MIKE BROWN: The indicators are GOOD after we did not fold underneath stress in Dublin… Steve Borthwick has a giant job on his arms however he can construct on the struggle England confirmed towards Eire
- Eire accomplished their fourth Six Nations Grand Slam with victory over England
- The script – an opportunity to seal a primary Grand Slam in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day
- Eire delivered, though it was nervy towards an England lowered to 14 males
Steve Borthwick will not be completely satisfied when he appears to be like again on his first competitors as England coach but it surely would not have been any higher underneath Eddie Jones.
If something, I believe they might have been worse underneath Eddie as a result of their confidence seemed shot within the autumn. You would inform they had been performed in.
Sure, the defeat by France final week was a complete calamity however not less than there seemed to be some readability towards Eire. They did not fold after the ridiculous crimson card for Freddie Steward. There was not one of the aimless kicking that outlined Eddie’s last marketing campaign.
The fact is that England are a mid-table workforce at current. They need to be beating Scotland however they’re miles behind France and Eire and it is onerous to see them bridging that hole earlier than the World Cup.
There may be most likely not sufficient time to vary issues in an attacking sense. So will probably be a primary recreation plan, again to territory, set-piece and ensuring they kick nicely to stress groups, which they did yesterday towards Eire.
Eire accomplished their fourth Six Nations Grand Slam with victory over Steve Borthwick’s facet
Freddie Steward struck his reverse quantity with an elbow to the top and was despatched off
So long as they try this and make themselves onerous to beat, with the defence and breakdown work they confirmed in Dublin they’ll take steps ahead. We did that with Jones when he first took over within the 2016 Six Nations, however Borthwick has not acquired a full World Cup cycle to get the attacking recreation in control. What do individuals need? A reasonably attacking facet or wins? I’m fairly certain it is wins.
England got here out with their backs towards the wall in Eire, going through the world’s top-ranked workforce with no-one giving them an opportunity, and produced a robust effort. They had been going rather well till the crimson card and even then they put Eire underneath stress. However after that period of time, all the way down to 14 males towards a high facet, it takes its toll.
But there was nonetheless that struggle and you’ll construct on that. I’d be frightened if England folded in these robust moments however they did not.
Jack Willis was large. Not simply the 20-plus tackles he made however the way in which he led England’s efforts to decelerate Eire’s ball. Earlier than the crimson they had been slowing it down a lot Eire couldn’t get something going.
In defence there have been nonetheless a number of holes. They scrambled nicely within the first half, and not less than they had been getting off the road. It comes all the way down to how good you’re on the breakdown, when you sluggish that space down you may fill the sector and get off the road. You’ll at all times get your line damaged by a high workforce like Eire, it’s what you do when that occurs that issues. England’s cowl snuffed out the Irish a few occasions. However upon getting scrambled you could ensure you do not give away smooth tries just like the one from a maul defence error.
The script – an opportunity to seal a primary Grand Slam in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day weekend
