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A startling World Cup stat has Borthwick believing in blunt England
Steve Borthwick has delved into England Rugby World Cup history to illustrate how a team with limited try-scoring prowess can still massively achieve at the finals. Since taking the reins from Eddie Jones last December, Borthwick’s English side have been regularly criticised for its inability to score tries.
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Coming in France 2023, England had scored just eight tries in six matches – just one in each of their successive outings versus France, Ireland, Wales (twice) and Ireland again before they finished their Summer Nations Series with three tries in their defeat to Fiji.
This lack of creativity in crossing the whitewash more frequently extended into last weekend when their 27-10 opening-round victory at the World Cup came minus a try as all the points originated from the boot of George Ford via six penalty kicks and three drop goals.
Despite the issue of four red cards in six matches understandably restricting England’s ability to create, the dearth of tries has still generated much commentary about the general bluntness of the Borthwick attack heading into his team’s next World Cup outing, this Sunday night’s clash with Japan in Nice.
However, the head coach has now countered this criticism of his team’s try-scoring record with an incredible statistic from England’s most successful period at consecutive finals.
England won the tournament in 2003 and they then went on to reach the 2007 final, history that was referenced in the lead-up to this weekend’s game with Borthwick emphasising a startling statistic about those two past campaigns.
“As I look at all the underlying factors around our game, do I see progress and do I have the evidence of progress? Absolutely. Did we get across the try line last week? No, we didn’t. Do I feel that the team played last week in the manner that was required? Yes, YES. I feel that the overall game is developing.
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“As I am sure you are well aware, the most successful back-to-back World Cups England have had were ’03 and ’07, won it and reached the final next time. Eight tier-one Tests and how many tries in the eight games? Four.
“So you get to this level, games are tight. Players have got to find a way to get an advantage one way or another and these players did an incredible job last week in finding an advantage (against Argentina).
“These guys are big players who rise to the biggest of occasions and I anticipate and expect that these players will find another way on Sunday and will rise again to the big occasion.”
Borthwick was spot-on with his grasp of history. In the title-winning 2003 campaign in Australia, England scored just three tries in their four matches versus tier-one opposition:
- South Africa (25-6 pool win) – One try from Will Greenwood;
- Wales (28-17 quarter-final win) – One try from Greenwood;
- France (24-7 semi-final win) – No England try scored;
- Australia (2-17 final win after extra time) – One try from Jason Robinson.
Four years later in their four games against tier-one opposition in France, England scored just a single try:
- South Africa (0-36 pool loss) – No England try scored;
- Australia (12-10 quarter-final win) – No England try scored;
- France (14-9 semi-final win) – One try from Josh Lewsey;
- South Africa (6-15 final loss) – No England try scored.
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What England boss Steve Borthwick had to say on Friday night in Nice about World Rugby and recent events. #ENGvJPN #EnglandRugby #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/paDy2TcgCU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 15, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
44 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
123 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
123 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
44 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
123 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
44 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments