In the wake of England’s defeat to Australia at Twickenham yesterday, all manner of excuses have been made, and here is our reaction.
There was a lot of talk about the importance of performance versus results. Yesterday, we got neither.
Australia deserved to win, and there’s no denying that, but for me, the biggest issue was the complete absence of a gameplan. Ask yourself now: what were England trying to do?
Geraghty seemed intent on the little chip over the top, even when it wasn’t on. The running attack was lateral, looking for gaps with no real belief that they would have created any. And worst of all, the speed of possession was laborious.
How many times have we seen the tiresome pick-and-go tactic from England in the middle of the park, with no sense of what they are trying to achieve, and no penetration either? The inevitability of phase after phase of slow ball, followed by the turnover, was excruciating.
On a positive note, Jonny is back and was the main reason that we kept the losing margin within single figures. Lewis Moody was also a shining light in a fairly dreadful pack, Courtney Lawes made more of an impact in 10 minutes than Louis Deacon did in 70, and Australia wasted a few chances to make the scoreline embarrassing.
Plenty will be said about England over the coming weeks, but the England coaches should start taking responsibility. Indeed, the injury toll is unprecendented, but does that excuse the lack of a gameplan? The coaches have been together now for some time, but England’s lack of direction continues to stifle, and there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.
Here is Jonny Wilkinson’s reaction to the performance (we’ve edited out most of the questions because the sound was rubbish).
[podcast]/Podcasts/WilkoInterview.mp3[/podcast]
What do you think? Where did England go wrong? What should change next week?
ps
Tommy is right, Moody as captain, although Hartley vice, looking to the future.
No way on earth Johhno drops Borthwick or takes away his captaincy (stating the bloody obvious, I know). But that is what is needed. I would even go for Hartley (even less chance of that happening). But who are the other leaders on the park? Players in key positions (2, 8, 10) do not appear to feel like they are responsible for managing the game, as well as playing their individual roles.
Not that it will happen, but this is who I would play this Saturday with the players available
1. Payne
2. Hartley (vc)
3. Wilson
4. Lawes
5. Kennedy
6. Croft
7. Moody (c)
8. Haskell
9. Care
10. Wilkinson
11. Monye
12. Geraghty
13. Hipkiss
14. Cueto
15. Foden
16. Thompson
17. Bell
18. Armitage
19. Worsley
20. Hodgson
21. Strettle / Banahan
22. Tait
I would flip Care and Hodgson, but otherwise, I’ll go for that Tommy. My prediction – Johnno will probably start Hartley, Lawes and Haskell (and if he doesn’t, it will be stubbornness) but Borthwick and Banahan will keep their places; then we’ll have a pretty uninspiring performance against the Pumas and he will revert back to the old school for the AB’s when we will get battered.
THe common thread in the dreadful forward play or the last 3 years is one thing: John Wells.
It is perhaps the most worrying thing about Johnson’s tenure that he has not identified this and dealt with it. Is it a Leicester old boys thing? Whatever it is, until that useless swine is gone then England rugby has no chance.
i agree with a lot of the comments here…but please, Care was atrocious and has had lots of time to ‘get’ international rugby. From what I can see all that he does is organise a couple of fat forward around the ruck, slowing down the ball and then pop a pass for a zero yard shuffle then when he does pass he takes that step therefore wasting a second or two and caused traffic in midfield that not even the inform gerachty or hipkiss can avoid.
Start with Hodgson and put Strettle in the team. A bit of flair is needed and less Gary Owens.
Tommy Agree with that team.
England lacked any shape in the pack, and that mean the backs played deep due to slow ball and a solid Australian defence.
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! create quick ruck ball for these backs, we see what they do with it week in week out in the GP & T14 why would you stifle them behind a slow sluggish pack?
Injuries or no injuries everyone on the planet apart from john Wells seems t understand that the best way to win a game is score try’s and the best way to do that is quick ruck ball.
Everyone seems to be out for Wells’ blood. We could always ask Deano to get it for us!!!!!!!!!!!