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England have paid Sale a terrific compliment about Bevan Rodd

(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England assistant coach Matt Proudfoot have paid Sale a terrific compliment after Bevan Rodd, the Gallagher Premiership club’s loosehead, came through his Test level debut last Saturday with limited preparation having only joined Eddie Jones’ squad as a midweek call-up. The 21-year-old has been overlooked by Jones when the Jersey training camp and matchweek squads versus Tonga and Australia were originally named.

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However, that situation quickly changed on Tuesday afternoon last week when it was decided to call in the youthful rookie to replace the virus-stricken Joe Marler rather than make a call to the seasoned Mako Vunipola. 

Rodd was named on the England bench on the Thursday behind Ellis Genge but the youngster’s dramatic leap up the pecking order didn’t end there as he was promoted to the No1 starting loosehead jersey on Friday morning after Genge was ruled out for the same reason that Marler was unavailable. 

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It left England in a somewhat vulnerable looking position, Rodd packing down against an Australian prop who had played 112 times for his country. However, any trepidation that the loosehead might be found wanting was quickly dispelled and he is now in line to make his second England start this weekend versus the Springboks as Genge will miss the match through isolation while Marler is only free to start training again with the squad at Friday’s captain’s run.  

“A big part of the England set-up is resilience,” explained scrum coach Proudfoot when it was suggested to him by RugbyPass that the successful week Rodd enjoyed at such short notice reflected well on the English set-up.  

“Every setback is an opportunity for us. Every situation is an opportunity, You either attack it or you let the opportunity dictate the outcome and it is Eddie’s philosophy that is brought into the team so whatever happens, we see it as an opportunity and Bevan just showed that mindset, that whatever comes we are resilient, we attack the opportunity and we made the best out of it. Bevan had been in in June, had trained really well and played really well for Sale. When a player is well-coached the way he is at Sale and then comes in and creates an opportunity and just has that mindset to be resilient, then things can happen for him and that is exactly what happened on Saturday.”

How potent the England scrum was against the Wallabies didn’t go unnoticed by Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber, who praised the set-piece the world champions are now set to face at Twickenham. “We are improving,” agreed Proudfoot.

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“It was an adaptation to bring in the two late replacements (Rodd and sub Trevor Davison) and they did incredibly well. We had a really good plan against Australia and I thought the players executed well. Around our binding, around our engagement, we can be a lot more accurate and that is what we worked on this week.”

Proudfoot added that his own emotions were irrelevant in this Autumn Nations series finale. It was 24 months ago when he coached the Springboks scrum to World Cup final dominance against England but he has since changed sides. 

“This is the most important game of the year for us. We have worked really hard this summer to put together and bring together a lot of younger boys and then brought it through into the autumn so our team is growing, our team is developing and this is the most important hurdle for us, the final game. 

“We want to end the year on a high, we want to end it with a bang so we are putting everything into this game. I don’t think  I particularly have got emotions. My emotions are about getting this team to where we want it to be and for it to be successful and this is the game we have got to do it in.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour 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
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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