Pressure growing on beleaguered Jones

EDDIE JONES’ England simply have to win the second Test on Saturday to alleviate the build-up of pressure inside the camp and angst outside it. A series-clinching home victory in Brisbane would leave RFU chief Bill Sweeney struggling to justify his blind faith in the current regime, 14 months out from the next World Cup. For Jones and his assistants, there are a heap of problems to solve after a fourth successive defeat — and fifth in seven games this year. As against Scotland in February, they threw away a position of command in Perth. Australia were a man short for more than half the game after Darcy Swain’s red card but when they launched a late, route-one surge, England fell apart. Until teen sensation Henry Arundell was sent on and scored a brilliant try with his first touch as a Test player, the visitors lacked threatening pace. Joe Cokanasiga was picked to give England gainline clout in the absence of Manu Tuilagi, but the wing just couldn’t get into the game. The creative hub of the team is under scrutiny as Marcus Smith’s alliance with Owen Farrell didn’t function effectively. There were promising patterns in attack early on but, with Farrell often at first receiver, England were operating deep and line-breaks sporadic. Smith trusted his instincts by trying to play flatter after the break. A period of England ascendancy saw Ellis Genge score from a lineout drive, but then Samu Kerevi and the Aussie pack raised the power levels and England had no answer. Three Wallaby tries in 14 minutes will be a major worry for Anthony Seibold, Jones’ defence coach. England’s scrum was eventually overwhelmed by their rivals, who were down to the bare bones in the front row, and Aussie captain Michael Hooper was master of the breakdown. Finding themselves under the cosh, the visitors’ discipline unravelled as they tried in vain to protect their possession and achieve some continuity. Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes and Maro Itoje are not scaling the heights as they did earlier in the season — which is no surprise after they all played in the Lions’ Test series last summer. They and others are overdue a decent break. But, for now, there is no rest and there will be serious trouble ahead if England don’t improve markedly in the space of a week.