England need to use a 3-wood off the tee to get back in play - Brendan Venter
England’s fall from grace is an incredibly interesting case study. It’s difficult to believe that only a year ago they were on such a high, having claimed the Six Nations and won 24 of 25 Test matches.
England have since slumped to six successive defeats and are playing like a team that has completely lost their confidence. The players are making a plethora of basic errors – slipping tackles, kicking and passing poorly and over-running – which is symptomatic of a side that is very low on self-confidence.
Seeing if he can turn this team around will be the single biggest challenge of Eddie Jones’ coaching career to date. A run of defeats happen to all coaches because the margins within top-level sport are so slender. Eddie is aware of that because he is an experienced mentor. We all have knowledge but implementation is ultimately the trick. A professional coach can essentially create change within a team in two ways. The first by means of selection and the second through the plan. Eddie has been very good in resisting making wholesale changes up until now. As coaches, we know continuity is often the solution and, when you lose a match or two, you must avoid making wholesale changes. But, when you have lost six in a row, you have to make changes to try and arrest the downturn in results. The message emanating from the English set-up is: “We must take responsibility and try harder.” However, when in a rut, the irony is the harder you try, the more things seem to go wrong.
Jones needs to change a central part of his team and engender belief that Owen Farrell at fly-half can win games for England, not necessarily against South Africa on Saturday but, going forward. The criticism directed towards Farrell is unfair because he is an amazing player. In terms of the captaincy, Farrell is a natural leader but is struggling to cope with the added responsibility. Jones should let him lead, as he does with Saracens, without being skipper. George Ford at fly-half is not the answer. The England team doesn’t even know it yet but they don’t harbour the same belief in him they once did.
In terms of game plan, England need to simplify what they are doing. I believe they must become more conservative in order to regain their confidence. England have become too expansive in terms of style and they are making so many errors at the moment, as they are a team bereft of confidence.
Conversely, when you are playing well and riding the wave of momentum, it’s easy to chuck the ball around. Passes stick and players don’t over-run. To offer a golfing analogy, England need to use a 3-wood off the tee to get back in play or hit with a hybrid to stay on the fairway. The bottom line is that England aren’t in play at the minute, as they are making too many errors. However, Eddie is smart enough not to have turned on his players. I guarantee you he hasn’t been on their cases and definitely hasn’t screamed and shouted at them. He is too wily a coach for that out-dated approach.
With regard to the dressing room, it’s not that the players aren’t responding to Jones. All the noise coming out of the England camp this week tells me that it’s neither a culture problem nor are the players proving unresponsive. Eddie isn’t cross with the players and the players aren’t cross with him. The crux of the matter is that England need their luck to turn. Nine times out of ten, Elliot Daly would have gathered the grubber kick from which S’bu Nkosi scored and Brad Shields wouldn’t have had the ball dislodged from his grasp over the try-line. As a coach, there is no way you can legislate for those moments and, when you are in a losing spiral, everything that can go wrong usually does.
As far as the Springboks are concerned, Rassie Erasmus has the luxury of trying some new players and combinations in Cape Town but, if I was him, I wouldn’t mess with team selection too much because confidence is a precious commodity. When a team has been together for 18 months and isn’t brittle, it’s a valid option. However, it’s a risk chopping and changing after two Tests together. If England sneak the win at Newlands, the hosts would have let Jones and England off the hook. If South Africa lose the third Test, and with it the momentum, it brings England back into play. The Boks need to display their ruthless streak by killing England off and securing a 3-nil series whitewash.
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
3 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
3 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments