This is a tale of two grand slam nights in Paris; one of which I struggle to remember, the other of which I would rather forget.
When France beat us in 2010 to win the grand slam, it was the first of only two occasions in my Test career when I was replaced at half-time. I trudged off with Dan Cole after we had been served a brutal lesson in the art of Test-match scrummaging.
The memories of 2016 are happier, if patchier. That game also ended prematurely for me — because I was knocked out. I don’t really recall lifting the trophy after England had won the slam — but I did take it to bed with me that night and the team partied in Paris on the RFU’s credit card.
In some ways I am glad I had that time alone to reflect with the silverware because winning that slam was the highest moment of my England career, for so many reasons. It validated the team and it validated my captaincy.
England had finished second in the Six Nations four years in succession under Stuart Lancaster. It was the same group of players in 2016, but Eddie Jones just gave us the tactical and psychological guidance we needed. We beat France 31-21 that night.
Advertisement
I was knocked out in the 67th minute by Uini Atonio, their 23st-plus prop. I grew up in Rotorua, New Zealand, in a rugby culture with a lot of big boys and my dad always banged on about taking them low. I brought Atonio down and forced a knock-on — but in the process his knee caught me clean on the head and I was out cold.
I woke up with Owen Farrell leaning over me: “You alright, lad?” I didn’t have a headache but I was disorientated. They wanted me to stay in the medical room at the Stade de France, but no way was I going to miss the end of the game. I needed to be out there for my mental state — to watch us do it. I wanted to see us get over the line after five years of falling short.
As I lay there in my room that night, looking at the trophy, I also felt I had proved a point to the rugby community. When I was appointed captain I couldn’t celebrate or enjoy the honour because for weeks I had to answer the same questions about my discipline and whether I could be trusted. I understood that and I owned it completely — I had given people plenty to write about, plenty of reasons to ask those questions — but it was emotionally draining.
My appointment wasn’t celebrated like some; I never got congratulated or a pat on the back. Some people didn’t want a Kiwi as England captain. The RFU got a couple of letters saying schools were going to take rugby out of their programme because I wasn’t the right role model.
Do you want everyone to be perfect or do you want competitors? Do you want to show your kids that failure is accepted and that people can work on themselves to change? I am a role model in that respect and that is why I enjoy working with and mentoring young people now.
Advertisement
I had a chip on my shoulder that I wasn’t accepted and I had to change the narrative. Winning that grand slam did that.
The situation in 2010 was similar to tomorrow’s game. France had to beat us, the old enemy — Les Rosbifs — to seal the slam. The Stade de France was rocking and France fed off that. This present France team seem much more calculated and clinical. I have not seen them deliver a purely emotional performance — when they just ride this wave of passion and energy. It could happen tomorrow night.
We ran into exactly that level of passion. France had this iconic front row of Thomas Domingo, William Servat, who is now their scrum coach, and Nicolas Mas, and plenty of weight behind them. When the French pack have their tails up, that roar from the crowd makes them such a force.
That day it was me, Tim Payne at loose-head and Coley at tight-head. I was just 23, which is a baby in front-row terms. They were relentless. Mas was not the biggest guy but he was so technical; he was small, compact, and scrummaged at an angle to get into the hole under my left shoulder so he was really difficult to move.
Servat and Mas pincered in on me, scrummaging two-on-one. While I focused on my left shoulder, my link with Coley was weakened, which left the most important man in the scrum isolated. You have to problem-solve on the field. We were looking to each other for answers but we didn’t have the experience to find a solution.
Advertisement
Both Coley and I got the shepherd’s crook at half-time. Graham Rowntree was our forwards coach and when I felt him put his arm around me in the changing room I knew. It was the right thing to do. We were hurting the team and it was a game that had a lasting impact. Even though I started games that autumn and in the 2011 Six Nations, by the time we got to the World Cup, Steve Thompson was back as No 1 hooker. I have always felt that day in Paris shifted things in the mind of Martin Johnson, our head coach.
The only other occasion I was replaced at half-time was at the other end of my England career and it also had profound implications. While I understood Johnno’s decision in 2010, the second one left me confused.
It was November 2018, a wet day, and my sort of game, with conditions benefitting good set-piece rugby and mostly the defensive side. I’d been heavily involved, scored a try, and we were leading New Zealand 15-10 so I was surprised when Eddie pulled me off. The game got away from us and we lost 16-15.
The following week we played Japan so I knew there would be changes. I expected then to be reinstated for the Australia game — but I was on the bench again. It turned out to be my last game for England. Sad as that was, I always had my night in Paris.
