Autumn International Review - England 26 - 17 Australia

 

When England play Australia, two things always seem to happen.  Firstly, everybody gets in hyperbole mode regarding the supposed superiority of the English scrum and the brilliance of the Wallaby backline.  Secondly, everybody soils themselves in nerves, since these games tend to go down to the wire.  And usually, since this is international rugby after all, all predictions and assumptions go right out the window as soon as the first ball is kicked.  But on Saturday at Twickenham, as England got the game underway against the Wallabies, it soon became clear that all those assumptions – on dominance and on nerves – would, for once, prove correct.  Perhaps the bi-product of two sides desperate for a win after difficult Autumns.

If nervousness was on the menu, though, it certainly didn’t show in a frantic opening exchange which saw Bernard Foley and George Ford exchange penalties, with Johnny May and Anthony Watson having promising bursts down the flanks for the hosts.  The men in white were having the better of the territory early on, too, with Ben Youngs and George Ford kicking intelligently, and the scrumhalf was also proving a nightmare for his opposite number Nick Phipps, disrupting his ball out of the breakdown and sniping to good effect on a couple of occasions.  England soon deservedly took the lead after Mike Brown was blocked blatantly – and rather stupidly – by Ben McCalman when the Quins man was chasing his own kick, allowing Ford to slot 3 points, but Australia were looking dangerous in attack.  Indeed, the Twickenham faithful has Courtney Lawes to thank for a superb try saving tackle on Adam Ashley Cooper, as the experienced utility back sought to get on the outside of the Northampton lock with the line just 5 metres away.

Chances for both sides were coming thick and fast, though, and the next two both involved May and Brown – the first was a chance for the hosts, with Brown’s offload from the back of the hand just going over May’s head when the speedster had a clear run to the line, whilst the second showcased the improved defence from the Gloucester man as he and Brown shut down Henry Speight after the big winger had been set free down the right.  The Aussies were pressing and looked the more likely to score, but a superb turnover from captain Chris Robshaw changed the momentum of the game.

From their next possession, the hosts cleared into the Wallaby 22 where Israel Folau made a rare mistake, knocking on under no real pressure – although replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball actually went forwards.  From there though, the English front row got its first real shove of the day, earning a penalty advantage and providing front foot ball for Brad Barritt to crash onto and break the gainline.  From the breakdown, a lovely draw and give from Youngs and the looping Tom Wood opened up a gap for Ben Morgan, who barrelled his way over from 10 metres.  England had a 13 – 3 lead after Ford’s conversion – a big lead in such an even contest.

It could have been even better for the men in white had referee Jerome Garces not incorrectly ruled that Anthony Watson had knocked the ball on after the Bath man had chased down a smart kick from Youngs, but as it were, England were happy to take a 10 point lead into the changing rooms.  Less happy was Michael Cheika, who could be seen reading the riot act to his players during the break.

And whatever he said worked, as the Wallabies staged a comeback in the second period, beginning with a fine score from Foley after Rob Horne had scythed through following a delightful inside flick from his fly half, before delivering a return pass.  Foley converted and then, oddly, was immediately subbed for the mercurial Quade Cooper.  Nerves started to jangle around Twickenham – not helped by Ford missing a relatively straight forward kick just before the Foley score – and hearts were in mouths as Ashley-Cooper once again carved a glorious line off a (forward) Cooper pass, before being well tackled by Brown, with the move eventually dying out.

England were starting to look a bit nervous out wide, and so sensibly started to play the territory and power game, with Cooper being barrelled over the deadball line after collecting a teasing grubber kick by his own line.  The resulting 5 metre scrum saw the England pack decimate their opponents in scenes all too familiar to Australian fans, allowing Morgan to pick up and batter his way over the line for his second try, converted again by Ford.

But again, no sooner had England gained some breathing space, the men in gold showed their enterprise and character by clawing their way right back into things.  Yet again, Ashley-Cooper was the catalyst as he raced clear in the midfield, before being hauled down, but the visitors worked the phases and the behemoth substitute, Will Skelton, battered his way over from 5 metres for a fine try.

England still held a three point lead – which was extended by Ford via another penalty – but all the threat was coming from the men in gold.  Ashley-Cooper was carving his way through at will and, had an Israel Folau pass to Rob Horne found its mark, England could have found themselves behind.  It was worrying for Stuart Lancaster’s men, whose defensive organisation had been so good throughout the past three weeks, that they were suddenly being cut open on a regular basis and it was only heroic defence from Robshaw and the bloodied Barritt – who levelled Cooper with one thunderous hit – that kept the visitors out.

But England, throughout the game, had looked the more dominant in the key areas – in the set piece and at the breakdown – and eventually that was enough to see them home, with one further infringement being punished by a now nerve-less George Ford.  The final score was 26 – 17, and England finally had a win over one of the big three.

A win, yes, and an answer perhaps.  They have a pack to match the best in the world – and efficient, although not electric, backs.  Northampton, Leicester and Saracens have all dominated the Premiership at different times by utilising a power game – smashing teams up front around the fringes, getting them back peddling before releasing the backs, and there is no shame at all in adopting that power based game plan.  It may not be fancy, but it is beautiful in its own way.  And most importantly of all, it will win games.  The most beautiful sight is a “W”, after all.

England Player Ratings

Mike Brown – 6 – Solid at the back and made more than one 'last man' tackle, but the zip from his attacking play seems to have diminished and he occasionally looks indecisive.

Anthony Watson – 6 – Not involved as much as he would have liked, but a couple of promising surges none the less.

Brad Barritt – 8 – Possibly his best game in an England shirt.  Fearless and brutal in defence, and he hit a smart line in the build-up to Morgan's first try.  He's not a game-breaker, but he is a body breaker.

Billy Twelvetrees – 6 – The jury is still out after another mixed display.  Some moments of good handling were let down by the odd slipped tackle.

George Ford – 8 – The promising start to his international career continues as he nailed some high pressure kicks towards the end of the game and generally dictated play well.

Ben Youngs – 7 – Started superbly with real energy around the fringes and a smart kicking game, but the quality of his service faded as the game went on.  Good work to set up Morgan's try.

Joe Marler – 8 – Had a superb outing in the set piece but he also worked his socks off in the loose, too, making plenty of telling hits.

