The little big men walk tall
JONATHAN JOSEPH and George Ford have emerged as England’s two secret weapons in their bid to dethrone New Zealand as world champions later this year.
England threw a total of 38 players at the All Blacks last year with no success. The Bath pair were afterthoughts as four shots at the Kiwis ended in four failures.
Ford, who missed the tour to New Zealand to undergo a shoulder operation, managed 16 minutes off the bench in a lost cause against the All Blacks in November; Joseph was overlooked completely.
Their infl uence on England since has changed the dynamic so sharply that if the two teams lined up at Twickenham tomorrow for a World Cup fi nal, even New Zealand would not sleep entirely easily.
They have brought a nose for space that, when blended with the brutalism around them, is beginning to produce a potent cocktail.
England were a long way from perfect against the Italians on Saturday – leaking three tries was careless – but the traffi c in the other direction, notably Joseph’s two spectacular tries after he had been switched to the wing because of Mike Brown’s concussion, had Twickenham on its feet.
The new Jeremy Guscott? England skills coach Mike Catt, who fi rst worked with the 23- year- old at London Irish, thinks the new Jonathan Joseph helter- skelter of Test rugby, the time Ford gives his runners with his distribution is priceless.
There were six tries in all for England against Italy – a Billy Vunipola bulldozer, a Ben Youngs tap- penalty sneak and a couple of stage- managed touchdowns from the bench for Nick Easter and Danny Cipriani on their Twickenham returns.
But neat though their storylines were, it was the young bucks who, after leading the charge against Wales, again drove England into new territory. With the injured Owen Farrell looking on, 21- year- old Ford kicked six goals out of seven attempts too.
“We always knew these guys would excel,” said England captain Chris Robshaw, who again led the tackle count and provided the turnover for Joseph’s fi rst try.
“It’s great that guys can come on to the scene, feel natural and do what they do week- in, weekout for their club at this level. That’s the good thing Stuart and the coaches have done – guys feel comfortable when they come into the environment.”
England have plenty to improve when the squad re- gathers tomorrow. They have reacted to the starter’s gun in both their Six Nations games as if they have been wearing ear defenders – Sergio Parisse was the man scoring the early try this time.
England’s defence, Stuart Lancaster admitted, was “soft around the edges” in allowing centre Luca Morisi to cross twice as well.
But they will start their preparations for the big one in Dublin a week on Sunday in good heart thanks, in no small measure, to their little big men Ford and Joseph.