England player ratings vs USA
After a solid but unspectacular start to their World Cup campaign against Tonga, England moved through the gears and established their credentials with a 45-7 win over the USA in Kobe.
The result puts Eddie Jones and England firmly in control of Pool C, although they will know their biggest challenges still loom, with Argentina in Tokyo next week before finishing up against France in Yokohama in the last weekend of the group stage.
Jones opted to rotate in 10 new players into the starting XV against the USA and RugbyPass have rated the performances of all 23 England players below.
- Elliot Daly – 6
Daly had a couple of moments where he brought his playmaking skill to bear in the midfield, although it was a quiet performance by his standards. There was very little for him to defensively or aerially, either.
- Ruaridh McConnochie – 6.5
The former sevens international was kept quiet in the first half but scored a deserved try in the second half for the work he had done in defence and in the aerial contests.
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- Jonathan Joseph – 7
England’s set-piece focus in the first half limited Joseph’s involvement, although he was much more influential in the second half. His pirouetting break saw him scythe through the US defence and tee up Joe Cokanasiga for England’s bonus point try score.
- Piers Francis – 6.5
The inside centre was an incisive carrying option for England initially, although he didn’t quite move the ball wide with the same regularity that Owen Farrell does in the role. He was potentially unlucky to avoid punishment for an early high tackle and made the most of that reprieve by adding significantly to England’s tight game in the first half.
- Joe Cokanasiga – 7
Cokanasiga, like McConnochie, probably didn’t have the overall attacking impact he would have liked, despite grabbing two tries. He did offer a consistent physical carrying presence, though England kept the ball tight for vast periods of the game.
https://twitter.com/ITVRugby/status/1177192100892499974?s=20
- George Ford – 8
An effective game management role from Ford, who kicked the corners excellently for England’s set-piece then to go to work. His play on the gain-line was also impressive and he spotted the space in the US defensive line well for his first half try. He was successful with five of his seven kicks from the tee.
- Willi Heinz – 6.5
Heinz had a positive impact with his box-kicking and tempo, all of which had England playing in the right areas of the pitch. He did cough up a couple of early penalties in the first half, as well as a knock on, which did deny his side some flow, but it was a strong showing overall.
- Joe Marler – 7
Marler held up his side of the scrum very effectively, whilst Dan Cole aggressively went to work on the tighthead side. The loosehead contributed significantly to what was a dominant set-piece performance from England.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1177202507526942722?s=20
- Luke Cowan-Dickie – 8
One overthrow at the lineout aside, it was an efficient outing for Cowan-Dickie, who nailed 13 of his 14 throws. He was heavily involved as a carrier and was the driving force behind England’s dominant maul.
- Dan Cole – 8
A performance that rolled back the years for Cole, with the tighthead consistently turning the screw at scrum time on the USA pack. His fringe defence was also physical and he played his part slowing down ball at the contact area and disrupting the opposition maul.
- Joe Launchbury – 7
After a slightly bumpy start where he was counter-rucked easily at one ruck and knocked on in the tackle, Launchbury really grew into the game. He was an effective foil to George Kruis at the lineout, managed to steal a US throw and contributed a lot to England’s strong maul.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1176805906887118850
- George Kruis – 8.5
Kruis dominated the aerial game for England, snagging nine lineouts and one steal on US ball. He was also the foundation of England’s mauling game and wrecked a couple of US mauls with his destructive work through the middle. He got through his fair share of carrying, too.
- Tom Curry – 7.5
Curry is really taking to the role on England’s blindside and the physicality of his tackling, which forced a knock on, was particularly noticeable on Thursday. He also provided a carrying outlet close to the ruck and a lineout option. Seemed to be given a licence to roam in the second half and profited.
- Lewis Ludlam – 8
The flanker played his role in the physical arm wrestle at the gain-line and contact area in the first half, before being freed up to affect the game more as a ball-carrier after the break. He also contributed at the lineout, offering himself as a target, as well as snaffling up loose US ball. Pocketed himself a try in the second half.
https://twitter.com/ITVRugby/status/1177197683305566208?s=20
- Billy Vunipola – 6.5
The No8 was a threat when running it from deep, although it was a contained performance, with Mark Wilson replacing him at half time. Grabbed a try from England’s driving maul before departing at the interval.
Replacements
- Jack Singleton – 6
The hooker connected with both of his throws after replacing Cowan-Dickie and was a willing carrier.
- Ellis Genge – 7.5
A couple of bullocking runs from the loosehead after his arrival at half time and had plenty of success attacking the tiring US defence. He made himself known at the breakdown, too.
https://twitter.com/ITVRugby/status/1177201064241709058?s=20
- Kyle Sinckler – 7
Sinckler brought his expected impact as a ball-carrier and a playmaker and was only outshone by the even more dynamic arrival of Genge. He maintained England’s scrum dominance, too.
- Courtney Lawes – 6.5
The lock offered a willing carrying option after replacing Launchbury and had some success with ball in hand.
- Mark Wilson – 6.5
Wilson really picked up the slack as a carrier close to the ruck after Vunipola departed the pitch and it seemed to allow Curry to roam more and have success in the wider channels.
- Ben Youngs – 7
One errant pass aside, Youngs brought positivity from the bench, with his breaks and awareness of space helping England tick along.
- Owen Farrell – 6.5
The playmaker’s arrival suited perfectly what England tried to do in the second half, as his passing game was as influential then as Francis’ carrying had been before the interval.
- Anthony Watson – 7
Watson offered electric breaks after coming off the bench and his ability to turn small holes into big gains was a spark plug for England in attack.
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Comments on RugbyPass
A great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
3 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
3 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
3 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
87 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to comments