Dylan Hartley – 8 – Another superb lineout and scrum effort, and he kept his discipline too when things started to get a bit tasty.

Dave Wilson – 7 – Not involved in the loose as much as front row companions, but he was a dominant figure in the scrum.

Dave Attwood – 7 – Slightly quieter than we've been used to over the last few weeks, but he can be satisfied with another solid display in defence and in the set piece.

Courtney Lawes – 8 – Another to arguably have his best game in white, the Saints second row was simply everywhere in defence with some scything tackles.  Not seen too much in attack, however.

Tom Wood – 7 – Quieter than his fellow back rowers but somebody has to do the graft, and he showed a lovely line and smart hands to set up Morgan's first try.

Chris Robshaw – 9 – Second viewing showed how influential the England skipper was.  He was everywhere in defence and his work at the breakdown saved England's bacon on three separate occasions.  A very good finish to another strong series.  Man of the match.

Ben Morgan – 9 – At his destructive best, his finish for the first try showed all the energy and desire that Vunipola has been lacking.  His ability to keep moving in contact makes him a real handful.

Subs – 6 – Once again, Keiran Brookes caught the eye with some strong scrummaging and huge carries, whilst Matt Mullan also ran well in the set piece.  George Kruis continues to develop well at this level, too.

Australia Player Ratings

Israel Folau – 7 – Didn't really break free but so lethal on the counter whenever he got the ball in his hands.

Henry Speight – 5 – Didn't have the impact that he would have wanted in attack and struggled under the high ball on occasion.

Adam Ashley Cooper – 9 – Absolutely magnificent from the veteran centre.  He ran more metres than anyone else, beat more defenders and made more clean breaks – a class act.

Matt Toomua – 7 – Not as electric as his centre partner but a bruising presence in the midfield none the less.  Got the better of Twelvetrees once again.

Rob Horne – 7 – Lovely break for Foley's try and, like Toomua, was exceptionally physical in defence throughout.  100% commitment as always.

Bernard Foley – 7 – Struggled without front-foot ball but still managed to create opportunities.  He scored a well-taken try and would have had every right to be cheesed off at being subbed straight after.

Nick Phipps – 6 – Didn't have an easy day at the office behind a struggling pack and was well shackled by Ben Youngs, but his service remained quick and reliable.

James Slipper – 5 – Struggled badly against Wilson in the scrum.  Got his hands on the ball plenty of times but was unable to have the impact that we usually see.

Anthony Fainga'a – 6 – I'm not his biggest fan but fair play, he ran a very good lineout despite being under all sorts of pressure in the scrum.

Sekope Kepu – 4 – The poor bloke was really put through the mill by Marler at scrum time and, like Slipper, had minimal impact elsewhere on the park.

Sam Carter – 6 – Really worked his socks off in the loose but found himself outmuscled by a fired-up England pack.

Rob Simmons – 5 – Not the 50th test he would have hoped for.  He was pretty anonymous round the park despite running a decent line out.

Sean McMahon – 5 – He's still learning but he will be disappointed with his display, making only 5 tackles and 5 carries.  We're used to a much bigger shift from the youngster.

Michael Hooper – 7 – A couple of impressive turnovers caught the eye early on and he carried well, but his influence at the breakdown faded as the game progressed.

Ben McCalman – 6 – Carried reasonably well but couldn't influence the game and was outshone by his opposite number.

Subs – 6 – A bit of a mixed bag.  Big Will Skelton grabbed a try and caused plenty of problems with his sheer bulk, but Quade Cooper was unable to provide sufficient inspiration – instead playing the role of rag-doll as the English defence manhandled him time and again.

Autumn International Preview - England v Australia

Here in the northern hemisphere we don’t really like that Southern Hemisphere bunch.  Look at them, always smugly beating us, playing in pleasant conditions and entertaining us with their silky handling skills and electric running.  It’s unbearable.  However, there is one very much appreciated exception to the rule, and that’s England v Australia.  An exception made all the sweeter by the fact that, though both nations will hate to admit it, we’re very similar.  Let’s look at the facts – we’re ungracious winners, sore losers, we barbecue at every opportunity and we both have a smaller, irritating neighbour that beats us in rugby on a regular basis.  But, of late, it’s been England who have had the nudge on their great rivals from down under.

There are so many classic England v Australia clashes – too many to list off here.  Aside from the two World Cup finals, there’s been games like the 2007 quarter final, where the Australian set piece was obliterated by Andy Sheridan, or the 2010 thriller where England – and Chris Ashton – really cut loose.  And the build up seems to always be the same – it’s England’s big, grumpy pack against the Wallabies’ free flowing and skilful backline.  But the fixture always throws up the odd surprise, whether it was England’s back play in 2010 or the Wallaby scrum in 2012, somebody always upsets the odds and makes a big impression.

But one area where there is plenty of difference this weekend is in the pressure stakes, with England expected to win in what is effectively the World Cup warm up, seeing as we’re 10 months away from the ‘big one’ in the rugby’s showpiece event.  That pressure has been ratcheted up a couple of notches after the hosts have suffered 5 defeats in their last 6 games (admittedly with those defeats coming to New Zealand and South Africa), whilst new coach Michael Cheika has the benefit of a ‘honeymoon phase’, where he can experiment with his side without suffering the pressure from bad results.  Who that benefits more, I don’t know, but what we do know is that this fixture is never dull and the result is always hard to call.  Unlike most Southern v Northern games.

 

NB  It would be amiss to not mention or show our respects to Phil Hughes, who lost his life after being injured playing cricket in Australia.  It puts the drama of these games into perspective and the sporting world as a whole sends their thoughts out to his loved ones.  You can be sure the Wallabies will be playing for him as well this afternoon.

 

England Team News

England have dropped Owen Farrell for Billy Twelvetrees as one of three changes to the starting XV that dispatched Samoa.   Kyle Eastmond, who started the series at inside centre, is curiously overlooked again.  Farrell has been left out for the first time since June 2012 after under-performing this autumn and is demoted to the bench. Twelvetrees is selected at inside centre, while Dylan Hartley replaces Rob Webber at hooker and Tom Wood comes in at blind-side flanker for James Haskell.

