- Experienced official invited to training after penalty glut
- ‘We have to be cleverer and smarter,’ says coach Mitchell
Wayne Barnes has been laying down the law with the England squad this week after a high penalty count in the opening three rounds contributed to the champions relinquishing their title early. Having cancelled an 11-point deficit against Wales in Cardiff to level in the last round, three offences in nine minutes punctured the comeback and raised the prospect of a bottom-half finish.
England, who contacted Barnes – the game’s most experienced Test referee – after conceding 42 penalties in three matches, face the unbeaten France at Twickenham on Saturday and while Les Bleus have not won a tournament match at the ground since 2005, they are buoyed by the performance of a reserve side in the Autumn Nations Cup final in December when England needed extra-time to prevail after trailing for most of the match.
