England ought to at all times be one of many main nations in world rugby with the depth of expertise they will select from and the monetary backing they’ve from the RFU.
However since 2019, they haven’t produced the performances they’ve been able to, actually within the Six Nations the place they’ve had below-par finishes.
Nevertheless, 2024 has been a breakthrough yr for Steve Borthwick’s males. England now have a younger, vibrant and attacking staff that’s taking part in a gorgeous model of working rugby.
As a former Wales participant, it’s worrying me that England are actually choosing up! Borthwick has thrilling gamers at his disposal and the staff has a great age profile with the 2027 World Cup in thoughts. They’re difficult the most effective groups now, however can nonetheless enhance additional too.
There was a marked change in England’s method which is in direct distinction to the way in which they’ve performed in earlier years.
Gone is the sport plan dominated by kicking and ahead carriers. England have revamped their type to be extra attacking.
Right here’s how they’ve completed it…
England head coach Steve Borthwick has managed to revitalise the staff in 2024
RIPPING UP THE TEAM
As head coach, Borthwick has clearly modified his choice coverage. The gamers you choose and the way you play the sport are intertwined. When he took over from Eddie Jones, Borthwick initially chosen primarily Leicester and Saracens gamers and England’s type mirrored that of these two golf equipment. However with Northampton the shape staff this season, Borthwick has picked a whole lot of Saints gamers. I feel England’s type is now extra much like that of Saints and Harlequins – two Premiership groups who’re excellent to look at.
Borthwick has picked type gamers for England like Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and George Furbank to call just some. However the important thing factor he’s completed is adapt the staff’s type to the gamers he’s picked. For instance, there can be no level taking part in a kick-heavy sport with Mitchell and Smith as halfbacks as a result of that wouldn’t swimsuit their strengths. In some ways it’s simple as a coach to select in-form gamers. However what Borthwick has been courageous in doing can be marrying that with a sport plan that may be very completely different to what he has utilised in his teaching profession elsewhere. That’s the exhausting half and for doing that, Borthwick deserves a whole lot of credit score.
Borthwick has chosen type gamers like Marcus Smith and has tailored the staff’s type
RUN FIRST, KICK SECOND!
Choice underpins every little thing you do in worldwide rugby. And the one choice which has proven what this new England staff is all about is the desire of Furbank at full-back over Freddie Steward. That was till Furbank withdrew from the second Take a look at with an harm! I’m positive England might be very upset to lose Furbank as it’s more likely to change their method. Together with his work within the air and kicking sport, Steward is good at what he does. Many individuals have been shocked when he was dropped for the Six Nations sport with Scotland. England misplaced that match, however Borthwick has stored the religion with Furbank and been rewarded.
Furbank at all times desires to run the ball when he receives it within the again discipline whereas Steward prefers to place boot to ball. Each kinds can work, nevertheless it’s clear Borthwick desires to maneuver away from a kick battle. In Furbank, Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman, England’s first-choice again three is all a couple of working risk. With Smith at 10, England even have an actual hazard.
The choice of George Furbank at full-back till his harm confirmed England’s philosophy
Throughout the park they now have gamers with actual tempo, summed up by Ben Earl at No 8 who’s in tremendous type. Clearly you may’t run every little thing in Take a look at rugby. England do kick once they must, however what I observed from their first Take a look at with New Zealand was that there have been a whole lot of attacking kicks. England beforehand went to the air lots to attempt to win territory and retain possession, however now their kicks have a distinct intent.
Even a participant like Ollie Lawrence, who’s extra famend for his energy within the carry, was at it in Dunedin. A very good instance of a optimistic England attacking kick was Smith’s cross-kick to Henry Slade for a strive towards Japan. England misplaced their first All Blacks Take a look at narrowly and it was a sport they need to have received, however I feel there have been loads of positives to take. It was one other step in the fitting course.
