By Nick Powell
When England beat Uruguay in the last game of the world cup to bow out, very few people expected that it would be the first game of a 10 match winning run. Amazingly England have moved six places up the world rankings as they have conquered Europe and now well and truly conquered the Wallabies winning 39-28, 23-7 and 44-40 in Australia's own back yard.
Where do we start here? Before I get on to how well England played, it is worth talking about the Australians, did they deteriorate from the World Cup or did England just continue their sharp rise from 8 to 2 because Eddie Jones has genuinely made them brilliant. Typically in these situations, it's a bit of both. Let's start with the Aussies...
I had very high expectations of Australia which were nowhere near met. True, they had some retirements and injuries and, unlike England, hadn't been together in this calendar year before that night in Brisbane, but it was a horrendous defeat. They were so much better than England as a side when the two sides pitched up, but somehow managed not to consolidate their utterly dominant start. Two tries up in 20 minutes, absolutely cruising, but pointless indiscipline, missed tackles and childish mistakes later and they had lost the game by 11 points.
Michael Hooper scored two tries in the opener, but Australia were let down by silly mistakes
Week two and again they dominate the English, if you watched the game without the scoring you would assume the Aussies would win by about 30 points, they had far more possession and territory than in their World Cup thumping of the men and white, yet they actually lost, and by some distance. Going down 23-7 was a result that would have been tough to swallow. They battered at the English line for virtually all the second half but lost it 13-0. It was staggering, did they forget penalties existed?
And finally, the third week. Again the Aussies could have won, but their discipline and more wayward kicking from Foley ensured this would be England's day in every way. By this point however, it seemed England really had overtaken the Aussies as New Zealand's leading challenger, they had a perfect blend of relaxation and motivation that only comes with being 2-0 up in a series and it killed Australia dead. What a horrendous series.
The chief problem for the Wallabies was game management. Knowing what to do at what times. It is so important, and actually quite easy at an international level, but they made it look so difficult. Fittingly it cost England their place in the World Cup and has now been a huge factor in their "comeback tour" as I like to call it. Let's look at the first game, 10-0 up (should have 14 but for Foley's poor kicking), two very stupid penalties challenging for rucks in positions that didn't threat their try line and England were back in it.
From the resulting kick off they hand England a try after a ridiculous pass from Folau to Foley and England never let go of the lead. The last try England scored summed up the lack of professionalism of the Australians. They knocked it on 30 seconds from time and all stopped playing, meanwhile England raced up field and were in the corner in two phases.
Game two and they failed to understand Rugby's scoring system. 13-7 down
for virtually the whole second half, before England added 10 more points to complete their misery. If Australia had actually tried to kick their penalties, they would have won, they were playing better than England and piling on the pressure but they were turning down easy three pointers and put themselves under unnecessary pressure to score the try. As a result they made basic errors in the red zone, and the more they tried (and failed) and England grew in confidence, the more difficult it became for them.
And by game three, they really had lost heart. England were full of confidence and took most chances that came their way, the ill discipline continued to dent the Aussies and they will wonder where there defence went. But the last game was significant. England really seemed like the better side and looked like they were in control of their own destiny, even when they were behind for long periods. Australia will feel desperately disappointed, after a sensational World Cup they have lost three on the trot to their biggest rivals and now have back to back games against the incomparable All Blacks. To potentially lose 5 games in a row after the World Cup will leave them needing a serious re-building job, just as we thought they were going to kick on and become the real challengers to New Zealand.
It really was a disaster for Australia
What about England though? 8 months prior to this whitewash they were standing around an empty Twickenham, reflecting on a horrendous defeat which left them out of their home World Cup. 10 wins later and they are second in the world, Six Nations Champions, and they have not only won a series in Australia for the first time but actually won 3-0, it just doesn't happen to England, not even in the Clive Woodward era.
How did they do it? Well let's look at the five main factors, Eddie Jones, Tactical Control, The Pack, Kicking and my favourite Game Management.
