Will Greenwood How England can pull off Mission Improbable
Areas to improve
Game management England’s discipline is like a recurring nightmare. The flow and control of a game gets away from them too often. Everyone concedes the occasional penalty, but to quickly duplicate the daft act and to have an inability to collectively sense danger in a referee’s voice is bordering on the negligent.
They also must understand the game clock. Against South Africa, under pressure with the clock past 40 minutes, Elliot Daly kept the ball in play. Kick it off sideways. There are multiple giant-sized clocks in the stadium – no excuse for back three players not to know.
Similarly, with 79:20 on the clock, England won a turnover. A calm scrum-half wins the game and does not kick the ball off the pitch, gifting the opposition a line-out. Less than two minutes to go and you have more points – keep the ball.
Kicking
Owen Farrell will know his range almost to the inch. Anywhere on the borderline, he should hand over to Daly. No need for a penalty kick in the opposition half to ever land short as happened against South Africa. If you have a man who can drive the ball straight over 350 yards – give him the driver and wind him up. Let Elliot Daly be John Daly.
Also, if England resort to the boot downfield today as much as they did against South Africa, they will chase shadows. And if you lose the aerial battle, as last week, Rieko Ioane will rinse you.
Tackling
England’s tackling can be too high. Grappling, chest on, trying to shut the ball down, is not good enough against the best sides. Fix the immediate problem, confront the man in your channel, get him to the floor quickly and with force. The only time an All Black cannot contribute is on the floor.
So, if you are opposite one with the ball, chop him low and start the breakdown fight. The main battle is won close to the try lines. Long before this, the multiskirmish phase play defines the ease with which your opponent can enter your Red Zone – your defensive third of the field – and with it, the threat and pace they play at in this scoring zone. England lost too many one-onone battles against South Africa.
Confidence to make the pass
Daly twice and George Ford late on had men in space, and there is a simple rule: give them the ball. Daly should have fed Jonny May. Ford should have gone over Aphiwe Dyantyi, and fed Daly or Chris Ashton late on. Do not play the score. Do not play the occasion. Play like you were 12-years-old. Play to space.
Areas to maintain Punch on the wings
Jonny May gets better by the game. There used to be slight uncertainty every time he touched the ball. An underlying worry that you or he was unsure what was going to happen next. Not any more.
He has the ability to deliver against the top sides. Scorching pace. Prepared to work hard. Makes an error but will run through a brick wall to correct it. Or tackle a tank if he needs to throw his leggy physique in front of an opponent.
Ball in hand, he is lightning. He understands time and space so much better.
Ashton makes things happen. If you are guaranteed set-piece ball and an ability to play with tempo, at key moments Ashton will cause you trouble. He slides, he floats, he slices, he supports, he knows.
And Tom Curry. Why am I talking about a fella who isn’t playing? Because in the next 12 months he will. And the more I see him play the more you see the removal of any chat about the problem No7 shirt.
Line-out class
England have a world-class line-out. While South Africa’s Malcolm Marx is insane around the field, do not forget what a No2’s first job is – to hit double top, hit your jumpers under pressure, on your own line, on the opposition try line.
Dylan Hartley moved the swingometer in his favour last Saturday – if you control the touchline you go a long way to Plusses: England’s Maro Itoje wins a line-out against South Africa last Saturday, and (right) Chris Ashton winning the game – he hit his doubles. On the Boks’ throw last week the quality of movement from the English line-out pods and ability to get players in the air and apply pressure gave Marx the yips. The double movement before the throw, the deceleration of the wedge that curses golfers was there for all to see.
The doubt. New Zealand have shown an Achilles’ heel at times in the line-out in the past 18 months. Not a big hole below the waterline but like all sides an inability to function at their best when the pill has been denied in key areas.
Creativity
Even in a game that resulted in a zero in the try column and without winning the gain line, England crafted space against South Africa. It did not happen until the second half, until England got genuine opportunities to ask questions of Bok defensive set-ups and readjustments under scrutiny. But the desire to use decoy runners and then the option of the blindside wing on the inside or outside of the ball receiver post decoy had South Africa stretched. Either a penalty was conceded, or England were on the front foot and attacking with pace next phase.
The tight forwards were also happy to throw a spin pass to players in space and with pace. This may sound obvious but for too long English front-row forwards have been unwilling or tentative to pass water. Happy in contact, secure in possession. Ignorant of areas without
defenders.
Defence
There was a very pleasing connectivity of backs and forwards, delivering correct spacings, staying square, identifying threats and shutting off time and space, and more importantly forcing errors last Saturday. England had a speed and desire to get back off the floor that was key. But no one will test you more than New Zealand.
The breakdown work was not perfect against the Boks but, if you limit them to close to zero turnovers, support for the ball carrier and power and technique of the cleanout must be reasonably ferocious to maintain speed and tempo of your ball when you decide to play.