Another post-World Cup Six Nations, another new coach at the helm of the England rugby team. The Eddie Jones era begins in earnest against Scotland at Murrayfield on the opening weekend of the 2016 Six Nations, but what can we expect from everyone’s favourite underachievers?
As Jones himself has noted, England have just one title since 2003 – the fourth best record in the tournament. For a nation as well resourced as England, that is simply unacceptable.
How bad is the World Cup hangover?
England woke up after the World Cup completely starkers with no idea where their clothes were. The ensuing hangover was one of those that sticks with you for some time; the kind that reminds you of your own mortality, and that staying up til 6am polishing off the whiskey is, in fact, an awful idea.
Stuart Lancaster’s regime, which had filled fans with confidence after a free-flowing Six Nations campaign, reached an ill-timed nadir as England capitulated on the greatest stage to become the first team to exit a home World Cup at the group stage.
A dismantling at the hands of Australia was preceded by a confused loss to Wales, in which England neither knew how they wanted to play nor how best to deal with a difficult decision late on. Restoring that clarity of thought in pressure situations will be top of Jones’s priority list.
Most alarming of all, perhaps, was the disintegration of one of the areas of traditional strength: the scrum. With largely the same personnel, new forwards coach Steve Borthwick and his scrummaging guru Ian Peel must restore this area to its once world class status.
What is the cure?
Eddie Jones is the cure, and without a ball having been kicked he’s done an astoundingly good job of inciting English fans to get back on the horse. Put simply, he is the anti-Lancaster: straight-talking, wise-cracking and utterly confident in his own ability.
There have been a few grumblings about the wonderkids that were left out of the squad for the opening game, but their time will come; Jones knows that Murrayfield is an unforgiving environment and the priority is to get a win. His appointment of Dylan Hartley as captain shows his desire to restore an element of doggedness to the side, which has certainly been lacking in recent years.
The greatest change he will bring about, however, is in the players’ mentality. Too often under Lancaster they wilted under pressure, either making poor decisions in crucial situations or – especially in the World Cup – reverting to one-dimensional rugby when they should have trusted themselves to play the more expansive game that had begun to pay dividends.
Jones will empower his players to believe in themselves and their ability. There have been changes but they are not wholesale, and rightly so; this England team has shown in the past that it is capable of brilliance, it is merely a case of eliciting it on a more regular basis.
Two players to watch
Jack Clifford
One of three uncapped players set to make their debut at Murrayfield, Clifford has been earmarked as a future number eight by Jones. For now, his versatility makes him a great bench option, and indeed that versatility translates to the way he plays – there is very little he is not good at. With a huge work rate and impressive pace, expect him to up the ante when he enters the fray on the opening weekend.
Jonathan Joseph
Last year’s player of the tournament may seem an obvious choice, perhaps, but Joseph desperately needs a good Six Nations after being preferred to Elliot Daly, a man in far better form. Joseph’s success last year was built around his hitch kick and subsequent acceleration on an outside arc, but most defences have worked that out now, and position his opposite man a metre wider when defending to counteract it. The Bath man must accept this and adapt his game accordingly, otherwise the clamour for Daly to overtake him will simply be too loud for Jones to ignore.
Prediction
To play Wales and Ireland at home is a real boost to their chances of winning a first Six Nations title since 2011. They face away trips to the blue-shirted teams; disenchanted Italy in Rome will pose few issues, and by the time they travel to Paris the squad should be well-settled into the Jones way of doing things and come away with a win. Which leaves the opening weekend against a Scotland side that is for the first time beginning to believe in its own abilities. They will be so, so up for this one, and with Jones and his completely new coaching staff only having had a couple of weeks with their squad, England may just have to wait til the second weekend for their first tournament win.
Predicted finish: 2nd.
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
52 replies on “The Pre-Six Nations Status Report: England”
I’ll be honest not winning this year’s tournament wouldn’t be the biggest disapointment. What I’d like to see is England creating a culture and plan to go forward and to become the dominant force in international rugby.
That isn’t arrogance, it’s a justifiable aim given the resources and money available.
