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'Much less in-house bitching': Life with England after latest loss

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Joe Marler has given the current England set-up under Eddie Jones the highest of praise for how tight-knit the squad is – quite a compliment in the week following last Saturday’s wounding Guinness Six Nations round one loss to Scotland at Murrayfield. The loosehead’s 75-cap Test career dates back to 2012 and he has been involved in 25 losses in that time. 

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He knows what disappointment is like and has much experience of being in camps overwrought by the emotions of losing. That experience means Marler is well placed to provide an overview of how England are genuinely coping with their latest setback and his outlook is positive with the pieces being picked up ahead of Sunday’s round two game away to Italy.

With this group, it is probably the tightest group I have been a part of with a lot of youngsters who are very good friends off the pitch and the sort of older heads coming together a bit, so it is very tight and the way we have responded to it [losing] has been much less in-house bitching so to speak as there may have been in the past,” explained Marler, who skipped last season’s Six Nations due to the bubble restrictions but returned to the fold for the Autumn Nations Series. 

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“It has actually been a pretty level response. We did so many good things in that game (against Scotland) but these little execution pieces, these bits that we didn’t quite get right, we need to work on. It is never as bad as we think it is and it is never as good as we think it is. It’s a pretty level response we have had from the group and it’s pleasing.”

The England squad the 31-year-old prop returned to for the Autumn Nations Series was much changed as coach Jones had opted to shake things up following last season’s fifth-place Six Nations finish. Numerous fresh faces were called up and their presence in the group of 27 currently preparing to fly to Rome following Friday’s team announcement has generated a very different dynamic in the squad. 

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“With the new generation of players coming through now, there has had to be a bit of an adaption from the staff and also the older boys that the old hierarchical system that may have worked in rugby previously just doesn’t really work that much now,” explained Marler. “It’s more about open communications, honest communications, appropriate communications with the youngsters and finding different ways to connect with them rather than the old school. ‘here’s a stick’.

“We [the older players] play our part, we adapt, we try and use the sort of experience that we have got from being in similar situations and impart that on the guys who are taking the team forward now.”

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Who are those guys standing up and leading the most this week? “It would be (Ellis) Genge and (Kyle) Sinckler that would be setting the tone this week about, ‘Come on boys, we are all gutted and disappointed about the loss, we are all aware of the areas that led to that loss and also aware that Scotland played very well to win that game but we have got another game. We can’t wallow’. Those two are showing massive amounts of maturity to lead this squad moving forward.”

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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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