England had a frustrating afternoon on Saturday, falling to a 26-24 defeat at the death. There were some positive signs but the game was hindered by poor discipline and some silly errors. With that in mind, let's take a look at who has helped, and who has hurt, their chances this summer.
Winners
Tom Willis
The Saracens man has surely now established himself as England's starter in his position. He once again brought unique power and presence to the field and dominated for the 55 minutes he played. He also scored to cap off what was an impressive display.
Joe Carpenter
Carpenter has had to wait for a while to get a chance in an England shirt. This performance can only help his quest to earn an inaugural England cap this summer. He started every single Premiership game that Sale played this season but looked anything other than fatigued as he scored England's third try after comfortably handling everything the French threw at him. At club level he has shown himself to be a fullback who is confident in every facet of the game and he proved that once again for England. He has the skill-set to become a crucial player for his country and this tour could give him the platform to do that.
Seb Atkinson
England's inside centre position is up for grabs and Atkinson got the first shot at starting there - he took it. The Gloucester man provided some much-needed physicality in midfield and nearly scored in the first half. He'll have plenty of chances this summer but this was a good start.
Guy Pepper
Pepper has perhaps more competition than anyone else on this list; he is behind multiple world-class players and so has found himself with fewer caps than he deserves. This summer could be his chance to establish himself in the team and he started well on Saturday.
Losers
Rugbypass TV
Those in charge of rugbypass TV might have been the only people on the planet who thought that England and France playing each other wouldn't draw any interest. As a result of their lack of preparation, viewers were suddenly unable to watch the match midway through. The RFU were forced to put the match on Youtube instead which was a much better viewing experience. Perhaps that should be the online streaming option in the future.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
His return to England was a cause of excitement but he had an unremarkable game before getting sent off. He put too much on a grubber kick before trying to make up for his mistake by making a big tackle. Instead, he failed to adjust his body shape and ended up clothes-lining the ball-carrier. He will now be suspended for both Argentina games thus giving others the opportunity to stake a claim for his position. He has already had to switch wings due to Tommy Freeman cementing himself on the right wing, so he'll be hoping he won't lose too much ground after this incident.
The 6-2 split
The 6-2 split has become popular in recent years and for good reason. It gives the pack the ability to attack all-oiut for an hour before being almost entirely replaced. However, this obviously leaves the back line exposed. England ended the game with Oscar Beard and others playing out of position and looking uncomfortable which didn't help with their (ultimately unsuccessful) last-minute defence.
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