For the most part Jones seems to be starting out on that plan although I totally disagree with his choice of captain. However, the introduction of youth has given the idea that whilst old warriors such as Hartley and Haskell are currently retained there will be a regeneration of the team over the next 4 year cycle. Certainly by the time of Japan 2019 there should be a nuclear of players 23-28 years old with 30-60 caps each. A similar position to New Zealand in 2011. Now I’m not saying that guareentees a world cup win, but it certainly would appear to be the best option. (Conversely similar aims to Lancaster when he took over.)
And here’s lies the problem. The England game is still run by amatuers when it should be handed over to a professional management team with international experience. Messrs Wilkinson, Greenwood and Dallaglio per chance?
It would be the second biggest disappointment of the 15/16 season, after going out in the World Cup. Winning is everything. The central paradigm to the culture should be winning, and the only way to generate that is by winning.
I can’t agree. Although we should aim to win every tournament if we don’t win this one but make big steps towards future tournament wins then I’d take that as a good second prize.
I think the two go hand-in-hand. There are no players currently around the set-up who won’t be around in 2-4 years. The other issue is game plan – despite the World Cup, Jones should be starting from a solid base (32 tries in the last two tournaments) if he wishes to implement an attacking game plan which will be required to win more trophies and take on the SH teams as well.
We weren’t miles away the last 2 tournaments (see France 2014 or the failure to pile more points on an abject Scotland side last year). Second place would be standing still. 3 pretty wins would be going backwards.
Anyone stating that Scotland had a better World Cup than England without talking about the healthy dollop of luck generated by the 2012 draw is only telling half the truth. In reality, Scotland haven’t beaten a Tier 1 side (warm-ups against Italy aside) since they beat Argentina in November 2014.
England have an 80% win rate across the past 5 Six Nations, and that’s between 2 coaches deemed not good enough. England have also beaten Scotland in each of these 5 tournaments.
Scotland may have closed the gap and may be a better side than last year, and might even beat England. But I wouldn’t have them down as favourites for the Calcutta Cup.
No disrespect to the Blue teams, but this is the easier year for England to win the Championship and the Grand Slam – as currently Wales and Ireland are the best teams we’ll play and we get them both at home. I think England’s toughest games will be Wales at home then France away. Ireland (H) and Scotland (A) will be about on a par and then Italy away is the easiest. But even Wales at home you’d put England at no less than evens at winning.
‘Grand Slam’ – you’re only as good as your last game Rob, and from your last game it’d be more likely for you to get a Wooden Spoon than a Grand Slam.
We’re only as good as our last game? Excellent, we played great against Uruguay.
I’m not saying England are going to finish bottom – but this English obsession with always getting the Grand Slam is bizarre. England should win four games – and they should be happy with that – they’re missing key positions and Eddie Jones is still finding his feet. I find it really odd that England fans demand INSTANT results rather than a focus on developing and future-proofing a team for the years to come.
England should be happy with a finish in the top three – and forget about chasing a Grand Slam pipe-dream.
Should England expect to win home games with the resources to hand? Yes. Have they generally in the 6 nations under SL? All bar one. Have they lost to Italy or Scotland in the last 5 years? No.
Throw in that France are in a worse place than most teams right now and expecting England to win the majority of 6 nations games is fairly reasonable. Not arrogant, nor obsession, just a logical thought process.