Starting Line-up:  15-Brown, 14-Watson, 13-Barritt, 12-Twelvetrees, 11-May, 10-Ford, 9-B Youngs; 1-Marler, 2-Hartley, 3-Wilson, 4-Attwood, 5-Lawes, 6-Wood, 7-Robshaw (captain), 8-Morgan

Subs: 16-Webber, 17-Mullan, 18-Brookes, 19-Kruis, 20-Haskell, 21-Wigglesworth, 22-Farrell, 23-Yarde

Key Player

Billy Twelvetrees.  The Gloucester man hasn’t been playing badly for his club, but neither has he been in top nick.  That being said, he impressed when he came on against Samoa last weekend and – at the end of the day – he is a natural 12 as opposed to a fly-half playing out of position.   He’s up against Matt Toomua, a bloke who seems to have a bit of a hoodoo over the ex-Tigers centre – he obliterated Twelvetrees in the Brumbies v Lions tour match in 2013 and then ran over him to score in the Autumn Internationals.  Twelvetrees has to make sure his defence is up to scratch and concentrate on doing the basics well – his problems often come when he feels he has to force his (considerably varied and talented) game to try and force opportunities.

 

Australia Team News

There are three changes to the Australia side that started the defeat by Ireland last weekend.  Lock Rob Simmons comes in to earn his 50th cap, while youngster Sean McMahon returns at blindside flanker.  With Tevita Kuridrani unavailable because of an ankle injury, Adam Ashley-Cooper switches from winger to outside centre, allowing Rob Horne to start in the number 14 shirt.

Starting Line-up:  15-Folau, 14-Speight 13-Ashley-Cooper, 12-Toomua, 11-Horne, 10-Foley, 9-Phipps; 1-Slipper, 2-Faingaa, 3-Kepu, 4-Carter, 5-Simmons, 6-McMahon, 7-Hooper (captain), 8-McCalman

Subs: 16-Hanson, 17-Robinson, 18-Alexander, 19-Skelton, 20-Jones, 21-White, 22-Cooper, 23-Beale

Key Player

Sean McMahon.  The name may sound unfamiliar to many English fans (unless you happen to follow Super Rugby closely or were big fans of wrestling 10 years ago...) but the youngster has all the assets to become a fixture in the international side for the next decade.  A blindside flanker in the classic mould, the 20 year old was a huge hit for the Rebels this year and it earned him the Australian conference ‘Rookie of the Year’ award.  Big, physical and mobile, he’ll be coming up against an England pack that has been impressive with their aggressive physicality so far this autumn – he’ll have to match up to that to get his side a foothold in the loose.

 

Key Battle

Chris Robshaw v Michael Hooper.  It won’t have escaped Hooper’s attention – or world rugby’s, for that matter – that a certain Mr Pocock is nearing full fitness back down under after nearly 2 years out with consecutive knee problems.  The Brumbies star is – or was – regarded as one of the finest opensides on the planet, but Hooper is now surely right up there too.  He’s perhaps not as devastating over the ball as Pocock, but his carrying and general work rate set him out as a class above.  He’ll be trying to nullify Robshaw, England’s skipper, most consistent performer and a man who is, in many ways, a similar player.  Both men love to get their hands on the ball and try to influence the game – and they often do, so today’s result may hinge on simply who puts in the bigger shift out of these two work-horses.

 

Prediction

Out of all the southern hemisphere nations, Australia is the one that England seem to have the most joy against, and there is a reason behind that.  Aside from the well-publicised set piece dominance (which doesn’t occur as often as you’d  think), England’s pack simply seem to be able to bully their counterparts in the tight exchanges.  There are a lot of positives to take so far from Cheika’s reign – such as inventiveness and incision out wide – but I’m not sure that physical dominance is one of them.  This is a critical game for England and I think they’ll raise their game accordingly, even though Wallabies will be emotionally charged after this week.  Another close one, but England should – and must – edge it.  England by 6.

 

And in the other Autumn Internationals?

Wales v South Africa:  My full preview of this potential nail-biter is up here: http://www.therugbyblog.com/autumn-internationals-2014-wales-vs-south-africa-prediction, but suffice to say that I have a nasty feeling that the Welsh will be in for another weekend of heartbreak.  South Africa by 4.

Autumn International Review - England 28 - 9 Samoa

Anyone who has the misfortune or the lack of social life required to regularly read my blog will know that I am pretty hit and miss with my predictions.  Last Six Nations, I exactly predicted three of the score differences in England’s games.  Did I put money on it?  Of course I bloody didn’t, because I’m an idiot.  What did I put money on?  Bath and Leicester drawing in their fixture earlier on this season.  The West Country side snuck past their rivals 45 – 0.  Not quite a draw, was it?

But one thing I could predict with some certainty as England trotted out on Saturday in their new money-making red strip to face the Samoans at Twickenham, was that there would be a few sore bodies on the Sunday.  Playing the Pacific Islanders, even when they are in a political struggle with their management and when you’re blooding a 21 year old at fly half, is never a comfortable experience.

Despite England’s different appearance, the opening exchanges were nothing new as England attempted to set a frantic pace – but, like the week before against the Springboks, they were let down by lateral running and some disappointing handling.  Of course, those problems are made all the more acute when you have a blue wall of pure Samoan muscle heading your way, but some poor kicking from Owen Farrell and indiscipline at the breakdown by the eager-to-impress James Haskell led to the visitors knocking over the first points of the day via the boot of Tusi Pisi.

That seemed to be the wake-up call that hosts needed and they began to tighten up the game, popping passes out of the point of contact before the likes of Filo Paulo and/or Kane Thompson could disrupt the possession with a chunky shoulder...although George Ford and Anthony Watson both felt the full force of Test Match Rugby on more than one occasion.  Ford, though, seemed unruffled as he stroked England level with a well struck penalty before he played a decisive role in the build up to the first try – running a loop off Farrell (with Barritt running a not-unsubstantial blocking line) to feed Mike Brown, who fed a suspiciously forward inside pass to Johnny May.  The Gloucester winger looks like a man reborn since his wonder try against the All Blacks, and he kicked on the afterburners to scorch through a gap in the Samoan defence and touch down by the sticks.  Ford’s conversion took the score to 10 points to 3, before exchanging penalties with Pisi once more.

