England 6 New Zealand 19:IT HAS been a long six years since England lifted the World Cup. Over the past fortnight that momentous night in Sydney has felt increasingly distant, flickering in the memory like an old Pathé newsreel. Even Martin Johnson is beginning to sound like a hard-pressed politician, claiming signs of progress despite the contradictory evidence.
“Maybe it doesn’t seem so to some people but we are making strides.” As with the supposed economic recovery, it depends on whom you talk to.
Johnson, of course, will for ever remain in credit on English rugby’s swingometer, regardless of what lies ahead. Even so, respect for his achievements as a player cannot obscure fault lines which urgently need addressing. Do the management, not to mention the England Rugby Football Union hierarchy, truly believe England are looking good for the 2010 Six Nations and beyond?
On the evidence of the autumn, even taking injuries into account, Johnson’s inner cabinet are no closer to stockpiling trophies than they were 18 months ago.
Although New Zealand’s defence is as tight as any – they have not conceded a try in Cardiff, Milan or London – England’s meagre tally of one try in 240 minutes of rugby also tells a story.
In attack they remain about as fluent as an inexperienced pianist with frostbitten fingers. Their autumn campaign, in the end, yielded two try-less defeats and a truly dire victory over the Pumas.
England, to be blunt, have looked a mediocre team under worthy but unenlightened management.
At least they are a spirited, willing group. If not, the home side would not have resisted the All Blacks on Saturday for such a lengthy period. Nor are they alone at Test or domestic level in struggling to unlock defences or make headway at the breakdown. There will also be fit reinforcements by the time they regather for their opening Six Nations Championship game against Wales in February.
Yet even with their first-choice XV available, England’s spell in the doldrums looks set to continue.
Then there is the issue of Jonny Wilkinson. Playing opposite Dan Carter again magnified the areas of his game that his defensive heroism and goal-kicking can obscure. Both he and Johnson are warrior statesmen who do not always exhibit the breadth of vision possessed by the great strategists. England feel reassured by Wilkinson’s presence, but a below-par Carter still posed a far greater threat around the gain-line.
Johnson must rein in his obsession with 30-something journeymen and display more faith in the more youthful likes of Shane Geraghty, Danny Cipriani and Courtney Lawes. The evergreen Simon Shaw is a shining exception – it was no coincidence Steve Borthwick enjoyed his best game of the autumn following Shaw’s return – but, at 36, he cannot go on for ever.
Fitness levels must also be re-examined: England were either ahead or level in all three autumn games and won only one of them. In fairness, the early loss of Joe Worsley with a twisted knee scarcely helped, while Nick Easter, Delon Armitage and Riki Flutey were all badly missed.
The bottom line, though, is clear enough. England under Johnson in 2009 played 10 Tests, winning five and losing five. They have been beaten in their last eight games against New Zealand and their last six against South Africa. In five contests against Tri-Nations sides at home soil in the past 12 months the men in white have scored a princely total of one try.
This lack of cutting edge meant New Zealand could splutter and still win comfortably, with Carter missing two kickable penalties and a couple of tries going begging prior to Jimmy Cowan’s neatly worked 57th-minute effort.
ENGLAND: Cueto; Banahan, Hipkiss, Erinle, Monye; Wilkinson, Hodgson; Payne, Hartley, Bell, Shaw, Borthwick, Worsley, Moody, Haskell. Replacements: Tait for Banahan (72 mins), Geraghty for Erinle (63), Care for Hodgson (70), Thompson for Hartley (49), Wilson for Bell (51), Deacon for Shaw (65), Croft for Worsley (2).
NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina; Guildford, C Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Cowan; Woodcock, Hore, Franks, Thorn, Donnelly, Thomson, McCaw, Read. Replacements: Ellis for Cowan (71 mins), Afoa for Franks (58), Boric for Donnelly (58), Kaino for Thomson (58). Not used: de Malmanche, Donald, Ellison.
Attendance: 80,676
