Bok loss puts more pressure on Jones
Owen Farrell said that England were “in a rut”. The captain was referring to their discipline — or lack of it — at Ellis Park, but the term applies more broadly.
The national rugby team are stuck in a downward spiral. They desperately need a break, as in good fortune, rather than a holiday; although that would probably help.
They are a side who have mislaid the handy knack of finding a way to win in tight situations and they need to rediscover it. Soon. Defeats are stacking up. The number of tries conceded and tackles missed has reached uncomfortable levels.
In the last two games, England have shipped 14 tries. Fourteen. Those were losses four and five in this troubling sequence, against the Barbarians and the Springboks. Coach Eddie Jones sought to challenge some of the damning details, but while the setback at Twickenham late last month did not occur in a bona fide test, being run ragged by a scratch invitational side in their own stadium won’t have done much for morale in the squad.
He bristled when asked if he believed his team are progressing. “We’ve not had five defeats,” said Jones. “We have lost four test matches.”
Pushed on the fact that the Barbarians fixture was still contested by a senior England team, he added: “I’m not going to answer that question because I will lose my patience.”
Earlier, he was challenged about the glaring defensive lapses and said: “Fourteen tries in two games? What is the other game you are talking about? That [Barbarians game] wasn’t a test match.”
However, he did admit: “We certainly conceded some easy tries.”
A stockpile of poor results is cranking up the pressure and tension around the team, with the added aggravation of a dispute with the clubs over training-ground injuries, financial upheaval within the RFU leading to job losses, a long casualty list and the need to recruit new attack and defence coaches.
In the eye of this raging storm are a team who started the first test in stunning fashion, with three early tries — scored by Mike Brown, Elliot Daly and Owen Farrell — as George Ford wielded the conductor’s baton to devastating effect.
To Jones, this first-quarter attacking masterclass was ample proof that morale has not been chronically undermined by the recent rough patch. “The way we played the first 20 minutes, we didn’t look like a side who had lost their last three games,” he said.
But what followed was a calamitous loss of control and momentum. England essentially did nothing productive for the best part of 50 minutes, with just one Farrell penalty coming during this long spell of utter Springbok domination. The forwards were overwhelmed, the defence unravelled and the team appeared to lose energy, composure and intensity.
The visitors were rash in thought and actions — conceding a torrent of penalties which handed the initiative to South Africa. When Mako Vunipola was sin-binned just after the hour, for a late charge into the brilliant Bok scrum-half Faf de Klerk, it capped a spell of inadequate English resistance.
Once Maro Itoje’s clumsy lunge over a ruck gifted De Klerk the space for a comeback try in the 20th minute, South Africa thundered back into the game. They did not relinquish their grip, despite a glorious solo try by Jonny May giving England late hope.
The Boks adapted defensively to their rivals’ initial onslaught in the wide channels, but there was no English response, in terms of a tactical shift. They possess aerial firepower, but did not unleash their kicking game on the hosts.
A stockpile of poor results is cranking up the pressure and tension around the team
Having stormed into a 24-3 lead, there was a case for adopting a more territorial approach, but Jones said: “You can’t close a game down with 60 minutes to go.”
England’s daring play during their purple patch did not revolve around Billy Vunipola’s driving power, as their best moments so often have done in the past. The giant No 8 went the distance but he was a low-key figure, eclipsed by opposite number Duane Vermeulen.
Harry Williams will come into contention to start at tighthead after Kyle Sinckler was put under set-piece pressure, while Tom Curry was the only back-rower to emerge with reputation enhanced, as the top tackler in the match.
At lock, Jones really needs Joe Launchbury to recover from his calf injury, after removing Nick Isiekwe before halftime. Farrell is adamant that there is still sufficient belief in the squad to launch a rearguard action five days from now. Jones was similarly bullish, saying: “There is no reason why we can’t turn it around.”
England dazzled in defeat at Ellis Park, but would now surely settle for being dull in precious victory.