J, You have just explained why/WHERE English teams and fans arrogance comes from , ..”.you DO expect to win the 6N” by just turning up !, ,…and so you should,.. with the huge player base, it makes me laugh when i see England are missing a center or a wing , or any other position , …if you believe that, with 20 more professional players at any position that the celtic nations have,. this/that player cant be replaced? ,…it says little for English rugby, In reality, England should, by player base win everything, ALL of the time! , lets be honest , how good would Wales be with 20 times the population playing ? , your so right J , the English public demand/expect results, they win 1 WC and think they are in the same league as the ABs, take away the WC win and we have won around the same amount , apart from 6n , where Wales are way ahead ,..;.4 games v Wales in the WC now ? wales 3 england 1 ? and have Wales ever been outscored by tries in the WC v England ? {i dont kno}?,…anyway , its a great example of how WORTHY YOU are “why didn’t we win it ?” ;, On the new england selection , i recon its sh*t or bust, England will win it playing great rugby, OR , they will collapse, win 2 games, and back to the drawing board, …… Lancaster went for anothers mistakes imo, he had a team that wolloped the ABs FFS !, The pivitol moment-WC, they were knocked out , it wasn’t lancaster throwing into that lineout!;,…. England were by far better than Wales that day , as were Wales when we scored 3 tries and Catt kicked the rugby out of the game in the WC , Wales think they can win it, England think they deserve it, that’s the difference , Wales do, and always have been the only team to stop England saying they are the dominant team in the northern hemisphere , as the English press keep trying to convince the rugby world, something that they are not!,…world beaters no more ; thats all history , i think IF Wales beat england THEN they will win it , likewise with England as i think ENG will beat IRE ,……….EXCITIN INNIT!, WATCH OUT FOR SCOTLAND !, good bet fr second imo, out of the bottom 2 for a change anyways MY pediction 1 Eng; 2 Wales 3 Scotland 4 Ireland 5; France, dont critisise my prediction if u aint got the bottle to put your prediction down !
^ This
If you’re only as good as your last game only England and Italy have a chance, seeing as the other 4 all lost their most recent fixture.
I’m not saying England will win the Grand Slam either. I’m saying if they don’t do it this year, I can’t see it happening next year with trips to Cardiff and Dublin. Perhaps “easier” isn’t the best word, but I’d definitely rather have Wales and Ireland at home than the other way round.
I give England about an 10% chance of winning a Grand Slam based on the way round the fixtures are. At current it would be around 2% the other way round.
Not to worried about winning the thing to be honest, but less than 4 wins would be a disappointment.
More than results, I want to see a style. We know what Jones has asked for, he wants a pack that dominates and a back line that flows being directed by two play makers. With a bit of luck we’ll see Ford and Farrell work really well together, and Slade returning will then add a bit more guile to that 10/12 mix.
7 is probably the concern for Jones. He obviously doesn’t rate Kvesic, so Haskell will play short term and maybe Clifford a bit over the next 12 months. By this time next year I would want to see a proper 7 identified and being blooded. Maybe Underhill is the guy, but seems to early to be calling for that.
Totally agree Jacob.
Although I am worried by Farrell at 12. I don’t think he has the pace or physical presence and his defence concerns me. He has a habit of going too high in the tackle and occasionally does not use his arms
I’m actually quite excited by Farrell at 12 – as long as he attacks in a way that he has done for Sarries this year. If he is the Farrell that never threatens the line then he has no place in the side at 12.
Defensively I’m not worried – he certainly has the odd blip as you mention, but generally he is a good leader in a defensive line and doesn’t have poor stats.
I get that Farrell has improved his attacking this year, but as with Goode, its one thing breaking club defences and another altogether breaking international defences.
Farrell isn’t going to break or bend the oppostion line through sheer power or speed, so he’ll have to do it through timing and angles
Cetainly I can see it being a problem if Scotland leave England with no space or time as Farrell cannot lean back on brute strength, quick feet or speed.
I have images of Scotland (who are likely to play 2 quick opensides) targeting him and Ford, leading to desperate passes being shovelled on, interceptions being thrown and backs being caught and turned over behind the gain line.
Of course, if England are sensible and use the forwards to gain momentum then it could be great with 2 distributors at 10 and 12 creating space and utilising the undoubted abilities of Jospeh, Watosn, Nowell and Brown
Fingers crossed
Without second guessing what would happen against a quick rushing back row defence Farrell at ten will do one of two things. A) kicks behind an on rushing defence which will turn Scotland and allow our quick outside backs to work space behind or gain territory for a, hopefully, dominant pack to work in Scotland’s defence areas or B) take on the back row tying them in for attack of second phase ball.
Either way it will work to England’s favour. Is there another ten who can do that…….no.
