1
'Worst since 2015': England compared to Lancaster era after 'being battered' by Boks
England limped to the end of their Autumn internationals with just one win from four tests as a 14-man South Africa coasted to a 27-13 win at Twickenham, heaping pressure on head coach Eddie Jones.
ADVERTISEMENT
After a disastrous Six Nations in 2021 and a third-place finish in 2022, questions over Jones’ rebuild of his 2019 World Cup final side persist.
After losing to Argentina to start the Autumn campaign, Jones’ men rebounded to beat Japan, finished fast to draw with New Zealand before falling heavily to South Africa for a disappointing November.
A ten minute flurry against a 14-man All Blacks side last weekend saved what could have been a similar scoreline, coming back from 25-6 to tie the test. Outside of that, it has been a less than impressive showing from England.
The manner of the 27-13 defeat to the Springboks has English rugby fans concerned, with fans saying they are ‘devoid of ideas’ and will ‘make up the numbers’ at next year’s World Cup.
They were outclassed in ‘every area of the game’ and struggled to put points together when the Springboks went down to 14 men for the final twenty minutes, repelled multiple times from the maul and turning the ball over on the goal line.
The loss was described as the ‘worst since 2015′ when Stuart Lancaster lead the side to a pool stage exit at their home World Cup, leading to a clean out and the initial beginning of Jones’ era.
ADVERTISEMENT
England going through backroom staff at a rate shows. No consistency in attack for nigh on two years now. Look devoid of ideas. Lawes key to Eng but he wouldn’t have made a difference here either but carrying a few players in that pack. #ENGvRSA
— Tom Coleman (@LeinsterRoyalty) November 26, 2022
Note to Eddie: we have some of the best back rowers in the world. Stop picking locks to play flanker. Thanks. #ENGvRSA
— Iain Munro (@iamthemunro) November 26, 2022
@EnglandRugby have a long way to go. On current form they’re making up the numbers for #RWC2023. *Might* make knockout stages. @Springboks could have won that with 14 from the start and barely broke sweat. No #England player played well. Some played OK. #ENGvRSA
— Claudicant (@claudicant) November 26, 2022
England's attack is bad, their defence is bad, their set piece is bad.
RSA down to 14 men for last 20 mins and look by far the better team. (I know we scored)
England look like the team from the 90s, could be competitive against NH sides then embarrassed by SH teams. #ENGvRSA— JimBod (@bodjimbo) November 26, 2022
1 out of 4 isn’t bad right? RIGHT?! 😫 #ENGvRSA
— Gemma Dorling (@Gemma_Dorling) November 26, 2022
Jones has taken England as far as he can. We are now back peddling and falling behind the top tier of international sides. Time for a change or things will only get worse….#ENGvRSA
— Chris S (@LondonChrisQPR) November 26, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
england have played 10 good minutes in the last 160.
in reality they've have had shockers against argentina, all blacks and now south africa.
absolutely abysmal all round. #ENGvRSA https://t.co/Nc9hGqW5ck
— Gully Burrows (@gully_burrows) November 26, 2022
South Africa bullied, brutalised, and outclassed a very poor England team and deserved to win
England deserved to lose
Something needs to change#ENGvRSA
— David Beckett (@iamdavidbeckett) November 26, 2022
Well if Eddie Jones refuses to pick the best players in England, ultimately England rugby suffer the consequences. #ENGvRSA
— WB (@waynebeukes7) November 26, 2022
An #ENG team booed at HQ … really dire game. Terrible series. A team going absolutely nowhere and which has been going nowhere for last couple of years notwithstanding the Australia tour. #ENGvRSA
— Michael Newbury (@MichaelNewbury) November 26, 2022
Jones out.
Worst performance I've seen England put on the park since 2015. Perhaps ever. No positives to take away. Not one.
#ENGvRSA— Gavin Outteridge 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 (@gjoutteridge) November 26, 2022
England have been battered not just in performance but physicality as well! Yes SA are a world class team but there's no plan, no discipline and no options going forward! Have been a big fan of Jones in his reign but think it's time for a change.. #ENGvRSA
— John (@JohnHildred2) November 26, 2022
Despite morale falling to extremely low levels, head coach Eddie Jones is still optimistic improvements are being made by his side who are ‘building a good base’ for a World Cup run.
“On results, we are not happy but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup, a really good base,” he said.
“A number of young players got some great experience today. They will come back better players from that and we have got other players coming back to form, some of our more senior players and we are not far away.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Eye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to comments