Starting with the coach and what a performance from him, the way he managed the media really was excellent. Telling the English press he was delighted and telling the Aussies that he didn't think they played very well. He overcame perhaps the toughest media in the world and soon enough their preview video showing England's worst moments came back to bite them brutally. Jones made sure this was a battle, and that is exactly what England wanted being the underdogs and having a stronger pack. In the first two games, it really did work. The Aussies made some terrible mistakes, they felt the pressure, and ultimately their pack was not strong enough to support their game-plan. He gave England fresh motivation which the side just doesn't usually have in summer tours.
This meant the side wasn't tired and treated these three games as the most important of their season. England looked so up for it, but that's not the only thing Jones provided. In the first two games his tactics were spot on. Australia's possession game played right into England's hands, they were able to absorb a lot of pressure with their strong defence and played a territory based game that frustrated the Aussies. A lot of the big Australian mistakes were made in their own half, and whilst England did score some tries through their own creativity, they nicked a lot of them thanks to the Wallabies shooting themselves in the foot, especially in the first game.
By the last game England really had got the better of the Aussies and were able to carve them open a lot more easily, you feel that Jones is prioritising results at this stage, and England playing to their strengths, which they definitely have done, but I sense there will be much more about them in the years to come, especially in the Six Nations.
The pack were incredible, not only did they work exceptionally as a unit but there are some players that within a year could be genuinely world class. Starting with Maro Itoje, the Harrow-educated second row really is incredible, at the age of just 21. Not only does he have the leadership and rugby intelligence of Martin Johnson, but his carrying is brutal, his tackling is bone-crushing and he can get turnovers at crucial times. While England have a number of quality second rows, he must be the first name on the team sheet. Secondly Billy Vunipola. He has proved he is a quality ball carrier and can at times show a step and an offload, but that needs to become more consistent if he wants to be a world class talent. His brother Mako is blessed with those talents and worked so hard in the three matches, but definitely needs to get his scrummaging up to Joe Marler's standard to be England's number 1 number 1.
Kicking was another vitally important area for England, compare the tactical kicking of Farrell and Ford against Wales at the world cup to this tour and they simply look like different players. Ford consistently hit his corners and put the Aussies under pressure with dangerous kicks through, chief among which was the set up for Jack Nowell's third try in the opener.
Farrell too kicked in open play, but his kicking from the tee was where he deserves credit. His percentage was consistently in the 80s in terms of percentage and always better than Bernard Foley, if you swapped the two kickers round, there is no doubt in my mind that England would have been whitewashed. 23 from 26 kicks is a sensational record and was so important in the win. He is creative with George Ford in attack and brutal in defence also. He has come on immensely and as he matures towards 2019 will be another World Class player.
Finally, game management. England's management of the game was in a different class to Australia. Knowing this would be a tight test match, they took the points whenever they needed to and were able to face up and play the right tactics at the right times. Their decision making in open play was excellent too. Both Chris Robshaw and Jamie George kicked the ball in the second test but had they not, England might not have won.
England made sure they got as many points as they could get out of each game, while the Aussies failed to get anything like the number of points they should have. That is crucial, not just playing well but knowing how to win. England already have that ability now, and they don't really need it for another three years.
Let's not forget one big standout player of the tour, James Haskell. Although he only played two games he was England's best player and was a huge factor in them winning the series. His tackling stats were above 20 in both the first two games, he made turnovers, managed to earn huge yards with ball in hand and ultimately proved to be an absolute giant for them. A popular player in the England camp, it seems that the Archbishop of Banterbury may be sticking round for a lot longer than first thought...
Looking forward, England should be really happy with the way this series has gone, but it is essential they win their four Autumn Internationals to finish of the year with 13 wins. Whilst it doesn't seem like a single defeat would matter, they have to stamp their authority as being New Zealand's leading challenger, as they are not playing them in this period. Argentina and Fiji should be a given, but England haven't won in 14 attempts against South Africa and Australia will return with renewed vigour and probably a much better gameplan. If England can finish this year unbeaten, they really will be in a great position for the future. It's beginning to look like one of this country's great periods is starting again.