Farrell is not going to be playing 10 Jez
Also any 10 worth his salt will try to combat a rushing defence by kicking behind or trying to tie in the back row, That’s basic stuff. The question is how well they do it.
Personally I think Farrell would have been better utilsed at 10 than 12 but that doesn’t look like it will happen, so let’s hope he doesn’t prove to be a roadblock at 12
I’m personally hoping the England play makers have more in their locker than the two things you tell a kid to do against any rush defense.
Not convinced Farrell is a natural 12. But without Slade and with the obvious desire to get a play maker in the 12 shirt – he is the logical choice.
Doing the basic stuff puts you in place to win. Doing it exceptional well, as Faz is at present, makes you win.
And why shouldn’t it be a game plan to do the basic thing against a given game plan?
I do agree – but I think there is more hope with Farrell than Goode. His rugby intelligence in the 12 channel could see him do very well. Personally I’d like to see a Farrell/Slade 10/12 combination. But without Slade available I’m happy to see Ford and Farrell in there.
Agree with Pablito re Farrell. I know he’s a novice at this level but surely Devoto would have been the more logical choice,given his affinity with Joseph and Ford? If Eddie has been rebuilding the confidence of the players (“English arrogance”) then I don’t see it as too much of a gamble selecting Devoto ,particularly as he has no W Cup baggage to discard.
Overall I would be happy to see a motivated,cohesive performance with the forwards bringing far more to the game than they have in the recent past. The scrum MUST be better,that is a given.
We also need to see more aggressive ball carrying from the back row. If not then changes have to be made in certain positions.
It’s going to be an intriguing weekend. Bring it on!
Sort of agree….but Farrell should be at 10….
Farrell´s not even the best 10 at Sarries. Charlie Hodgson´s awareness and ability to create space is leagues in front. In the long term I think Slade has more to offer at 10 than Ford. Cipriani on form is better than Ford or Farrell, and far more exciting to watch, but appears to have put too many noses out of joint. Farrell is decent but doesn´t have the potential to be world class. At 7, I would bet money on a huge game from Haskell this weekend.
Sorry, can’t agree. As good as Charlie is Faz is the number 1 10 at Saracens and as such has been first pick for the major matches. And in those positions has proven time and again to be the best club 10 in Europe. And I include Carter and Sexton in that list. To suggest otherwise is frankly absurd.
Cipriani? Come on guys, get over him. The off field misdemeanours and frequent lapses on field are not outweighed by the all too brief moments of mercurial magic (or as I prefer it overrated moments of oh hell what do I do now moments.)
Faz is in great form and is streets ahead of Hodgeson, Ford and Cipriani but to say he is performing better than Carter is riddiculous.
IMO there ain’t a better go forward guy than Haskil , he always seems to score v Wales too , i think hes a top player , bit mouthy so its nice to see him lose , but what a player , so hard to stop from 5yds, might be the game for lydiat when we play England , unless were on top {doubt it} so to stop haskill , hopefully Wales will change their brand a bit this 6n and try to play some rugby football , i will believe it when he picks Owen Williams{Leicester} and Mat Morgan in the same team with liam and Scott Williams , now thats a backline !, I cant wait until these guys are fit, our backs are starting push for places, what agame if all are fit it will be v Eng TRYs ! again , a 50+ pts game i recon , DONT CRITICISE , put your own predictions down first !!………. , scott wont be back anyway , but scott and J davies before Jamie Roberts imo, he’s soooo predictive and couldn’t make a break from a kitkat ; Re your 2nd row, if they aint quick around the park and AWJ,Tipuric,Warbs ,Falataue will run riot imo , have seen beaumont tho , looks good , england picked 2nd row guys for wieght or power n pace? is the question , i see Tipuric to be man of the tournement {if there is one ] i doubt lydiate will get his place back .Tips is niel back , martin williams and jon pierre reive roled-into 1, , watch him !
“And in those positions has proven time and again to be the best club 10 in Europe. And I include Carter and Sexton in that list. To suggest otherwise is frankly absurd.”
