England’s surprise 24-22 Six Nations victory over France at the Stade France on Sunday was down to the players and not the coach, said a modest Stuart Lancaster.
The 42-year-old stand-in coach had just seen his inexperienced side become the first England team since 2008 to beat the French in a Six Nations match at the Stade de France.
However, Lancaster preferred to praise his players rather than what it might mean for his prospects of landing the coaching job full-time.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” said Lancaster, whose side have won three out of their four matches and stand an outside chance of the title if they beat Ireland next weekend and France down unbeaten Wales.
“We lacked experience in terms of caps but we had great self-belief and that was clear from how we played out there.
“It reflected what we are building towards. We are learning things from match to match but we are learning fast.”
Lancaster, who replaced Martin Johnson following the World Cup where the side was plagued by problems on and off the pitch and ended in a quarter-final defeat by France, said the team had shown great character in becoming the first English side in Six Nations history to win all three away games.
“In terms of performance I am delighted,” he said.
“To come here and win which has been rare in recent years for any side epitomises the character of the team. I give credit to France for not lowering the flag when Tom Croft scored the third try and they came back at us.”
One of his assistants, Andy Farrell, was unequivocal about what the victory should mean for both the future of English rugby and that of Lancaster.
“I think the win today (Sunday) is there for all to see what has been achieved,” said Farrell, whose son Owen scored nine points with the boot.
“The biggest achievement is that it has put pride back in the jersey and you feel that round the country.
“It gives us a lot of belief. To get this team together like he (Lancaster) has done speaks volumes.
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre was left hugely disappointed by the defeat as his players failed for the first time in their last three games to come back from a sizeable deficit to force a result.
“It is a bitter feeling especially so as it is my first one and it comes at home in front of our home crowd,” said the 44-year-old, who replaced Marc Lievremont after the World Cup final.
“I have to congratulate the English for scoring three tries and in modern rugby if you concede three it is very hard to win a game.
“I compliment my players on their stoicism in fighting back again but we lacked a clinical approach and we were caught napping twice by counter-attacks which we must learn to adapt to in terms of when attack turns into having to defend.”
Saint-Andre, who said that wing Vincent Clerc would not be fit for the final match against Wales because of a shoulder injury that forced him off in the first-half, took some of the responsibility.
“Pushing Ben Foden (the second try scorer) to be a fullback and not a scrum-half is perhaps the dumbest thing I have ever done as a coach,” said the Frenchman, who coached Foden at English side Sale.
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