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Bin the sandbagging Eddie, time to let England rip - Andy Goode

By Andy Goode
England's Owen Farrell (left) and England's Manu Tuilagi (right) before the Autumn International match at Twickenham Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday November 13, 2021. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

England fans have been waiting an age to watch this midfield combination in action and there shouldn’t be any holding back.

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This is the first time that Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi have started an international together at 10, 12 and 13, with the Sale man having been named on the wing when they were all in the starting XV against Australia last autumn.

It’s fair to say England have had a poor last couple of years generally, especially in attack, but that is a trio that has the potential to get bums off seats and is one that most outside observers would have been picking for a while had they all been fit.

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Marcus Smith. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Eddie Jones has not had that luxury, with Tuilagi absent for large periods and Farrell missing this year’s Six Nations as well, so maybe now is the time for England’s attack to be unleashed with under a year to go until the World Cup.

Results are the main focus for the head coach, of course, but he did hint this week that he may feel just a little responsibility for his side to entertain given the bleak situation in the English club game at the moment, albeit the action on the field in the Premiership has been as good as ever.

For me, one will lead to the other and, although a good kicking game is vital, England need to pose more of a threat if they are to stand any chance of lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy next year, something Jones has made no secret is his primary objective.

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The blend of Smith’s capacity to produce moments of magic, Farrell’s nous and reading of the game and Tuilagi’s game-breaking ability provides the best chance of unlocking defences, if they are allowed to play with the shackles off.

Manu Tuilagi
Manu Tuilagi of England looks on during a training session at Twickenham Stadium on October 04, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

It has to be a concern, though, that Jones has been talking in the build-up to this opening Autumn Nations Series game against Argentina about holding back. Presumably, he means tactically ahead of the World Cup next year and perhaps it is setting up a good excuse if things don’t go to plan but it does set alarm bells ringing.

It’s natural to have a few things up your sleeve that you might not want to reveal but rugby is all about momentum and there is a danger that talking about holding back might seep into the players and lead to them playing with the handbrake on as we’ve seen in the past.

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England come into this autumn on the back of a series win in Australia, and having completed a clean sweep last autumn, but the last two Six Nations campaigns have been major disappointments.

Outside of hammerings against the likes of Tonga and USA and games against Italy, England have scored just 20 tries in 13 games since the start of last year, which isn’t good enough for a side with the resources and talent at their disposal.

Given the players unavailable and who is in the squad, the team more or less picks itself but it’s great to see Alex Coles and David Ribbans making their debuts and they fully deserve their opportunities.

England Itoje sickness update
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

It’s a sign of how much England have been able to call upon the likes of Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes and Charlie Ewels, the latter two now being injured, that there are two locks winning their first caps this weekend.

Both will have learned a lot from Lawes at club level and fit the mould of player that Jones likes. Itoje starting in the back row is a case of needs must really and it’ll be interesting to see where he packs down at scrum time.

It’s a strong looking Argentina side on paper and it’ll be a physical battle up front as ever, with the always fascinating sideshow of an Eddie Jones v Michael Cheika match-up, but it’s in the backline that we need to see more from England.

They face a tough schedule this autumn with the All Blacks and Springboks looming large but, all things considered, I’m expecting three wins from four. That would constitute success, anything less and questions will be asked.

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Jon 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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