Am I reading this right? It’s “absurd” to suggest that Farrel isn’t the best 10 in European club rugby? Ha ha ha ha ha….. Especially when you include Carter in the original comparison – this is a windup surely? I’m a massive Cardiff fan but even I can see when other teams have better players than my own.
I think he’s talking about form rather than class. Obviously it is absurd to say Farrell is a better player than Carter, you could argue that Farrell, by virtue of Sarries being the form team atm, is therefore the form fly half. Tbh I’ve not seen enough of the other options to comment.
Farrell plays ten for the team that goes unbeaten in Europe (yes in rotation with Charlie but starting the big games, totally on top of Toulouse and Ulster), and also only once unbeaten in domestic competition. He’s got to be doing something right.
Okay I’m a Farrell fan, but that’s cos he is that good. And since the world cup in club competition he would and should be first choice 10.
So he plays for the unbeaten European cup team and this backs up him being the best 10 in Europe? So in fact every Saracens player is the best in Europe at their position? Absurd.
Vunipolas, Itoje, George, Fraser, Rhodes, Burger, Goode. All got to be in the frame. As do the rest of the players. Why not. They all play, on form and results, the best team in Europe (and that’s not just me saying that, a lot of commentators including those in the Torygraph and Observer who are traditionally anti-Saracens are too) so it stands to reason they would make up the vast majority of the club xv of the season so far.
This is a bit too scattershot for me to follow sometimes -“in the frame” for being the best players in Europe and “proven time and again to be the best club 10 in Europe. And I include Carter and Sexton in that list. To suggest otherwise is frankly absurd” are miles apart as statements, for me.
You can be very good, you can be in the top 10, but this is is miles different to claiming it’s absurd to suggest that someone doesn’t occupy the no 1 slot in Europe in his position.
To look at your list I can see you’re very happy with Saracens but as a fan you’re not really open to casting much of a critical eye over things when you claim Goode is the best fullback in Europe. Now that is truly “absurd”. Do I think he’s obviously better than Hogg just because Glasgow don’t have the overseas power, the squad depth and many of the other imponderables that make a team more than simply the sum of it’s constituent parts? No, I certainly don’t.
Do I think Farrel is a better 10 than Biggar? No. Do I think Itoje is a better 2nd row than Alun Wyn? No. Could I hear arguments to the contrary? No doubt. Would I say it was “absurd” to claim Farrel is better than Biggar? No.
The difference in opinion between us here is that you are coming across as absolutely certain that Farrel is the best 10 in Europe, claiming it’s “absurd” to suggest otherwise, and further most of the Saracens team, for similar reasons (their team is winning) are also the best in their positions in Europe. I’ve played and watched a lot of sport. I’ve watched a lot of teams win things when sometimes even 1 of their players would struggle to grace a “best in Europe” list. Conversely I’ve seen fantastic, world level players achieve little because they were not in the best teams. I don’t draw a simple line between best team best players.
Open up your other eye and judge on club form. No doubt all the players you’ve mentioned are class and have proven reputations, but on games played purely for their club sides do they deserve to picked ahead of players at Saracens. In some cases yes, some maybes but a lot of them no. If you play for the team with the best results it stands that you are doing something right. So, yeah, I think with some justification you can say that those Saracens players deserve to be described as the best in their position on form in club rugby at present.
I’ve achieved something then to be called one eyed by the most fervently one eyed fan in the business.
Your leaps of illogic make no sense – you go from “doing something right” to “best in their position on form in club rugby at present”. Further you label any contrary position not as “well, it’s a consideration” etc. but simply “absurd”.
It’s a ridiculous leap to make. The best team rarely assembles all of the best individual players – it takes good enough players and adds a whole host of backup, coaching, depth, resources that turn that team into trophy winners.