Starting with the coach and what a performance from him, the way he managed the media really was excellent. Telling the English press he was delighted and telling the Aussies that he didn't think they played very well. He overcame perhaps the toughest media in the world and soon enough their preview video showing England's worst moments came back to bite them brutally. Jones made sure this was a battle, and that is exactly what England wanted being the underdogs and having a stronger pack. In the first two games, it really did work. The Aussies made some terrible mistakes, they felt the pressure, and ultimately their pack was not strong enough to support their game-plan. He gave England fresh motivation which the side just doesn't usually have in summer tours.
Dylan Hartley and his team thoroughly deserved to win the Cook Cup
This meant the side wasn't tired and treated these three games as the most important of their season. England looked so up for it, but that's not the only thing Jones provided. In the first two games his tactics were spot on. Australia's possession game played right into England's hands, they were able to absorb a lot of pressure with their strong defence and played a territory based game that frustrated the Aussies. A lot of the big Australian mistakes were made in their own half, and whilst England did score some tries through their own creativity, they nicked a lot of them thanks to the Wallabies shooting themselves in the foot, especially in the first game.
By the last game England really had got the better of the Aussies and were able to carve them open a lot more easily, you feel that Jones is prioritising results at this stage, and England playing to their strengths, which they definitely have done, but I sense there will be much more about them in the years to come, especially in the Six Nations.
The pack were incredible, not only did they work exceptionally as a unit but there are some players that within a year could be genuinely world class. Starting with Maro Itoje, the Harrow-educated second row really is incredible, at the age of just 21. Not only does he have the leadership and rugby intelligence of Martin Johnson, but his carrying is brutal, his tackling is bone-crushing and he can get turnovers at crucial times. While England have a number of quality second rows, he must be the first name on the team sheet. Secondly Billy Vunipola. He has proved he is a quality ball carrier and can at times show a step and an offload, but that needs to become more consistent if he wants to be a world class talent. His brother Mako is blessed with those talents and worked so hard in the three matches, but definitely needs to get his scrummaging up to Joe Marler's standard to be England's number 1 number 1.
Vunipola still has work to do to be a complete player for England
Kicking was another vitally important area for England, compare the tactical kicking of Farrell and Ford against Wales at the world cup to this tour and they simply look like different players. Ford consistently hit his corners and put the Aussies under pressure with dangerous kicks through, chief among which was the set up for Jack Nowell's third try in the opener.
George Ford had a difficult season, but showed his class Down Under
Farrell too kicked in open play, but his kicking from the tee was where he deserves credit. His percentage was consistently in the 80s in terms of percentage and always better than Bernard Foley, if you swapped the two kickers round, there is no doubt in my mind that England would have been whitewashed. 23 from 26 kicks is a sensational record and was so important in the win. He is creative with George Ford in attack and brutal in defence also. He has come on immensely and as he matures towards 2019 will be another World Class player.
Owen Farrell's kicking could be so important in years to come
Finally, game management. England's management of the game was in a different class to Australia. Knowing this would be a tight test match, they took the points whenever they needed to and were able to face up and play the right tactics at the right times. Their decision making in open play was excellent too. Both Chris Robshaw and Jamie George kicked the ball in the second test but had they not, England might not have won.
England made sure they got as many points as they could get out of each game, while the Aussies failed to get anything like the number of points they should have. That is crucial, not just playing well but knowing how to win. England already have that ability now, and they don't really need it for another three years.
Let's not forget one big standout player of the tour, James Haskell. Although he only played two games he was England's best player and was a huge factor in them winning the series. His tackling stats were above 20 in both the first two games, he made turnovers, managed to earn huge yards with ball in hand and ultimately proved to be an absolute giant for them. A popular player in the England camp, it seems that the Archbishop of Banterbury may be sticking round for a lot longer than first thought...
Despite his age, Haskell should be strongly considered for the 2019 World Cup
Comments
Post a Comment