The problem for England is still, worryingly, a lack of accuracy when the opportunities open up however.  And this came to the fore once again as Ford, who had kicked for territory with great intelligence and accuracy when game had become too loose for England’s liking, scythed through a gap on a diagonal run before looking to feed Brown,  The Quins full-back was, however, running too lateral to cause a threat and spilt the ball forwards in a manner that caused flashbacks to ‘that’ chance against the All Blacks.

It left the score at 13 – 6 at half-time and, although England had dominated the set piece, territory and possession, they were once again being too lateral and too inaccurate in damp conditions.  The start of the second period saw an immediate improvement, though, with the forwards beginning to rumble nicely and, following another maul, Ford arrowed a perfect cross-field kick to Watson, who stepped inside and unselfishly fed Brown for the try.  20 – 6, after Ford’s conversion, seemed like a much more satisfying scoreline and, despite a Pisi penalty for a brainless Farrell infringement, it looked as if it would get even better when Johnny Leota levelled Ford with a fantastic hit which was harshly adjudged to be dangerous by Jaco Peyper – who brandished a yellow card to the centre.  Ben Youngs had looked reliable and sharp at 9, but this pass was a tad on the hospital side, allowing Leota to time his run and smash to perfection, and the impact looked to be in the upper-chest.  Ford, to his credit, jumped straight back onto his feet with a wry smile on his face before – presumably – thanking a sheepish Youngs for his kind service and knocking over three points.

England immediately took advantage of the extra man though, with a rolling maul creating space out wide where quick hands from Dave Attwood and Joe Marler, of all people, opened up acres of room for Johnny May to slide in at the corner.  Ford couldn’t add the extras, but now there was a real feeling that – finally – the men in red might cut loose, but it wasn’t to be, as they took their foot off the pedal and inaccuracies crept their way back into the game.  Both sides had their chances to score, with Leota being denied by a superb cover tackle by Billy Twelvetrees, Marlande Yarde butchering a 2-on-1 deep in his own half and Dave Attwood spilling the ball with the line at his mercy after another Ford break. 

It wasn’t perfect, but it was a win.  We can talk about whether the positives – the performance of the half backs and the set piece in particular – outweigh the negatives, with Farrell’s unconvincing display at 12 and James Haskell’s surprising anonymity springing to mind, but at the end of the day that ‘W’ is all that really matters.  And all that will matter when the Wallabies come to town next weekend.

NB Great to see the English players show their unity with their Samoan counterparts at the end of the game, huddling together in a show of support in the Islanders’ ongoing dispute with their rugby union.  Hopefully it all gets resolved soon.

 

England Player Ratings

Mike Brown – 6 – A solid display, popping up for a score and helping to set one up, but some uncharacteristically poor handling and lateral running let him down.

Anthony Watson – 7 – He actually saw the ball this week which is always a bonus.  Made some strong surges with the ball in hand and was unselfish and aware in setting up Brown’s try.

Brad Barritt – 5 – 100% commitment and strong defence as ever, but when your 13’s most notable attacking contribution is a good dummy line, you have to question what they have to offer.

Owen Farrell – 5 – A bit of a mixed bag.  Some decent hands were involved in setting up May’s second and no doubt his tall helped Ford ‘bed in’, but his defence and discipline was sloppy at times.

Johnny May – 8 – Looking more and more at home on the international scene.  Showed a real nose for the line with the first finish as well as the customary blistering pace.

George Ford – 8 – An excellent starting debut.  His decision making was good, kicking reliable and he looked lively throughout.  Also showed that he’s a tough cookie after getting up from a couple of monster hits.

Ben Youngs – 7 – One hospital pass aside, he gave Ford a smooth ride with some slick service (with that “2-step” notable by its absence) and accurate box-kicking.  No sniping of note, though.

Joe Marler – 7 – Had the upper hand in the scrum and carried plenty as well, but it was his handling in the build up to the third try that really impressed.

Rob Webber – 7 – Worked his socks off around the park and – importantly – ran a near-perfect line-out.  Has done enough to keep his place ahead of Hartley next week.

Dave Wilson – 7 – Another strong performance in the set piece and, although his handling occasionally lets him down, he does make some handy metres in the tight.

Dave Attwood – 7 – A disappointing penalty off a maul in the first half couldn’t overshadow another industrious display by Attwood, who provided physical muscularity throughout.

Courtney Lawes – 6 – Not at his most conspicuous, by any means.  Some decent carries but we didn’t really seem him impose himself in defence.

James Haskell – 6 – Recovered well after conceding a couple of silly penalties early on.  One cover tackle in particular demonstrated his work-rate but it wasn’t perhaps the eye-catching display he would have wanted.

Chris Robshaw – 8 – Another fine display from the England skipper, carrying the ball and acting as a link man, but it was his defence that really impressed, making 20 tackles in a tireless performance.

Ben Morgan – 6 – Like Haskell, perhaps it wasn’t the all-action display he was looking for but nonetheless he still made some big metres with the ball in hand.

Subs – 6 – Some positives for sure, with George Kruis impressing once again and Billy Twelvetrees coming in with a superb cover tackle to save a try.  Kieran Brookes provided plenty of impact again, whilst Yarde made some good runs but butchered a golden opportunity late on.

 

Samoa Player Ratings

Ken Pisi – 7 – Samoa’s most dangerous back, he ran for far more metres than anyone else (on either side) and was a threat on the kick return all evening.  A little shaky under the high ball though and missed some tackles.

Alapati Leiua – 6 – What a shame he could not get more involved.  Showed his power with his few touches but struggled to find any real space.

Ray Lee-Lo – 5 – Couldn’t create a whole lot of go-forward in attack but weighed in with a couple of solid hits in defence.

Johnny Leota – 6 – I thought he was really unlucky with his yellow card.  He was a brutal presence in the tackle area but he wasn’t seen too much with the ball in hand.

David Lemi – 6 – Probably saw the ball more than any other back but couldn’t unlock too many opportunities, even with his dancing feet.  Probably out of position for Brown’s score, too.

Tusi Pisi – 7 – He was reliable with the boot and varied his game intelligently, although some of his kicking from hand was a little wayward.

Kahn Fotuali’i – 6 – Rarely had the most stable platform to work off, but nonetheless worked tirelessly to try and inject some menace around the fringes.

