2 days Ago By James Gray
“Difficult to watch.” That was captain Jamie George’s prediction for England’s post-match internal review of the 42-37 defeat to Australia . “Leaking 42 points at home is unforgivable,” George added.
He had better hope not. His team will need forgiveness and a whole lot more if they are to pull off an unlikely defeat of world champions South Africa next Saturday. But what did we learn from a 10-try thriller at Twickenham as Australia picked up their first win there for nine years? England’s greatest fear is fear itself The hallmark of England this year has been the commitment to an extreme blitz defence.
It is a high risk, high reward strategy but one that the majority of the best sides in world rugby opt for. Read Next Steve Borthwick's obsession with Henry Slade is hampering England When England have played their best rugby under Steve Borthwick , it has been when they have, in Maro Itoje’s words, “boxed in” their opponents. But invariably when they have let leads slip – as they have so very often, especially in 2024 – it is because the fear of getting beaten seems to stop them from committing to the blitz.
Is that what allowed Max Jorgensen to score in added time and beat them? “We just didn’t defend probably as aggressively and as consistently as we probably needed to,” said Itoje, who made more tackles than any other player in the game at 22. “All things being equal, we shouldn’t concede a try from 40, 45 metres out. We shouldn’t really do that.
We have to learn get better, but ultimately, we need to make sure that we defend better and close out games. “Ultimately in those scenarios, we want to be the aggressors. We want to be getting off the line.
.. and not really just look to see out the game.
We want to attack it.” Boks may bring the best out of them The South Africa defence is probably the best in the world at the kind of smothering line speed that takes all the oxygen out of an attack. But that does not mean England cannot fight fire with fire when the Springboks arrive.
Favourites against New Zealand and Australia, the “weight of the shirt” seemed to contort England into reverting to timid, fearful type. No one expects them to beat South Africa, which could engender a kind of gallows freedom. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, perhaps England can finally fully commit.
“We have our backs against the wall,” Itoje added. “But it’s still a tremendous opportunity for us. That’s what we need to be excited about.
In times like this, it’s tough. “We’re bitterly disappointed about the results that have happened, there’s no doubt in my mind that if we do our thing, if we’re joined up, if we’re more consistent and play smarter rugby, that’s a game we can win.” Borthwick’s job will soon be in spotlight Were it not for the timely release of Danny Care’s “tell-all” autobiography, Eddie Jones’s reign of terror as England coach would be a faded memory.
Borthwick initially provided an antidote to the toxicity of the Jones regime, on and off the field, but that breath of fresh air was always only going to buy him so much time: and defeats – as well as the coaching exodus of the summer – are starting to catch up with him now. If, as is most likely, England end 2024 with seven defeats from 11 Tests, the Six Nations could quite reasonably be framed as make-or-break for his time as England coach . A kind fixture list, at least? Hardly.
Ireland away to start and then France at home. Brutal. Australia’s new superstar In Australia, most people already knew all about Joseph Sua’ali’i.
Down Under, rugby league is the more popular code – so when Sua’ali’i was persuaded to switch sport and play the 15-a-side version, it was a significant coup. Read Next Five burning questions facing Australian rugby after the Eddie Jones debacle In this his first ever professional game of rugby union, he showed exactly why they had shelled out millions to get him from the Sydney Roosters. He made Australia’s first try with a delayed, one-handed offload that had England defenders flapping farcically at thin air, and he repeatedly out-jumped the usually peerless Itoje to reclaim drop-kick restarts, most crucially in the last phases of the game, forcing a knock-on and scrum from which Max Jorgensen scored the final try of the game.
As former England scrum-half Care said on TNT Sport: “He reminds me of Israel Folau with the leap. This guy is gonna go places.” Australia have not had a good few years, but they are starting to find something, and in Sua’ali’i they have a player who is a one-man highlights reel.
An England hero is also born England need a rockstar or two of their own. They already have Marcus Smith, who created three of England’s five tries with his running and deft boot, the experienced Itoje and tireless – until badly concussed on Saturday – Tom Curry, but maybe lack a player in the mould of Courtney Lawes or Manu Tuilagi who can lift a stadium with a single bone-crunching hit. Enter Chandler Cunningham-South.
His two tries are easy to pick out, but for the first he was simply the man on the overlap to run it in from close range, and Ellis Genge popped him into a gap only occupied by Australia’s smallest defender for his second. But I they were due reward for a body of work over these two weeks that has bucked the trend of England’s defeats. “He’s really developing into an international class six,” Borthwick said.
“He saw more improvements on the attacking side of the ball this week. Last week he was excellent on the defensive side of the ball. I think he’s also seen improvements in his set-piece work.
He is somebody who 18 months ago wasn’t jumping, he’s now a good line-up jumper at an international level. And he’s a player who is determined to get better. Chandler wants to really develop and develop fast.
” Against the All Blacks , he put all 118kg of Tupou Vaa’i straight onto his back, forcing a turnover and then jumped to his feet, urging Twickenham to get up too. A week later, his opening try was followed by the “shivering” Cole Palmer celebration. He is not only a fine rugby player with an unmistakeable hairdo, the 21-year-old is someone fans can quickly fall in love with.
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