Eddie Jones needs to have his best players in their best positions, and look at his own tactics if England are to emerge from their mini-slump ahead of a World Cup push.
That’s the thought of former England mainstay and ‘Prince of Centres’, Jeremy Guscott.
The Red Rose endured a turgid Six Nations, culminating in a fifth-place finish belying their world ranking and the fact they had been defeated just once in 25 games under Jones.
A number of aspects of England’s game have come under scrutiny but for Guscott the fixes are relatively simple – from personnel changes to tactical and coaching alterations.
The first port of call for the former Bath man would be fly-half, and how the key to solving the George Ford and Owen Farrell riddle lies in sacrificing the former and getting the right inside centre.
“It has always been a bit strange looking at the Ford-Farrell axis,” he said. “When it is going forward it’s wonderful and that’s where they come into their element, but when you’re not getting front-foot ball it’s a little bit different. Unfortunately for George he’s been pretty anonymous in the Six Nations.
“It’s always been a question mark. Why is your best fly-half not playing fly-half? What does that say about the current fly-half, what does it say about an inside centre?
“A lot of those questions wouldn’t have been asked if Manu Tuilagi had been fit and playing as well as he was in 2012. But we are not there and the next best thing we have to Manu Tuilagi is Ben Te’o – and if that’s the option you’ve got then you’ve got to play him.
Still developing, still moving forward…
Eddie reflects on #ENGvIRE: https://t.co/ZC6PYGDNvj pic.twitter.com/8FOj5YtJZz
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 17, 2018
“I think there is more balance when you have Owen, who’s the best fly-half in England, at fly-half, Ben at inside centre, and Jonathan Joseph at outside centre. Joseph does need a bit of a rocket up his backside, and start getting the ball in his hands and asking for the ball – demanding the ball – and making a case for himself.
“It was so disturbing when I heard Eddie had asked JJ (Joseph) to go looking for the ball. I can never imagine a coach saying asking me to go looking for the ball.”
If England can resolve those issues at 10, 12 and 13, Guscott is confident they have the pace and ability in the back three to cause problems for the very best in the world.
“Elliot Daly is one of the world class players that England have so you have to get him involved in games,” he added. “Jonny May is fast, not the best rugby sense in the world, but the guy works incredibly hard. Anthony Watson is one of the most-improved players since Eddie has been involved in the English game. Anthony is a solid professional, he’s got great rugby talent – so get these guys involved in the game.”
After a dismal performance against Scotland, and nine turnovers against the French, England’s back-row has come under massive scrutiny. Sam Simmonds started the competition on fire in Italy, but there have been huge question marks over the future of Chris Robshaw and natural lock Courtney Lawes given the problems at the contact area.
Guscott suggests a lot of the problems come down to the tactics being laid out by Jones – giving very little room for error, regardless of the back-row make-up.
“How Eddie thought the back-row was going to perform any differently than it did only he knows,” he said.
“When you look at the forwards across the pitch in today’s game you see a number of different formations, and England generally go for 1-2-2-2-1. If you have one ball carrier, and one clearer, unless he is really, really good, that ball carrier is then exposed and the defence has two or three people waiting. You are really leaving yourself open, it’s a poor tactic.
“People have just worked out England, they run into contact with two forwards, then hit the deck as English forwards generally do and defenders will just lean over and get the ball or slow it down – either way it ruins their game.”
Another man to be questioned has been Maro Itoje. Imperious in recent seasons, he suffered a broken jaw before the Six Nations, but prior to that had racked up the games – including 34 in the 2016/17 season for club, country and the Lions.
Guscott suggests the coaching of Itoje may have also taken his spark.
“Maro would give away a few penalties in a game, but he would jackal a few balls, nick two or three balls in the lineout so the payoff there is ok,” he said.
“But now we hear Maro is being told about his body angle that will help him not give away so many penalties when he goes into the breakdown.
“For players at that level, if someone is asking you to think about something, that’s half a second thinking about it when you never did before. That half a second gives the opposition the opportunity to nick the ball or get in front of you and that’s what you don’t need.”
Jeremy Guscott was speaking at an event at Abu Dhabi Golf Club organised in conjunction with Sixteen10. Established in 2015, Sixteen10 make giving a truly rewarding experience by sourcing and auctioning unique experiences and memorabilia at gala dinners and charity events. In 2017, Sixteen10 raised $1m for charities including, UNICEF, Global Gift Foundation, Al Jalila Foundation, Dubai Cares, Pink Caravan and Friends of Cancer Patients. For more information http://sixteen-10.com/.