I could go on pointing out all of the other absurdities – using newspaper hacks as proof of anything, forgetting that Saracens haven’t played every other team in Europe, etc. but you and I know it’s pointless to try and discuss Saracens with you Jez. I applaud your fanatical devotion to their cause. When they lose, when those same players play in international teams that don’t win every game. I’m sure you’ll be able to explain to me then why they’re still the best players in Europe and Farrel is on course to rival Dan Carter and is, in fact, the only NH 10 who is on course to do so…
Hang on Brighty, you will upset Prophet Eunuch if you claim to have found someone more one-eyed. He is in a class of his own.
The thing is I genuinely don’t think Enoch is one eyed, he’s an equal opportunities hater. If he’s not posting dreary missives about the “English oppressors” (he no doubt thinks they’re funny and inspired because he does the class Mt Stupid move of mistaking “knowing facts” for “being intelligent”) then he’s equally at home slagging off Wales, Cardiff, Gats, etc. I don’t think, from his posts, it’s actually possible to discern what/who he supports other than that he prefers any Welsh player who doesn’t get picked to one who does.
Jez though, Jez would tell you that Goode is the best fullback in Europe. You cannot compete with that sort of one eyed fervour.
Yep Jez I a full blown zealot blinded to the truth by his overwhelming love of the fez hat.
Eunoch is just a WUM he doesn’t even believe half the stuff he says but just says it because he thinks its funny or to get a rise out of people.
Both make me chuckle from time to time I mean this whole Farrell is the best 10 in Europe thing has me in stiches
And yes Benjit I’m talking about form, and I can’t see how it could be argued any other way that Faz is the form 10.
Of course Carter is the best there has been. Out of the young guns Faz is the one who could get close in the next few years.
Do you really think Farrell will get close to Carter? Really, truly?
I don’t see why not. Even his doubters must see the improvements he has made to the weaker aspects of his game this season. If he shows the same levels of improvement season on season there is no reason to believe he won’t play many times for England and in that time score a hatful of points and potentially have a desicive world cup either in 2019 or 2023. Plus Lions tours.
So yes, I think he can. I certainly don’t think George Ford will, destined to be a Stuart Barnes I think.
Serious question Jez – is there any Saracens player who you don’t think is up to much?
At the present I am very happy with the way the team are going. Strength in depth in all positions. Good youth players coming through, established stars leading by example. I’ll be a little worried if we lost Schalke Brits at hooker during 6ns but other than that, we’ve got a great squad as proven by results.
Not quite the question I asked but I sense that the underlying motives are clear in how you’ve answered this – there isn’t really any Saracens player that you would say isn’t up to snuff, is there?
It’s an interesting position. Most uber fans I know will still bemoan their lack of a best quality outside centre, wing, scrum half, anyone, etc. or have a particular player they think isn’t cutting the mustard, no matter how their team is performing. A bit more objective I suppose.
So who do you think isn’t contributing to the current run of excellent performance and results?
Oh wow. Is this serious?
I’m a massive Farrell fan, well at least I thought i was but I seem to pale in comparison to Jez here.
If in 10 years time we speak about Farrell in the same stratosphere I will be absolutely amazed.
Carter is a natural born great. Farrell has a very good skill set and no matter how much he works on his weaknesses, they’ll be there to some extent. Carter walked on the scene and looked as though he was born without any.
“Farrell´s not even the best 10 at Sarries”
I think that is a bit of a dated view Andy. Charlie is clearly second choice these days and Farrell seems to have kicked on this season.
Just going to throw a curveball out there. Is there any reason EJ wouldn’t look at Ford at 12?
Probably cos an overweight, 44 year old diabetic like me would fancy breaking that channel…
Don’t agree with a lot of your comments but this is up there with the best I’ve read in a long while
Ford at 12 ! Roberts, henshaw and alike would be liking there lips at the prospect of coming up against him. I know it’s knot all about physicality but I think a 5 stone deficit, is a bit much !
I think Farrell has been very good this season, better than Ford, and as such would rather see him at 10 than 12. It seems almost like SL selecting square pegs in round holes again. I have no doubt he can ‘do a job’ there but why not give a selected 12 I.e. Devoto a chance instead of shifting people out of position? I personally would rather see him or another 12 like Eastmond come in and be given a chance so we know where we stand if Farrell future is at 10 for England.