Jonny May in focus as England wing stuns France with hat-trick
The Leicester flyer starred in a 44-8 win at Twickenham.
Jonny May scored a hat-trick in England’s 44-8 Guinness Six Nations win over France at Twickenham on Sunday.
Here Press Association Sport assesses the contribution of the Leicester wing and the man of the match.
Quiet man delivers
Swift start
May took his tally to 22 tries in 42 Tests by scoring a hat-trick inside 29 minutes. The 28-year-old is the quickest player in the England squad and showed his speed when touching down Elliot Daly’s chip through after 105 seconds. Next, May held Owen Farrell’s long pass and stepped away from meek defending from his opposite number to score in the corner. His third score came when Ashton had the presence of mind to kick through and May touched down. He might have scored another, but instead it was Farrell who did so in the second half.
Eccentric views and deeds
May is known for his eccentricities. The former Gloucester wing has made headlines for his interest in the mysterious North Korea, being faster than Usain Bolt – a statistic from a speed test which he downplayed, insisting it was not a like-for-like comparison – and for some of his antics on the field. During the November 2016 Test with Argentina, May was required to bind on to the scrum as a flanker, but unconventionally and temporarily positioned his head through the legs of the loosehead prop. One moment on Sunday showed May’s impetuousness as a quick lineout to Ashton became a hospital pass.
Finisher a certain starter
