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'A loss to Italy does not seem completely ridiculous'

(Photo by Chris Ricco/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Former England international Austin Healey is giving Italy a sporting chance of causing a Guinness Six Nations upset this Sunday in Rome due to the confusion over the style of play that Eddie Jones’ team is supposed to be playing. The Italians have not won a championship match since 2015 and go into this weekend’s encounter on a run of 33 straight losses following last Sunday’s defeat to France.    

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Healey has become a vocal critic of the methods that Jones has been using in charge of England and writing in his latest Telegraph column before the Australian unveiled a starting XV for Rome that shows six changes following last weekend’s Six Nations loss to Scotland, he used the now benched Ben Youngs as an example of what is currently going wrong.

Youngs is one of five starters from Murrayfield to drop to the replacements, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, Sam Simmonds and Elliot Daly the other four, and the centurion No9’s jersey has gone to Harry Randall, who will be starting a Six Nations match for the first time in his England career.

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You have to wonder will these changes now pacify Healey, who didn’t hold back in his criticisms of Jones’ England in his pre-team announcement newspaper column. “When I see someone like Ben Youngs, England’s most-capped scrum-half of all time, you start to wonder whether Eddie has turned off people’s instincts,”  wrote Healey.

“Has he made them so stringent in the patterns they follow, that they actually forget the nature of opportunity?

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“What we are seeing is players are staying blindly loyal to the framework, but the framework keeps changing. Players are getting tens of caps because they are obedient and are following exactly what the coach wants them to do. 

“Youngs is a prime example. He is the best of all the scrum-halves put together when he is allowed to play by instinct. What I saw from him last weekend against Scotland was that he stopped at every ruck to make a decision, rather than feel a decision.

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Youngs has 100-odd caps, but look at how much he has needed to change his style in order to fit in. How many times recently have we seen him pick up from the base and increase the tempo, like when he scored against Wales in last year’s Six Nations? That is Youngs at his best.

“Youngs is a better running scrum-half than Harry Randall. People will read that and go ‘no way’, but I am telling you that he is. Box-kicking – Youngs is nearly as good as Richard Wigglesworth. Danny Care’s ability to spot space from tapped penalties? Youngs at his best does that too. He has 100 caps for a reason. Allow the players to be the best versions of themselves rather than fitting them into who you want them to be, Eddie.”

The benching of Youngs at Friday morning’s team announcement will give Marcus Smith a fresh scrum-half to play off in Randall, whom he previously linked up with during the summer series wins last July over the USA and Canada.

“The worry, looking at Youngs, is how Marcus Smith might be affected in the long run,” continued Healey. “He is a proven match-winner in the final quarter. Yet you take him off for someone in George Ford who you had not selected in your original squad two weeks beforehand.

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“That is a coaching mistake. As is constantly chopping and changing your style. How many of those mistakes does it take until you run out of coaching lives? I’m not saying it will happen, but a loss to Italy does not seem completely ridiculous. There is that much uncertainty and confusion in the way England are playing.”

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Comments

3 Comments
B
BOBO 996 days ago

Austin Healy would say anything for attention.

T
Timothy 996 days ago

Youngs , is to predictable when playing Eddies way. We need to start playing with flare, maybe this is the time to start this. Randal, might be the one to play as a foil to Smith.

N
Neil 997 days ago

Disagree with Austin in that England should persevere with Youngs. Agree with Austin in that an Italian upset is not inconceivable.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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