Zak Taulafo – 5 – Given a real going over in the set piece and wasn’t particularly mobile in defence, but he did get his hands on the ball plenty of times.

Ti’i Paulo – 5 – Actually held the lineout together fairly well given the pressure he was under, but he was fairly anonymous elsewhere on the park.

Census Johnston – 6 – Came off second best in the scrum battle, although he did have his moments and was a reliable source of front-foot ball for the visitors.

Filo Paulo – 8 – Samoa’s best player, especially in the first half.  Some of his hits were bone-jarring for the fans, let alone the recipients, and he was a real nuisance at ruck time.

Kane Thompson – 7 – Like Paulo, put himself around a lot in the loose and in defence, but found himself incurring the wrath of the referee on three separate occasions.

Maurie Fa’asavalu – 7 – Some trademark strong carries and plenty of oomph in defence as well, but was unable to really slow down English ball.

Jack Lam – 6 – Showed some dynamism with the ball in hand but he didn’t make too many tackles, and missed a couple as well.

Ofisa Treviranus – 7 – Some power-packed rumbles in the loose and off the back of the scrum – generally aiming at George Ford – got the Samoan fans on their feet.  Not great defensively, though.

Subs – 5 – Stemmed the flow of English points but unable to add a whole lot of spark to bring the Samoans back into things.

And in the other Autumn Internationals?

Ireland 26 – 23 Australia:  The Irish won a thriller in front of an electric atmosphere in the Aviva Stadium.  The hosts were actually 17 – 0 up after scores from Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe, but tries from Nick Phipps (2) and Bernard Foley hauled the men in gold level.  The boot of World Player of Year nominee Johnny Sexton was enough to see them home, however.

Wales 16 – 34 New Zealand:  Wales’ 60 year hoodoo against the World Champions goes on, but it looked like history was going to be made when the hosts led 16 – 15 with 11 minutes remaining, with Rhys Webb’s score cancelling out Julian Savea’s effort.  But apparently you only beat the All Blacks if they let you win, and they tore the Welsh apart in the final 10 minutes via a brace from Beauden Barritt and an effort from the omnipresent Kieran Read.

Scotland 37 – 12 Tonga:  It was a tricky encounter in the first half for the Scots, but they eventually pulled away to exorcise the demons of their 2012 defeat.  Efforts from Stuart Hogg, Blair Cowan, Alex Dunbar, Geoff Cross and Tommy Seymour all sealed an ultimately comfortable win for the rejuvenated Scots.

Italy 6 – 22 South Africa:  The Springboks stuttered their way to an unconvincing win over the Azurri, with scores from Connie Oosthuizen, Cobus Reinach and Bryan Habana covering up a disjointed display from the visitors.

France 13 – 18 Argentina:   Ah the French.  Just when you think that they were building momentum, they go ahead and get outdone by a side they’re expected to beat.  Nicholas Sanchez was imperious, spanking over 3 drop goals and 2 penalties, with Hernandez adding a 4^th drop, to beat Les Bleus, despite the hosts crossing for 3 scores from Fofana, Lopez and Kockott.

Autumn International Preview - England v Samoa

Everybody has a bad week from time to time.  Mine wasn’t particularly brilliant to be honest, but that was largely self-inflicted as these days it takes me 48 hours to get over a hangover and so a Wednesday night trip to the pub effectively ruined my productivity for the rest of the week.  But that fades into insignificance when compared to next England or Samoa’s weeks.

Stuart Lancaster’s side, and Stuart Lancaster himself, are under more pressure than they probably have been in the head coach’s three year tenure.  Five defeats on the bounce – admittedly against the world’s best two sides – does not make for good reading, no matter how narrow the majority of those margins have been.  The pressure has intensified as well as one of the clearest under-performers, Owen Farrell, retains his place in the starting line-up despite Kyle Eastmond showing some promising signs in the 12 shirt – the Bath man was deemed unfit, but yet he starts for his club side this weekend.  The bottom line is that England need fluency, they need tempo, they need incision.  They need a performance.

Samoa have had a bad week for very different reasons.  Although they haven’t been at their brutal best this Autumn, they’re not under the same results-based pressure as England, having won three, drawn one and lost one in their last five.  Instead, the Samoa camp has been besieged by rumours of a strike, brought about by poor relations between the players and the management of the Samoan Rugby Union, with gripes dating back to the 2011 World Cup.  The allegations involve poor communication, misuse or misallocation of funds for the players and the inability to organise a p*ss up in a brewery.  We don’t know the full facts, but what a shame it is that one of the most talented rugby playing nations is being held back from achieving its full potential.   Clearly there is something fishy going on, and the only way to get around that is for the IRB (or World Rugby, as they are now known) to conduct a full and transparent audit of the Samoan rugby union.

Yes, these have been difficult, painful weeks.  And matches against Samoa are always painful at the best of times.  But whoever loses will be hurting a hell of a lot more come Sunday morning.

 

England Team News

England have made five personnel changes to the side to face Samoa with full debutant George Ford among the new names from last week's narrow defeat by South Africa.   Owen Farrell moves to inside centre to make way for Ford, who forms an all-new half-back pairing with Ben Youngs, who replaces the dropped Danny Care. Kyle Eastmond is unavailable because of a concussion suffered last weekend.  The other three changes come in the pack. Dylan Hartley makes way for Rob Webber at hooker while Ben Morgan and James Haskell come into the back-row, with Tom Wood dropping to the bench and Billy Vunipola missing out altogether.

Starting Line up:  15-Mike Brown , 14-Anthony Watson, 13-Brad Barritt, 12-Owen Farrell, 11-Jonny May, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Joe Marler, 2-Rob Webber, 3-David Wilson, 4-Dave Attwood, 5-Courtney Lawes, 6-James Haskell, 7-Chris Robshaw, 8-Ben Morgan

Subs: 16-Dylan Hartley, 17-Matt Mullan, 18-Kieran Brookes, 19-George Kruis, 20-Tom Wood, 21-Richard Wigglesworth, 22-Billy Twelvetrees, 23-Marland Yarde

Key Player

George Ford.  Much has been made of Farrell’s continued selection in the side given his clear lack of fitness and form, but the youngster from Bath finally gets his first England start in the 10 shirt against Samoa.  For me though, it’s a bit of mixed fortune for the talented fly-half – yes, he is playing outside of Ben Youngs, who he knows well from his days at Leicester, but he has Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt outside of him.  Now, Farrell played with Ford in the same positions in the under 20s, but that is a very different game, and neither Farrell nor Barritt add anywhere near the same kind of attacking or running threat that Eastmond or Joseph do at Bath.  Ford plays so well when he is flat to the line, picking out his strike runners, but with the centre combination outside him his options has been limited.  His decision making and ability to bring in the forwards off his shoulder are therefore key – but he can’t afford to go into his shell and stop attacking the line.

