‘We’ve learned to keep calm under pressure’
Stars aligning for England ahead of NZ clash: Woodward
OITA, Japan, Oct 20, (RTRS): England scrumhalf Ben Youngs said Saturday’s victory over Australia showed how the team have developed their resilience and ability to remain calm under pressure after being questioned over those areas during past setbacks.
England withstood a furious early assault from Australia to ease to a 17-9 halftime lead. They had to repel them again when they closed to within a point early in the second half and again later when the Wallabies pressured their line with a series of scrums around the hour-mark.
They weathered those storms superbly then hit back to eventually run out impressive 40-16 winners and set up a semifinal with New Zealand.
“There have been times (in other games) where we have been a bit under the cosh and allowed cheap points and against Australia I thought the work we had done in the pre-season paid off,” Youngs said.
“We don’t get that much time together normally, but the World Cup is different with a huge period together and you are able to create bonds and invest more time in each other and when it gets tough you can trust each other because you have that club feel.
“That showed when they were challenging our line and coming and coming. I thought that was a tremendous defensive effort.” England’s most spectacular implosion was when they led Scotland 31-0 late in the first half at Twickenham in this year’s Six Nations, then conceded 38 points, before snatching a 38-all draw.
Despite regular huddles after every Scottish try, England’s players seemed incapable of holding on to the ball and questions were asked of captain Owen Farrell’s leadership.
On Saturday, however, they remained calm and, crucially, struck back quickly after Marika Koroibete’s try had made it a one-point game, as Kyle Sinckler blasted over two minutes later to give them breathing space.
“Some of the guys would have rather the game not to have got that tight, Australia were going to chuck the kitchen sink at us and the way they play they are always going to create opportunities,” Youngs said.
“They did that but the pleasing thing is that we stuck to the way we wanted to play and no one went off-script. No one tried to solve it on their own and we eventually ground them down.” Impressive as England were, they know they will have to be even better against the All Blacks, who were devastating in their 46-14 thrashing of Ireland.
England have beaten them only once in the last 16 meetings - at Twickenham in 2012.
“There is definitely more in us and at times we feel we can take it up a notch,” Youngs said.
“The exciting thing for me is that I know there is more to come from the team and that’s great. Our defensive edge was a bit vulnerable at times and a little bit soft and we will tidy that up.
“We can’t be happy with today because that won’t be good enough next weekend.” England are primed to produce an unforgettable performance against New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup semifinals after Saturday’s crushing 40-16 win over Australia, former coach Clive Woodward has said.
Two tries in three first-half minutes by winger Jonny May helped Eddie Jones’ side underline their World Cup credentials and gain a measure of revenge over the Wallabies who sent them packing from their own tournament four years ago.
Despite facing a daunting task against the All Blacks, who also advanced with a 46-14 demolition of Ireland, Woodward believes England can pull off an upset win when the teams meet on Oct. 26.
“Never underestimate the value of momentum,” Woodward, who led England to World Cup glory in 2003, wrote https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ sport/rugbyunion/article-7592183/ Sir-Clive-Woodward-Englandswin-Australia-proved-magic-beatBlacks.html in a column for the Daily Mail.
“England may face a massive task in tackling holders New Zealand but they have built up a huge head of steam after that emphatic quarterfinal win over Australia.
“Everything is coming to the boil nicely and sometime soon this England side is going to produce a performance for the ages. Saturday would be the perfect time.” Woodward said England would not mind going into the clash as underdogs and backed them to test the champions.
“New Zealand were superb but in truth they haven’t yet been fully tested in this tournament since their opening game against the Springboks a month ago,” Woodward added.
“The stars seem to be aligning a little for England. Eddie has 31 fit players to pick from so he has all sorts of options. New Zealand will rightly be perceived as favourites. Brilliant, play on that underdog label a little.
“Eddie has also been lucky with avoiding major injuries, but luck has played no part in avoiding yellow and red cards. Their tackling technique has been exemplary all tournament – low, arms wrapped well timed and strong.
“They are helped in this by the Kamikaze Kids, Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, neither of whom are giants and both go in low naturally. They are also of the modern generation with habits not so ingrained. They have adapted quickly to the new reality.”
“I put my chips in earlier in the year, I told people now in, no play. “So, I’m the type of man who is always going to back what he says and I knew from the final whistle but I just wanted to give it that little bit time to cool down, talk to my people and then make it clear.”
New Zealander Dave Rennie, the former coach of the Waikato Chiefs and current Glasgow Warriors boss, has been stronglyl inked with the post in the Australian media. Cheika took over when Ewen McKenzie suddenly quit the jobjust over a year before the 2015 World Cup and revitalised the Wallabies before leading them to the final in England, where they lost to New Zealand.
The 52-year-old built his coaching reputation by being an agent of change, taking over at Irish province Leinster and the New South Wales Waratahs and quickly leading them to European Cup and Super Rugby titles respectively. The former number eight found the task of rebuilding his Wallabies squad after a rash of retirements more difficult,however, and he blooded dozens of players over the next three seasons.
Australia were swept 3-0 by England in a home June series in2016 and the results continued to deteriorate until they reached a nadir in 2018, when the Wallabies lost nine of 13 tests. Cheika might well have been sacked then but cash-strapped Rugby Australia instead decided to appoint Director of Rugby Scott Johnson above him and a selection panel to jointly decide the team. “It’s no secret I’ve pretty much got no relationship with the CEO and not much with the chairman,” Cheika said.
“Scott’s a lovely bloke and I get on fine with him but I’m not really into that type of thing, I like to take that responsibility.” His reign also covered the period of the highly contentious axing of the Western Force Super Rugby team and the equally divisive sacking of fullback Israel Folau for homophobic social media posts. Both issues did major damage to the image of rugby union in Australia and Cheika’s fervent desire was that his team’s success would reawaken the passion of fans Down Under for the game.
It was not to be, however, and Saturday’s loss means he will finish his tenure with 34 wins and two draws from 67 tests and Australia seventh in the World Rugby rankings. “I always back the players to get the job done,” he said. “I had full trust in them that they would get it done. Didn’t happen, weren’t good enough and that’s the way she rolls.”