Those wishing to locate the precise moment Eddie Jones’s revival took hold should consider the flipped pass from the prop to Owen Farrell which saw off Scotland at Murrayfield in FebruaryEverything starts somewhere and, if one is looking to pinpoint the precise moment of England’s new beginning, it seems to have been at around six o’clock on a bleak and freezing day in Edinburgh, Saturday 6 February 2016. Scotland had not beaten England for eight years and many reckoned this to be their best chance in a long while. After 50 minutes there was a single point in it, the score 7-6. And then it happened. Mako Vunipola had the ball on Scotland’s 22. Finn Russell was closing in from the left,...
New Zealand remain the yardstick but their flaws feed Lions’ hopes for next summer even though the settled order of the Six Nations is in need of a shake-upThe All Blacks remain at the top of the world rankings by a comfortable margin, but their defeat by Ireland in Chicago, which ended a record of 18 consecutive Test victories, gave the Lions succour before the tour next year. New Zealand’s next Test is against the Lions on 24 June in the first of three and if they remain comfortable favourites to win the series, Ireland showed in two matches against them that they can crack under pressure. Related: Ireland clinch first ever win over All Blacks to end New Zealand's record...
It looks as if it’s Michael Cheika’s shout after round four of a rivalry that has been as intense off the field as on it again goes the way of Eddie Jones’s EnglandIf they ever met for that beer afterwards, Michael Cheika no doubt told his old mate to enjoy this while it lasts. Not that his friendship with Eddie Jones, which stretches way back to their playing days at Randwick, has looked particularly solid this year. It looked strained during the summer, but seemed to fall apart altogether in the buildup to this, the fourth instalment of the Eddie and Mikey show. Let’s hope they did meet for that beer. Rugby’s too trivial a thing to fall out over.Still,...
An inability to maintain their highest standard gives them plenty to improve upon as they seek to overtake New ZealandThree minutes from full time, the crowd roused itself for one last blast of Swing Low. Not in exhortation, now, but celebration. England were leading by 16 points, and Australia, a man down after Dane Haylett-Petty had been sent to the sin-bin, were scrambling to escape from underneath their own posts. The only question left was how many England were going to win by. Soon enough, the final whistle went and the international year was over. England finish it undefeated, with 13 wins out of 13, through the Six Nations, the summer tour and the autumn series. It is the first...
As England seek to match their record of 14 straight victories, the industry and attitude of Eddie Jones’s side are increasingly resembling Sir Clive Woodward’s team of 2003It does not feel like 13 years ago that Dorian West was sitting in Aix-en-Provence discussing his surprise at being named captain of England for the first – and, as it turned out, only – time. Clive Woodward’s side had not lost in 18 months and, even with a few reserves playing, there was no expectation of his squad’s 14-game unbeaten run approaching its end.If England could have their time again, would they have taken that distant 2003 game in Marseille more seriously? In many ways France’s 17-16 win did not matter hugely,...