 

Samoa Team News

Samoa tight-head Census Johnston will win his 50th Test cap on Saturday when they face England at Twickenham.   Johnston, who made three appearances for the Pacific Islands team, starts at tight-head for Samoa with Zak Taulafo and Ti'i Paulo joining him in the front-row. Filo Paulo and Kane Thompson link up in the second-row with Maurie Fa'asavalu, Jack Lam and Ofisa Treviranus completing the pack.   In the backs, Kahn Fotuali'i and Tusi Pisi link-up at half-back with David Lemi, Alapati Leiua, Ken Pisi forming the back three. Reynold Lee-lo and Johnny Leota link up in the centres.

Starting Line up: 15-Ken Pisi, 14-Alapati Leiua, 13-Reynold Lee-Lo, 12-Johnny Leota, 11-David Lemi, 10-Tusi Pisi, 9-Kahn Fotuali'i; 1-Zak Taulafo, 2-Ti'i Paulo, 3-Census Johnston, 4-Filo Paulo, 5-Kane Thompson, 6-Maurie Fa'asavalu, 7-Jack Lam, 8-Ofisa Treviranus

Subs: 16-Manu Leiataua, 17-Viliamu Afatia, 18-Anthony Perenise, 19-Fa'atiga Lemalu, 20-Dan Leo, 21-TJ Ioane, 22-Pete Cowley, 23-Mike Stanley

Key Player

Alapati Leiua.  Census Johnston, on his 50^th cap, has a monumental battle keeping the Samoan scrum competitive against a strong England set piece, but Wasps man Leiua is a real weapon for the Islanders in the backline.  Comfortable on the wing or in the centres, he has genuine pace and power and is deadly when shown half a gap.  He’s been growing into the English game with Wasps but, over the last few weeks, he has really grown in authority and has an ability to make yards in the tackle when all common sense suggests he should go to ground.  And if you need reminding of what he is capable of, check out the below from his Super Rugby days.

 

Key Battle

Ben Youngs v Kahn Fotuali’i.  These two are used to facing off against one another in a Midlands derby and both will be absolutely critical to their side’s prospects on Saturday evening – albeit for different reasons.  Youngs is returned to the side mainly because of Care’s collapse in form as opposed to his personal resurgence (although he has been solid), but he has an opportunity to put a real marker down.  He should get a good platform from a pack that has been setting decent foundations all Autumn, but he needs to go back to his old ways of playing from instinct and at high tempo.  Care, of late, has been far too considered and predictable in his approach – and that has stifled plenty of attacks at source.  Youngs must avoid the same pitfalls.  Fotali’i, on the other hand, can’t be guaranteed such a solid platform in all likelihood, with the Samoan set piece still looking vulnerable.  He will have to be snappy at clearing up loose ball and look to involve his huge loose forwards in the near channels at every opportunity – that’s where they will generate quick and clean ball.

 

Prediction

It’s been a difficult week for both sides and Samoa are, for me, one of the slumbering giants in world rugby...helped by the fact that the majority of their players are actually giants.  I don’t think this will be the game where they lay down another shock on the world stage, however.  There’s too much going on off the field and they haven’t looked overly fluent in the weeks leading up to the game – and England will be very, very hungry to shut their critics up.  England by 19.

 

And in the other Autumn Internationals?

Wales v New Zealand:  Rhys Webb has claimed that the All Blacks are “there for the taking”.  Don’t say that, Rhys.  You’ll make them angry.  My full preview is at http://www.therugbyblog.com/autumn-internationals-2014-wales-vs-new-zealand-prediction but, for now, All Blacks by 6.

Scotland v Tonga:  Memories of that terrible afternoon in 2012 still feel relatively fresh, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing a repeat.  There are waves of genuine optimism in the north for the first time in years:  Scotland by 15.

Ireland v Australia:  This has the potential to a belter in the showdown between the two ex-Leinster coaches.  The Wallabies already look more fluent under Cheika but Ireland are genuine dark horses for the World Cup under Schmidt. Ireland by 4.

Italy v South Africa:  The Springboks seem to have recovered from that shocker against the Irish, whilst Italy continue to fail to impress.  South Africa by 20.

France v Argentina:  Are Les Bleus finally back on track?  The signs are looking ominous, with the Pumas struggling for consistency.  France by 12.

Autumn International Review - England 28 - 31 South Africa

One of my favourite rivalries in all sport is England v Wales in rugby.  I say one of my favourites, because at times it is bloody awful being an Englishman.  I think back to 2005 and 2013 and I shudder.  But that’s partly why it’s so great – the vast swings of fortune make the times of elation all the sweeter and the shameless gloating all the more graceless...and enjoyable.  But, shockingly, there appears to be a similarity, a common flaw, emerging between the two nations – the inability to beat the ‘Big Three’ on a regular basis.

Wales have, for so long, had a phenomenal international side with bucket loads of power and intelligence in the forwards, and bags of pace and punch out wide but – no matter how many Grand Slams or Six Nations titles they’ve picked up, the defeat of a Southern Hemisphere side, even when that side may not be at its strongest, appears to be a bridge too far.  England traditionally have been a reliable source of victories against the Southerners, but of late, that record is looking rather flimsy.  Before this last weekend, they had won just 2 of 12 games against the big boys...and lost 11 of their last 12 against the mighty South Africans.  When it happens that many times, it stops being bad luck.  It becomes a habit.  And after a narrow but ultimately convincing defeat against the All Blacks, the questions on how England can take that next step, and break the cycle, were inevitably being raised ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Springboks at Twickenham.

