Tom Palmer: My moment of the match

So good to be playing an international at Twickenham again after putting in so many hours on the training pitch! And, great to see the way the things we have been practicing come to fruition in the game against Fiji!

My Moment of the Match has to be the prolonged sequence of play we put together early in the second half which resulted in a try for Tom Johnson in the right hand corner. It epitomised all we have been working on – building sustained attacks of multiple phases, involving both forwards and backs, to create the space for scoring opportunities.

From a defensive kick to touch by Fiji Charlie Sharples took a quick thrown in from around the half way line to Alex Goode who set up a ruck on the right.

We then attacked the blind side with the forwards, set up another ruck and from this one captain Chris Robshaw drove the ball up on the open side.

With plenty of space to the left our backs worked the ball through the hands to left wing Ugo Monye who was strong enough to step infield and keep the ball alive for us at another ruck.

Following the play, I found myself in the unaccustomed position of fly half when Danny Care whipped the ball away to me from this ruck.  I took the pass on the run and drove forward and then released to new cap Mako Vunipola who went to ground.

With help, I cleared out the opposition at this ruck to make the ball available for Danny Care. He passed it to Toby Flood who used the dummy run of Thomas Waldron to hold their defence before he flashed out the pass to Alex Goode. Alex then passes to Chris Robshaw who drew the last man before putting Tom Johnson in at the corner.

Very satisfying!

Cheers,

Tom

Tom Palmer is writing for Greene King IPA

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