TARGETING THE SHORT SIDE WITH MITCHELL
Once I performed for Wales towards England, we knew they might rely lots on gamers like Billy Vunipola and Manu Tuilagi coming direct at us. They might need these two to get them over the gainline and provides them momentum. As a Wales staff, we’d keep away from kicking the ball off the park as a result of that will give England line-outs and swimsuit their highly effective driving maul. England have usually been a staff based mostly closely on a standard attacking form. They give the impression of being to cross the gainline and transfer the ball a method. If they will’t try this, they kick to attempt to pressure the opposition right into a mistake. England’s present crop has a bit extra about them and the important thing to that’s Mitchell at scrum-half. I performed with him at Northampton so know effectively what he can do.
Considered one of his strengths is to focus on the quick aspect of an opposition’s defence. That implies that if there’s more room to the left, for instance, and that’s the course of play, he would possibly all of the sudden come again proper.
Tne harmful Alex Mitchell is at all times seeking to play both aspect of the contact space
Mitchell is an actual sniping risk across the ruck and the actual fact he’s at all times seeking to play both aspect of the contact space stops an opposition’s line velocity. They’ll’t fly up so shortly in defence in the event that they’re undecided which approach Mitchell goes to go. You need to do not forget that Mitchell wasn’t even in England’s preliminary World Cup squad final yr, however went on to begin the match and is now first-choice No 9. That sums up how a lot England have modified. He’s important to this new England and is an excellent companion for Smith.
One other instance of England’s modified method was Maro Itoje’s strive within the first Take a look at with New Zealand. England would historically look to drive a line-out 5 metres from the opposition line. However what they did final weekend was faux a drive after which pop the ball to Chandler Cunningham-South who used his enormous energy to profit from the house created. Itoje scored from the following section. These are minor tweaks, however can have large impacts. Itoje’s strive confirmed how revolutionary England have change into and the way effectively coached they’re.
HUNGRY WINGERS
I’ve already talked about Feyi-Waboso and Freeman. They’re two massively thrilling wingers who’ve had tremendous membership seasons with Exeter and Northampton. However for me, they don’t seem to be conventional wingers. They pop up everywhere in the pitch searching for work. They’re hungry. They need their palms on the ball and to have a great deal of touches. Once I was Wales 10 throughout our profitable durations, we had Alex Cuthbert and George North who always got here off their wings to offer further ball carrying choices. Feyi-Waboso and Freeman aren’t as bodily large as Cuthbert and North, however there’s a comparability to be made due to how usually they’re concerned.
Wingers Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (left) and Tommy Freeman (proper) are massively thrilling
It makes such an enormous distinction to your assault when as a No 10, you’ve gotten heaps and many choices. Feyi-Waboso and Freeman always supply themselves wherever the play is on the pitch. They don’t simply wait out vast to get the ball. England used to select wingers who specialised in kick-chase and have been good underneath the excessive ball. Feyi-Waboso and Freeman are completely different and really harmful.
They’re additionally glorious defensively and work effectively in England’s blitz system which can be bettering shortly. They’re like having two further back-rows on the sector with their work off the ball. I’ve been actually impressed by Feyi-Waboso particularly. His all-round sport is superb and he has actually improved. It seems to be like he’s made a great determination to play for England over Wales, however I’m actually upset as a Welshman he’s now sporting a white shirt not a pink one!
IMPROVED ENVIRONMENT OFF THE FIELD
I feel one of many issues that has helped England to thrive on the sector has been the environment off it. Talking to some of their gamers, the surroundings is now much more relaxed. Earlier than, I feel it was very, very severe. Whether or not the way in which the staff has performed has led to the change in environment or vice versa is a bit rooster and egg. However in some ways, it’s a little bit of a moot level.
An improved environment off the pitch has helped England to carry out in video games
The fact as a global participant is that in the event you’re taking part in good rugby and having fun with your work, the camp goes to be completely happy. And when you’ve gotten a contented squad, it tends to result in improved performances. Borthwick is a notoriously intense character however I feel he has lightened as much as a level and that’s helped the gamers.
England’s win over Eire within the Six Nations was an enormous turning level, each by way of the outcome and the efficiency. If England proceed this upward trajectory, I see no motive why they will’t stage their sequence with New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday.