Like last week though, England came roaring out of the blocks, except that this time, crucially, they didn’t pick up the five points that their dominance demanded.  The pack had done well initially in the opening 10 minutes to win some good go forward ball, with Dave Attwood and Chris Robshaw making some important metres and Kyle Eastmond showing some glimpses of his quick feet, but time and again the ball slipped free in the greasy conditions, with Billy Vunipola guilty on more than one occasion.  It may have been wet though, but the ball protection from the big eight was simply not up to scratch.  It proved to be an ominous sign.

If England looked to be shooting themselves in the foot in attack, then it was the same story on the back foot.  At one point, Owen Farrell field a kick in his own 22, did well to avoid the South African chasers but then, instead of hoofing the ball clear, decided to throw debutant Anthony Watson a hospital pass of a switch that saw the youngster turned over.  England were grateful that, from the subsequent attack, Willie Le Roux couldn’t hang onto Bryan Habana’s pass with the line at his mercy, but Pat Lambie did add three points from a resulting penalty.  Things continued in a similar vein just a couple of minutes later, when centre Jan Serfontein intercepted a ponderous and blindingly obvious Danny Care pass on halfway to canter over, and suddenly the Springboks held a 10 – 0 lead after just 16 minutes. 

England did claw their way back into the game, with two Owen Farrell penalties sandwiching another Lambie effort in the remainder of the first half, but yet again it could have been so much better for the men in white.  Firstly Dave Attwood did well to carve a gap through the big green line but he wasn’t able to – or didn’t want to – find the quicker men in the shape of Care and Watson outside him, when both would have been odds on to score in the corner.  That being said, on replay it didn’t look as if either were particularly busting a gut to get with the big lock, so perhaps it’s unfair to lay all the blame at his size 22 feet.  Johnny May, who – through no real fault of his own – was a spectator through most of the game, also went close in the opposite corner with some quick feet, but yet again that final metre, that final broken tackle, seemed elusive, and they had to settle for being 13 – 6 down at half time.  At least they were still within striking distance.

But not for long.  England’s team talk would have been about being ruthless with the ball in hand, but it was the Springboks who gave the real lesson within the first 30 seconds of the restart.  Lambie, faced with an onrushing England defence, dabbed a gorgeous chip over the top for Le Roux to collect, with the full back timing his pass to perfection to give scrum Cobus Reinach – who was having a solid game – a free run to the line.  South Africa held a 20 – 6 lead.  Game over?

Not quite.  England may have many critical faults but determination is certainly not one of them.  After Victor Matfield was shown yellow for pulling down a rolling maul (after referee Steve Walsh had given a warning), England pulled level with two tries in the space of three minutes.  Firstly, Robshaw elected to kick for the corner from the subsequent penalty and, from there, the pack rumbled over the line with a powerful and well-disciplined rolling maul, with prop David Wilson the man with the honour of coming up with the ball.  Then, shortly after the restart, substitute Ben Morgan barrelled his way through 3 tacklers after another powerful maul – this one travelling almost 30 metres – splintered apart.  Farrell’s conversions took the score to 20 apiece, and England finally had their opponents on the ropes.

The pack had certainly not been out-powered by the Springboks as previous England sides have been, and their work in the set piece – they were especially impressive in the scrum – was giving the backline quality ball that they couldn’t take advantage of.  But they had been outsmarted at the breakdown, with South Africa picking their times to attack the England ruck, and it was from a resulting penalty  and the subsequent attacking lineout that the big green machine got a mauling try of their own in the 53^rd minute to pull away by 5 points once again, with the magnificent Schalk Burger the man to emerge with the glory.

England’s hopes took another blow when Dylan Hartley was yellow carded for clumsy use of the feet (read: stamping) on an opposition player, although opinion was divided in how much he knew about it.  What was clear though was that the victim, Duane Vermeulen, was cynically on the ground trying to pull the maul down by the players’ ankles – in the ‘good old days’, he would have deserved (and expected) a good shoeing.  South Africa couldn’t make the most of the extra man despite dominating the territory, thanks to some woeful kicking from Farrell, with England’s defence – led by Brad Barritt and substitute Matt Mullan – proving very stingy indeed.  Lambie and George Ford – belatedly brought on for Farrell – exchanged three pointers, before England again began to spark into life in the last 10 minutes, searching for a score to bring them that much sought after win against the South Africans.  Although the introductions of Ford and Ben Youngs gave the hosts much needed fluency and urgency in attack, the clearout speed was not efficient enough and the likes of Vermeulen, Burger and Marcel Coetzee were able to force turnovers time and again.  And with four minutes to play, Lambie added a drop goal to seal a win for the visitors and put the cherry on top of a fine individual display.

Some slick handling and good lines – finally – put Brad Barritt over for a well taken score with a minute left to play, but it would prove to be nothing but a consolation in a 28 - 31 defeat.  England, once again, had fallen to a top side, despite being in a position to win the game.

Rightly, the pressure will begin to mount and the questions will be asked.  Why is England’s kicking game so disjointed? Why are the attacks largely lateral, slow and predictable? Why was the clear-out ineffective? Why do the back row not hunt out in the wider channels (as do Read and Vermeulen) to take advantage of their size and power against smaller opponents?  Unfortunately, England seem to be throwing up more questions than answers at the moment...and time is running out to find them.

UPDATE:  I’ve just read that, unbelievably, Lancaster has ignored the in-form outside centre, Jonathan Joseph, and brought in Luther Burrell – who has been merely solid for Northampton this year.  There are also horrible rumours that Farrell – who is a great player but is short of form and fitness at the moment – will be pushed to play 12 this week.  The logic of the England set up is currently very hard to understand.

 

England Player Ratings

Mike Brown – 8 – Much more like it from the Quins man.  Rock solid at the back and made plenty of promising surges in attack.  England’s best back by some distance.

Anthony Watson – 5 – It didn’t go his way on his first start.  He wasn’t helped by some hospital passes but some dropped high balls didn’t do his cause much good.

Brad Barritt – 6 – Ran hard and defended well all day, but he lacks the raw physical attributes to be a real threat in attack.  Not a natural distributor either.

Kyle Eastmond – 7 – Defended his channel well once again and showed some lively moments in attack in the first half, but didn’t have many opportunities in the second period.

Johnny May – 6 – Made yards whenever he had the ball and made his tackles, but was largely anonymous.

