'England don't know how to win'
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:41
Standing firm: England manager Martin Johnson
England manager Martin Johnson has summed up the draw with Scotland that effectively ended his side's hopes of winning this year's Six Nations as "a tale of missed chances".
A scrappy Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield on Saturday ended in a 15-15 stalemate with neither side managing to score a try and left England relying on Italy beating France on Sunday to give them something to play for in their final match, against France in Paris next weekend.
"The team is frustrated with life, with themselves," Johnson said.
"As a collective I think we are just gutted."
Toby Flood, on as a replacement for a dazed Jonny Wilkinson, missed a long-range penalty which could have secured a narrow win for England three minutes from time, but Scotland enjoyed the lion's share of possession and dominated territorially.
"We could have won but I am not going to say we should have won," Johnson added.
"As a team we have to find a way to win."
Australian-born flyhalf Dan Parks kicked all of Scotland's points and saw two further penalties come back off the post.
"It wasn't a great game to watch," Johnson added.
"There were a lot of penalties down to the interpretation at the breakdown and it kept us in our half for most of the first half.
"I thought when we had the ball in the first half we looked good but we gave it back so cheaply. We did some very good things and did some silly things.
"These games get tighter and tighter as the clock runs down. Ultimately it is a tale of missed chances."
England will travel to Paris expecting to face a side gunning for a Grand Slam and Johnson faces a tough task in getting his troops motivated as he seeks to head off the criticism that will inevitably come his way in the end of another unconvincing display.
"It will be a huge game for them and Saturday night in Paris can be difficult as Ireland have found out," Johnson said.
Ugo Monye was carried off on a stretcher with his neck in a brace after a head-to-head collision with Scotland forward Kelly Brown.
However, a statement from the England medical staff later revealed that it was not serious.
"The results of a precautionary X-ray and scan showed no significant damage and he was discharged into the care of the England medical team," the statement said.
AFP
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