A loss means more doom and gloom for England - Andy Goode
England’s deciding third Test against Australia certainly won’t define the Eddie Jones era but it feels like a big moment as it sets the mood ahead of a huge season next time around.
Let’s face it, the mood wasn’t great and there wasn’t a lot of optimism ahead of this tour on the back of two consecutive desperately poor Six Nations campaigns. One swallow doesn’t make a summer and England need to back up their Brisbane victory but a series win Down Under will give people reason to believe once more.
This Australia side might not be up there with France or the Springboks but they are improving and to beat them in their own back yard at the end of a long, tiring season when the Wallabies are fresh would represent a significant achievement.
If they do it without Maro Itoje, who injects a lot of energy as well as being a world class second row (even if many don’t like his whooping and hollering), in addition to Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Henry Slade, Anthony Watson, Manu Tuilagi, Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler and Joe Marler, it’ll show significant squad depth too.
Aside from the couple missed while away with the British & Irish Lions, this is the first Test Itoje has missed since the last World Cup and he’s been at his disruptive best in the first two Tests but I actually think Ollie Chessum outplayed him in the Premiership final.
It’s a huge day for the Leicester man as he makes his first Test start but he’s earned his shot and Lewis Ludlam, the other enforced change, has put in a couple of big shifts off the bench so I don’t think either will let anybody down.
It’s great to see Jack Willis on the bench as well after he was a late withdrawal before the second Test. He’s an unbelievable poacher and will be desperate to go up against Michael Hooper, who has been one the best in the world at the breakdown for years.
The one alteration that wasn’t forced upon Jones is at scrum half and a lot of people are scratching their heads after Jack van Poortvliet went so well last week but Danny Care didn’t have a bad game at all in the first Test and his experience could be key with a number of youngsters around him.
Aside from the personnel, it was much more like the England of old last week with a greater focus on the kicking game and dominance in the collisions. They won the battle up front, owned the gainline and will have to do the same again if they want to take the series.
It’s not a complete coincidence that Australia won the first Test when there was a southern hemisphere referee in charge and England came out on top in the second when a northern hemisphere man was in the middle.
New Zealander Paul Williams has the whistle this week and the breakdown will be a huge battleground again. He’ll be pretty hot on the tackler rolling away and players giving him a clear picture so I’m sure England will have done their homework in that department.
England’s big name players, the likes of Ellis Genge, Courtney Lawes, Billy Vunipola, Owen Farrell and Jack Nowell, really stood up last week and they won’t want to be thinking what might have been while they’re taking their well earned rest in the next few weeks.
They were always going to have to weather a storm after going 19-0 up and they’re unlikely to have things their own way as much this week but they went back to basics, managed the game well and it’s about managing the little momentum shifts in games as well.
Momentum is a huge factor in sport and it might only be one game but, out of these two teams, England have it and I think that gives them the edge in Sydney.
We all want to see Marcus Smith unleashed and England play with more freedom and creativity in attack but the result is all-important now and I expect it to be a case of more of the same in the deciding Test.
People will only remember whether England won or lost this series, not the details. Lose and it’s a long four months until the Autumn Nations Series with doom and gloom the pervading feeling. Win and there will be hope, just a sense that a corner may finally have been turned.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments