Eddie knows he’s ahead of the game

DYLAN HARTLEY looked around at his team-mates, as if to confirm they had all got the memo. He smiled, they smiled, and he lifted the trophy high. But by the time the fireworks exploded in the background, the faces were at rest again. It looked a hollow celebration and, in many ways, it was. England had secured the cup, but not the glory. No team had won back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era; and, still, no team has. It was 2001 when England last retained the Six Nations trophy, mind, so it would not do to sink into despondency. Eddie Jones, usually so driven to move on, was at last ready to dwell. According to Joe Launchbury, at the end of the game he spoke very calmly to his players about what they had achieved. He sensed, as many did, that this was not the moment for excoriating inquests. ‘There will be a lot of talk about this but, guys, we’ve got the same record as New Zealand,’, said James Haskell. ‘We’re very positive about what we e have to do. There’s no secret recipe where you can win, every time.’ If that sounds like complacency, then Jones will address that, too. Beneath the colour and the soundbites — on Saturday he became the he first person since Don King to reference leprechauns at a press conference in Ireland and not get accused of racial stereotyping — lies a thoughtful coach. Jones employs a sports psychologist and he knew the last thing his players needed was more bullying, having been pushed around so publicly by Ireland. This is not the first England team to come unstuck in Dublin, not the first team to see a run of 18 straight wins bite the dust against Ireland, either. Yet while it will be no consolation, those who recall the 24-8 defeat for the Martin Johnson team chasing the Grand Slam in 2011, consider this the lesser reversal. England were clueless and ill-disciplined six years ago, and while discipline was also a factor on Saturday, the margin of defeat speaks of resilience at least, given that Ireland were much the better side. It has been a strange championship, England often unconvincing yet earning admiration for winning despite that. No chance of a repeat in Dublin. Even with the muchvaunted finishers, there was not a single period of the game in which England seemed likely to turn it around. ‘I still thought we would do it, an 80th-minute break,’ Haskell said. It was possible to take positives from the tournament, but not the day. This had to serve as that old cliche, the learning experience. Funnily enough, the same was said in 2011. That Johnson’s team did not learn and, in fact, embarrassed themselves at the World Cup, is one of English rugby’s most painful episodes. So much was promised, and only ignominy delivered. It will, surely, be different with Jones, not least because he still has more than two years to build for the next World Cup.Cu ChanChanges will be made, with signsignificant casualties. He wwill expect more the nnearer he gets to JJapan. Jones said he would rather this performance now, than in the final in Yokohama. And no ddoubt it is with one eye on Yokohama that marmarks will be made against the names of some who failed him in Dublin. Yet it is a sign of the progress under Jones that the inquest was not anguished. England are far advanced of where many thought they would be coming out of the 2015 World Cup debacle — and some would argue ahead of 12 months ago, when they delivered the Grand Slam in Paris. ‘This is a dry run,’ Haskell said. ‘We’re a better side than when we won the Slam, and we can look back on this, the way we dealt with the turmoil here, and learn. We’ve all sweated and bled to get to this point. I still look back at 2011 and think, “We won the Six Nations that year”. When I retire, I’ll still count it. But it’s not 2011, it’s 2017. We’re further ahead than we were then. The record, where we are, what we’ve achieved. In times gone by, we would have lost games that we’ve closed out in this Championship, in games when we weren’t playing the best rugby. This team has matured, it is improving. We’re 18 from 19, and that’s better than it’s ever been for me with England.’ So all part of the learning experience. They hope.