England's November Stock Check: Who's rising and who's falling?
England wrapped up their autumn campaign on Saturday afternoon, beating Australia 38-17 at Twickenham, extending their winning streak over the Wallabies to six matches.
It was the most complete performance of November from the northern hemisphere side and stands alongside a 12-11 victory over South Africa, a 16-15 loss to New Zealand and 35-15 win against Japan, to give them a record of three wins and one, admittedly agonising, loss over the last four weeks.
It has been a month of more positives than negatives for Eddie Jones and his men, without ever quite reaching the euphoric levels of some of the performances of 2016. What it was, however, was a much-needed upturn in trajectory and expectations after a poor pre-November 2018, that had seen England lose five of their seven tests.
We have picked out a star man from the autumn internationals for England and cast our eye over rising and falling stock of certain players, as Jones’ side head into a Rugby World Cup year with expectations beginning to rise once again.
Continue reading below…
Watch: World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper talks about the disciplinary inconsistencies over the last month and calls for more cards.
Star Man – Kyle Sinckler
The Harlequins tighthead put together a string of performances that showed just how much he has matured over the last few years, both technically and in terms of his decision-making. He was solid against South Africa, powerful against New Zealand, offered much-needed impact from the bench against Japan and then turned in a complete, masterful performance against Australia.
He has always been a force in the loose, but over the last month he has showcased not only that carrying and ball-handling ability, but also a strong, square set of shoulders in the scrum, going after looseheads such as Scott Sio and Karl Tu’inukuafe. That ability in the loose has been consistently shown, too, with the tighthead having never looked more comfortable and at ease with his role in the England pack.
The biggest improvement, though, is with his discipline. Over the four games, he was only penalised four times, which although doesn’t sound fantastic on the surface, is a very solid mark for a tighthead, especially with two of those four coming against South Africa, one of which was early in the game when the Springboks had a scrum ascendancy, working away at Alec Hepburn on the loosehead. What has been eradicated has been the unforced discipline errors, such as offsides and not releasing at the breakdown, two areas where he used to be guilty of coughing up two or three penalties a game in.
Stock Rising
Owen Farrell
It would have been difficult for Farrell’s stock to have been much higher in the England camp than it was prior to November, yet the displays have only served to highlight his importance to Jones. The lack of direction against Japan before Farrell was summoned from the bench perfectly encapsulated just how much England rely on their current co-captain.
He had a couple of moments over the last four weeks where he rode his luck defensively, with a couple of tackles that seemed right on the cusp of what is legal and illegal, but he has also shown his worth in that area of the game with his line-speed, physicality and clutch ability to step up at the most crucial points. Offensively, he’s been the puppeteer of the English back line, orchestrating some of their best attacking moments against the four visiting sides to Twickenham.
Ben Youngs
A similar story to Farrell, really, with Youngs having further cemented his spot as England’s number one option with a series of commanding displays. Again, the lack of direction England had against Japan, a game in which Youngs was rested, was one of the biggest endorsements of his stranglehold on the nine jersey.
He is sometimes critiqued for his tendency to take a step with the ball before passing, but this often creates space for himself or other players waiting for the ball, and it is not necessarily a negative in terms of the tempo of the game. In fact, England have looked at their most comfortable and effective playing at Youngs’ tempo, which is not slow, but not always the most rapid, either. His appreciation for space and how to manipulate it, his measured kicking game and his responsibility in defence have all also stood out.
Joe Cokanasiga
Two tries in two games for Cokanasiga, as well as a number of opportunities created by his ball-carrying presence and aerial threat. For all the English rugby fans who have been crying out for their own version of Jacob Stockdale, Nemani Nadolo or one of the plethora of options the All Blacks have out wide, Cokanasiga is it.
In the two games he played, he used his size in the way you would expect him to, but he was far from a battering ram, also showing plenty of acceleration and footwork, beating defenders in a multitude of ways. His energy on the kick chase and eagerness for work off of his wing was also impressive and certainly can’t be considered a negative when comparing him to notoriously industrious wings, such as Jack Nowell, Chris Ashton and Jonny May. He’s in the mix to start come the Six Nations.
Depth
A bit of a catch-all term for the other players who impressed over the last month, such as Ben Moon, Mark Wilson and Ashton.
In a post-Joe Marler era, Moon distinguished himself in all four games and surely threw his hat into the mix once Mako Vunipola and Ellis Genge both return to fitness. Along with Sinckler, he helped England rediscover a scrum that can go beyond simply seeking parity with opponents.
Wilson was England’s Mr Consistent during November, filling in solidly at number eight in the absences of Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes, as well as looking comfortable on the flank, whilst Ashton showed off his predatory skills and work rate before injury curtailed his international window.
All three have shown themselves to be more than capable options should England’s injury problems persist, whilst also performing at a level where they can genuinely throw down the gauntlet to the more established options in the England 23.
Stock Falling
Dan Cole and Harry Williams
The knock-on effect of Sinckler’s fantastic November is that it drops Cole and Williams down the pecking order. Cole had been having a good season at club level with Leicester Tigers and is still probably England’s best pure scrummaging tighthead, but his surprising omission was made to look less and less noteworthy as Sinckler raised his game to a new standard at international level.
As for Williams, he struggled to keep up with his tighthead rival, not offering as much in the loose as the Harlequin and even at the scrum, where you might have expected him to have an advantage over Sinckler, he struggled to replicate the success of his compatriot. It poses an interesting question to Jones ahead of the Six Nations as to who of Cole and Williams backs up Sinckler in Dublin on February 2nd.
George Ford
It’s impossible to deny that Ford’s value has diminished for England. As a starter inside Farrell, he was a key component for England, but as a pure fly-half on the bench, with Farrell regularly trusted – and needed – to play 80 minutes, his lack of versatility does not help him, especially with Henry Slade providing an ability to cover at 10.
He isn’t likely to fall out of the larger England squad, but equally, he has not made up any ground on Farrell and, if anything, the gap has lengthened. Strong showings in December and January from the likes of Danny Cipriani and Marcus Smith, as well as Slade and Alex Lozowski, could lead to calls that other players could offer more impact and/or versatility from the bench than the Leicester fly-half.
Elliot Daly (at 15)
You don’t want to be too critical of Daly, who didn’t have a bad November by any stretch of the imagination, but that 15 jersey has not been wrapped up. For all the positives he brought, of which there were many, including his counter-attacking, kicking option and attacking reading of the game, he was beaten to the ball in the air and dragged out of position on a number of occasions.
He plays 13 week in, week out for Wasps and that has shown in a few decision-making and execution errors at full-back over the last month. He seems, in Jones’ eyes, to have beaten out Mike Brown for the spot, but will that also be the case once Anthony Watson has returned from injury and got some games under his belt, especially with Bath using him regularly as a 15? Daly is not going to be dropped from the side, but perhaps a spot on the wing or at 13 could be the move once Watson is fit again.
Alex Lozowski
A tough break for Lozowski, who didn’t get an opportunity in South Africa back in the summer when he was in the form of his life and then, when it came knocking in November, it was out of position, playing outside a misfiring half-back combination.
As a 13, he has distinguished himself with Saracens, but as a 12, alongside the combination of Danny Care and Ford, which didn’t quite click against Japan, he was the player sacrificed for Farrell to come to the rescue in the second half. He was then released from the squad for the Australia test and it’s tough to guess when the next opportunity might come for him. Manu Tuilagi is fit once again, and Jonathan Joseph should be back in time for the Six Nations, so England’s midfield competition is only going to get tougher.
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Comments on RugbyPass
To be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
4 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
4 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
3 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
4 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
4 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
7 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to comments