Lancaster confident as England look to iron out their flaws

THIS was a game England simply had to win and they did so with something to spare against an Ireland team that offered almost nothing in attack.

Stuart Lancaster’s men will breathe a little easier this morning, following a vast improvement on the debacle in Paris but there remain flaws that need fixing if they are to mount a credible World Cup challenge.

At times in the first half, they threatened to deliver truly impressive display.

But, just as they did against France in the opening warm-up game three weeks ago, some razor-sharp, three-quarter play gave way to far less accurate work as the game wore on.

Three try-scoring opportunities were wasted — with Owen Farrell’s unnecessary secondhalf cut-out pass to Mike Brown butchering a two-man overlap — while the excellent Jonny May had a try disallowed for a forward pass from Tom Youngs, and Richard Wigglesworth’s second-half effort was chalked off for an earlier offside.

It was frustrating for the home side and allowed Ireland to keep a foothold in the game deep into the second half, when they should have been buried by halftime.

‘I was very pleased with the reaction,’ said England captain Chris Robshaw. ‘Two weeks ago, we had a very disappointing first half. We put a gameplan in place and pretty much ignored it.

‘Today we did exactly what we said we wanted to do.’

Much of England’s threequarter play was crisp, while their aerial work was superb, kicking game intelligent, discipline much improved and their line-out work acceptable.

But their failure to put Ireland away in comprehensive fashion will niggle Lancaster and his coaches.

Blindside flanker Tom Wood was named man of the match, despite being at fault for Wigglesworth’s disallowed effort and coughing up possession in contact to Jonny Sexton with the line beckoning, but it was May who shone consistently.

His third-minute try, when he bulldozed opposite man Tommy Bowe after a sweeping attack, set his side on its way.

RFU professional rugby director Rob Andrew indicated on Friday he believes it may be too soon for England to win the World Cup, but Lancaster was in no doubt when asked last night.

‘I think this team is ready, yes,’ he said. ‘There are six or seven teams who could win it. Playing at Twickenham the way we did today, we’re a hard team to beat.’

That is beyond question, although whether England have done enough in recent weeks to instil fear in the southern hemisphere giants is questionable.

But they are in better nick than two weeks ago, that is for sure.

The returning Brad Barritt was efficient and unfussy at No 12. Courtney Lawes carried well from the second row, though his partner Geoff Parling gashed his head in the first half and was replaced early in the second period holding his shoulder.

Sam Burgess came off the bench and made a couple of bone-jarring tackles.

Watson took his first-half try brilliantly, while fly-half George Ford was much improved from Paris and linked well with half-back partner Ben Youngs.

Wood, contact aberrations apart, had his best game for England in more than a year.

Overall, England can take around a six-and-a-half out of 10 for their warm-up displays.