Owen Farrell – 4 – It may seem like a harsh mark given his excellent goal kicking, but it was all pretty off from the Sarries man.  His distribution was laboured, his kicking from hand poor and his decision making questionable.  Needs to find some form with his club.

Danny Care – 5 – Some lively scampers and better kicks than last week but, like Farrell, his decision making was poor and his passing was very, very laboured, handing one crucial try to the Boks on a plate.  Disappointing on his 50th cap.

Joe Marler – 7 – Scrummaged well and made his tackles, and sought to get his hands on the ball – although he doesn’t seem as much of a threat in that regard as in previous years.

Dylan Hartley – 6 – The lineout was solid once again and he worked his socks off in the loose, but that yellow card was critical, although he can feel slightly aggrieved at it.

Dave Wilson – 7 – Capped a very decent scrummaging display with a well-earned try from a rolling maul.  Sought to involve himself throughout.

Dave Attwood – 7 – Another robust display in the middle of the park and took the physical display to the Boks.  Will be disappointed he didn’t pass when he had a chance to put Watson in, though.

Courtney Lawes – 6 – Brave and committed, he flew into rucks and tackles without a thought to last week’s concussion – but he had a limited impact on the game.

Tom Wood – 6 – A couple of silly penalties but he was more prominent than last week, with one smart break from a ruck nearly leading to a breakaway try.

Chris Robshaw – 6 – A turnover here and there was good but he struggled to have an influence with the ball in hand.

Billy Vunipola – 5 – Yes, he made some impressive rumbles, but that was when he actually hung onto the ball – something he failed to do far too many times.

Subs – 8 – Ben Morgan was colossal when he came on and added real venom to the England carrying game, whilst George Ford and Ben Youngs added pace and creativity – but too late.  Matt Mullan and Keiran Brookes also continue to impress with their cameos.

 

South Africa Player Ratings

Willie Le Roux – 8 – It is the sign of a class player when you can dip in and out of a game, but your interventions ooze quality.  That’s exactly what Le Roux was like on Saturday.

JP Pietersen – 6 – Solid in defence and carried hard but it wasn’t really a day for the wingers to shine.

Jan Serfontein – 7 – A well-read intercept and the powerful former IRB Young Player of the Year seems very comfy in a Springbok jersey.

Jean De Villiers – 6 – Got beaten by Eastmond a couple of times in the first half but recovered well to lead his team back out in front when they were up against it.

Bryan Habana – 6 – I wasn’t really sure if he was playing, to be honest.  Chased kicks well but that was about it.

Pat Lambie – 9 – A great response for being out of the team for a couple of tests.  He distributed superbly and he varied his game to perfection.

Cobus Reinach – 7 – The scrum half was a little slow with his box kicking early on but tidied it up in the second period to great effect, and got on the end of a fine try.

The Beast – 6 – I can’t be bothered to spell out his real name, but the Beast was unusually quiet on Saturday.  Unable to put Wilson under much pressure, we also didn’t see him with the ball in hand much either.

Adriaan Strauss – 7 – A busy display in the loose and a reliable lineout...it’s difficult to think of many mistakes by the Cheetahs hooker.

Jannie Du Plessis – 5 – Under the cosh a fair bit at scrum time and didn’t offer much around the park, either.

Eben Etzebeth – 6 – A solid display by the towering lock.  Dominated the lineout but seems to be lacking that real bite that he had when he first came onto the scene.

Victor Matfield – 6 – His yellow card was costly but aside from that he was athletic and a intelligent around the park, pressuring England’s breakdown.

Marcel Coetzee – 7 – A bit of an unsung hero for the Springboks, the openside flanker made more tackles than anyone else and was an endless-bundle of energy and aggression throughout.

Schalk Burger – 9 – Plagued the England breakdown and was a wall in defence.  He timed his big clearouts intelligently to cause maximum disruption and won good turnover ball on three occasions.  Man of the match.

Duane Vermeulen – 7 – A quiet day from one of the players of the year and was kept quiet by some good, low England tackling.  Became more prominent in the wider channels in the second half.

Subs – 7 – Botha was a galvanising influence in the pack, Bismarck Du Plessis was as busy as ever upon his introduction and Coenie Oosthuizen had a barrelling carry late on.

 

What else was happening in the other Autumn Internationals?

Wales 17 – 13 Fiji:  Wales were given a scare by Fiji in a hideously imprecise display at the Millennium Stadium.  Tries from George North and Alex Cuthbert, plus a penalty try, had given the hosts control but they were unable to add further scores despite playing against 14 men for over a half when Campese Ma’afu was sent off for his second yellow card.  Fiji were under pressure for the majority of the game but clawed their way back into it through Nadolo Nasiganiyavi late on.

Scotland 16 – 24 New Zealand:  A reinvigorated Scotland nearly stunned the All Blacks at Murrayfield, with the visitors relying on a late score from Jeremy Thrush to seal the game after a fine Victor Vito try had put them in command.  A Tommy Seymour intercept gave the Scots hope, but after Greg Laidlaw missed a kick to put the hosts in the lead with 12 minutes to go, the All Blacks closed the game out.

France 29 – 26 Australia:  France inflicted the first defeat of Michael Cheika’s coaching tenure by turning over the Wallabies 29 – 26 in an enthralling encounter in Paris. Les Bleus deserved the win – leading 29-19 with 10 minutes to go after tries from Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Teddy Thomas (his fourth in two games) – but the Wallabies fought back twice through Adam Ashley-Cooper and Rob Simmons.  The French are showing ominous signs as we approach the World Cup year.

Ireland 49 – 7 Georgia:  Tries from Dave Kilcoyne and Richardt Strauss were the only scorers in a frustrating first half against the Georgians, with Giorgi Nemsadze grabbing one from the visitors, but the hosts cut loose in the second half with scores from Simon Zebo, Felix Jones (2) and Stuart Olding.

 

And in the Aviva Premiership, the Chiefs and Quins picked up impressive away victories against Saints and Gloucester respectively, whilst there were home wins for Bath and Sale against Falcons and London Irish.  Wasps then scored 11 tries in their 71 – 7 rout of London Welsh in their final game at Adams Park, in stark contrast to the earlier game between Tigers and Sarries, where the two giants played out a turgid 21 – 21 draw.