England go into battle with Australia this Saturday at Twickenham in the belief that they can continue the improvements that were clearly evident in the defeat by the All Blacks last week.
Martin Johnson has worked tirelessly with his England team since taking the helm two and a half years ago but he has admitted that unless they learn to finish more clinically then any hopes they might harbour for the 2011 World Cup will be dashed.
Johnson of was referring to the try scored by centre, Shontayne Hape that was disallowed by the video ref with six minutes left and which, if converted, would have put England just 3 points behind at a time when the All Blacks had been reduced to 14 men. Johnson made the point that clinical finishing was a hallmark of the Southern Hemisphere game and was quite certain that had nape’s chance fallen to an All Black, they would have scored it.
The comments were not a personal attack on Hape, more an observation by Johnson of the difference in desire that exists between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Nape overall had a very positive game and looks like he will make the centre position his own by the time the 6 Nations kicks off next year.
His center partner, Mike Tindall, one of the very best defensive centre’s in world rugby, will be a very important component of the team when they take on the Wallabies this week. He will undoubtedly have his work cut out by the hugely talented Australian three quarter line who are all match winners in their own right. The potentially devastating outside half, Quade Cooper, has the potential to open up any defence with either hand or foot, his trickery is well known, which is why Tindall, Toby Flood and back row, Lewis Moody will have to pay him special attention.
The last time the two teams met was ‘Down Under’ earlier this year when England levelled a two match test series with a very narrow 21-20 win. It was a win that also showed the all round improvements of the team, which has does much to enhance the team’s confidence.
The area where they should have a comprehensive advantage will bi the scrum, particularly in the front row, where England’s Andrew Sheridan on the loosehead side should wreak havoc on what appears to be a blundering Australian front three. The Australian scrum was wholly embarrassed against Wales in fact, but they showed enough ingenuity in the breakdown to still score three tries and put the game beyond a plucky Wales.
A very close game in prospect therefore, but one that if England heed the message of their boss, they should defy the rugby odds of 6/4 about the win, giving them a further confidence boost before their nest two autumn internationals against Samoa and the Springboks of South Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment