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England Have the All Blacks' Record in Their Sights, but What About the Number One Slot?

Under Eddie Jones, England have rediscovered their mojo. Photo: Getty

England have just completed an unbeaten year and are a Six Nations Grand Slam away from breaking the All Blacks‘ winning streak – but James Harrington says they are two years away from being the best in the world

The English are coming! That’s the 21st-century take on American Independence patriot Paul Revere’s legendary call currently being hollered across the rugby media. All Blacks beware!

The English are coming! In registering their fourth win over Australia in six months, England registered an unbeaten calendar year for the first time since 1992, when they played six matches. And they equalled their best-ever winning streak – 14 – to match the pre-World Cup run of their now-fabled 2003 predecessors.

The English are coming! Even before Saturday’s game, England had already beaten eight of the top 10 ranked teams in 2016 – including three of the four 2015 Rugby World Cup semi-finalists.

The English are coming! Just five more matches – the 2017 Six Nations – stand between the red rose nation and a new world-record run for a Tier One nation. The All Blacks’ hard-earned 18-Test streak will, apparently, last less than a year.

The English are coming! Fate and the Six Nations fixture list have handed Eddie Jones a tournament campaign to die for. They start at Twickenham against France – who have not won in London since 2005 – on February 4; then head to Cardiff to face the passionate but out-of-form Welsh before two home matches – against Italy and then Scotland.

The English are coming! The only side that stands in their way, then, is Ireland. England’s one big trip of the 2017 Six Nations sees them head to Dublin for the final match of the tournament. All things being equal, the pundits say, it will be a Grand Slam decider, as well as the all-important World Record Match for England.

And yet… There’s no doubt 2016 era England are good – as Australia coach Michael Cheika said, no side wins 14 internationals in a row by luck – and they are deservedly second in the world rankings. But they remain firmly behind a team that is just as deservedly first.

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Jones himself has been quick to play down the rise and rise of the English during his tenure. He said: “We’re only the number two team in the world and we want to be number one. We’ve got a long way to go before we achieve that. And we’re hell-bent on achieving that.”

The numbers tell their own story: Yes, England have a perfect record in 2016. And, yes, they have played – and beaten – most of their Top 10 rivals this year, including three RWC semi-finalists. And, yes, they are five matches away from breaking the All Blacks’ winning streak.

But, New Zealand have also played – and beaten – the other three RWC semi-finalists. At least twice. They have bettered Wales three times; and France, Italy and Ireland once. Their sole defeat in a 14-match 2016 was against Joe Schmidt’s men in green in Chicago.

During their four-match November northern hemisphere tour, the All Blacks scored 152 points and conceded 78. England, meanwhile, notched 159 points with 71 against.

Close, then? Maybe not as close as it seems. In their 13 Tests in 2016, England scored 46 tries to finish second in the try-scoring list of the year. It doesn’t take a genius to work out which country tops that list – but the margin between the first and second is telling.

The All Blacks scored 80 tries.

Looking ahead, victory is far from assured for England in the Six Nations matches leading up to that eagerly awaited Ireland encounter. Two matches, in particular, are closer to call than many would suggest. Guy Novès is rebuilding the French in his own image – after just a few months, the closer union between the Top 14 and the national side is having a clear and noticeable effect; and Scotland have discovered the sacred art of creativity to go with their burgeoning strength in depth.

Jones has already highlighted areas where his side needs to improve, and is talking tough on the set piece.

And he has warned his players that places are not guaranteed: “If you don’t keep performing you won’t be in the team. If players aren’t hungry and you see it in their performance they won’t be here. We have enough depth to change the squad if we need to.”

That unbeaten year is a start, but for England to be overtake New Zealand in the world rankings, they first need to win their next five games to complete a second successive Grand Slam. The record is secondary.

After the Lions’ tour of New Zealand – when much empty capital is likely to be won and lost – they will need to regroup for the 2017 November internationals and the 2018 Six Nations.

So, yes, the English are coming. But while the All Blacks should take note, they have no need to worry yet.  England have a long way to go to catch New Zealand. Rugby scheduling circumstance will keep them apart – like heavyweight boxing champions circling ahead of a unification fight – until November 2018.

By then – fate, fitness and form willing – the English may be ready.

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O
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 3 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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