HOW DARE YOU CALL US BORING!
Tetchy England vow to prove Argentina wrong by putting on a show
ENGLAND have dismissed Argentina’s label that they are boring, as they prepare to take on the South Americans in a potentially explosive World Cup Pool C showdown on Saturday.
The Pumas’ veteran hooker and long-time captain Agustin Creevy, who spent two seasons at Worcester, made the unintentionally incendiary comment on Tuesday while talking about what he regards as a structured English approach to the game. His point was intended as a back-handed compliment, but the ‘b’ word sparked a tetchy reaction from the Red Rose camp.
Jamie George will go head-tohead with Creevy on Saturday and the Saracens hooker said: ‘I don’t think we do play boring rugby.
‘I’m not overly surprised that he’s tried to say that. He’s entitled to his opinion and hopefully we prove him wrong on Saturday.’
Reflecting on an accusation that is also frequently levelled at his club, George added: ‘It’s about trophies in the bag. We are used to it. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s very justified. I’m sure he’s just trying to rattle us a bit. He’s more than welcome to try.’
Creevy was speaking about what he had learned playing in England when he added: ‘They always play the same way. They kick, they do some play in the middle. Sometimes it’s boring but it works.’
England will no doubt use Creevy’s throw-away remark — and his talk of going to ‘war’ — as a means of fuelling the fire in the build up to what is sure to be a ferocious encounter. Attack coach Scott Wisemantel delivered his own riposte, saying: ‘He just might have been at a boring club.
‘I don’t think that (England being boring) is the case and he obviously hasn’t been watching much of the Premiership, where there are some excellent teams with many different styles.’
The Australian added: ‘I think it is a cliché. Look at the chances we let slip in the Tonga game. If we’d taken those chances then everyone would say, “Wow, that is exciting”. Against the USA I thought there were some brilliant bits of open-field rugby, but it is a balance. You have to have a setpiece. Look at every team who is going OK at the moment — their set-piece is solid.
‘I know we have good players. I know we can attack. I know we have multiple threats, so maybe it is a way for other people to pigeon-hole us, I don’t know.’
Sam Underhill, the Bath flanker who is expected to return to the starting back row, was asked if there is a danger of being dragged into an ‘arm-wrestle’. His response was telling. ‘It depends if you look at an arm-wrestle as a bad thing,’ he said. ‘Their maul and scrum are massive parts of their game, but it’s the same for us.
‘It’s a massively important part of the game now. The best teams have the best set-piece. For us, it’s a threat to nullify, but it’s also an opportunity to impose ourselves on the game. I think that would probably fall under the category of boring rugby but it’s an area we’re pretty excited about.’
England are ready and willing to be aggressive and physical and will make no apology for playing to their strengths.
One of those strengths, these days, is ball- carrying. Not long ago it was a problem, but that has been solved. The availability of imposing Polynesians certainly helps — with the Vunipola brothers, Manu Tuilagi and Joe Cokanasiga all making their considerable presence felt.
But others such as Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry, Underhill and Ellis Genge have all demonstrated gainline-busting credentials, and Maro Itoje has improved markedly as a carrier.
‘It’s been a massive emphasis,’ said Wisemantel. ‘Steve Borthwick and Neal Hatley drive that with the forwards. There’s a real emphasis on carrying, the gainline and just doing your job.’
England recognised that they had become too lateral last year. They re-focused on carrying as an urgent priority.
Itoje said: ‘ We play a collision sport and if you win the collisions, more often than not you will win the game. It is hugely important for us and I think it’s been an area of improvement, both from our big ball- carriers but also from the guys who don’t normally carry as much. Everyone is getting better.’
By carrying better, England are ‘earning the right to go wide’, which in turn creates space for their rapid wide men to run amok. And that certainly isn’t boring.