan

George Ford on England’s Win Against Japan: “Greasy” Conditions Made it Tough

In an enthralling clash at the Rugby World Cup, George Ford shared his thoughts on the challenging conditions that affected England’s performance against Japan. Despite a slow start, England managed to secure a 34-12 victory.

Tight First Half and Second-Half Triumph for England

The game kicked off on a humid evening in Nice, with both teams opting for a conservative approach and relying heavily on kicking. The first half saw limited action as both sides battled to gain control of the greasy ball. However, in the second half, England found their rhythm and scored three tries.

Frustrating Handling Errors from Japan and Determination from England

Japan struggled with their handling throughout the match, committing 14 errors compared to England’s 11. Speaking about the conditions, Ford remarked, “It was probably not the prettiest to watch but it’s hard to play with the ball in these conditions.”

“These late kick-offs are dead greasy but we got there in the end,” he added. “We knew it was going to be tough and Japan challenge you in different ways.”

Ford praised his team’s ability to pull away during crucial stages of the match: “We knew it would be that third or fourth quarter we could pull away a bit but we are delighted to get the win.”

Dramatic Tries Seal Victory for England

Lewis Ludlam secured England’s opening try after capitalizing on a mistake by Japan when they failed to reclaim their own line-out. Courtney Lawes extended England’s lead with a fortunate ricochet off Joe Marler’s head, and Ford showcased his precision with a cross-field kick to set up Freddie Steward for their third try.

Joe Marchant sealed the bonus point victory with a powerful finish late in the game as England wore down their opponents.

England’s Kicking Gameplan Proves Effective

The unusual number of kicks seen during the match caught the attention of former England wing Chris Ashton. He praised England’s strategic approach: “It seemed the ploy was to wear Japan down with the kicking plan in the first half, however frustrating it may have been.”

Facing Chile in their next game on Saturday, England is now in pole position to qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals from Pool D after securing two consecutive victories.