England lost a fourth consecutive match at the weekend, going down to the Barbarians 45-63 at Twickenham.
Chris Ashton scored three of the Barbarians’ nine tries, and whilst it wasn’t an official test match, the defeat might just increase the pressure on Eddie Jones.
Here are highlights of the match:
What did you think of the game? Does this defeat matter, or will it be quickly forgotten?
How did Jones’ selection decisions play out?
Daly, Stooke, Ford, Francis Singleton especially played well whilst Genge and Cipriani made a good impact off the bench.
However defence was very poor, while boosted by return of triumphant, key Saracens players I still think England will loose in the 1st test.
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So good to watch heads-up rugby with so much obvious enjoyment amongst the Barbarian’s players. England didn’t so much lose a rugby game but simply not match the enthusiasm of their opposition. They also couldn’t find an answer to the comprehensive talent of Semi Radradra who terrified England much as Jonah Lomu used to do.
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Was great to see Daly at 15 even though it wasn’t for long. Ideally would’ve liked to see Cipriani at 10 but hopefully we’ll see that on tour whether it be starting or off the bench. Ford for me is becoming a bit like Mike Brown, Eddie reluctant to drop him but he’s only being picked on reputation from 3 years ago (same with Joseph attacking-wise). Cipriani/Farrell would work a lot better as both have running games and Cipriani is a much better kicker if Farrell gets injured etc.
In the forwards Tom Curry looks like he’s made that 7 shirt his for the tour, although I would like to see Simmonds get a start there in at least one test. Mercer will probably replace the injured Jack Willis. Everyone always talks about how bad our back row is, 2019 might be too soon but by 2023 we could have a Willis-Curry-Vunipola back row with others like Simmonds & Underhill to come on.
Excited for a proper test match for England to get back to winning ways as a loss by our 3rd Team against the Baabas isn’t a realistic representation of where England are right now.
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Agreed, a Willis/Curry/Billy back row could be exceptional.
Wouldn’t say that was England’s 3rd team though, half of them are first choice.
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Well I was going to reply saying I thought Ford actually acquitted himself pretty well, but then I looked at the stats and actually he was generally a little worse than Russell. However, I thought where Russell was a more attacking threat, Ford was stronger defensively – he had more players run up his channel and although his missed tackles was the 2nd worse behind Robshaw’s, I don’t think any of his missed tackles directly resulted in a Baa Baas try in the next phase (happy to be corrected) – as opposed to Francis who missed 2 soft tackles which lead directly to 2 soft tries. Even if he did miss a tackle, it was heartening to see him at least fight when the lines were broken to cover, even if it was futile.
Actually think EJ’s backs selection is a bit easier off this game. Ford, Daly, May (debatable I know) and Cipriani all reinforced their claims – Daly staking a claim to be one of the first on the team sheet.
With the Sarries/Exe contingent back, the backs should look like: 9) Youngs 10) Ford 11) Nowell 12) Faz 13) Daly 14) May 15) Cipriani 21) Robson 22) Lozowski 23) Teo
The tight 5 shouldn’t be too hard to pick – more known quantities who are at least consistently good-v good. As always back row will be most contentious issue, although BVs self selecting so its a case of picking 2 others to complement – on his showing in the game T Curry should give EJ something to think about.
Agree with Steve H below – if you are going to hold yourself up to high standards (Ie NZ) no game should be lost, EVEN IF you aren’t fielding all your first choice players (8-9 of the starting XV have all played in position in previous internationals). I would however say that this loss gives EJ the opportunity to revise from his current coaching system – as we said at this 6Ns, focus more on progressing the team than winning, and come back for the AIs ready to make a statement in that November meeting with NZ.
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Back row for the tour should be Wilson, Curry, Vunipola imo. Nice mix of grafting, fetching and carrying there with an extra lineout option if necessary. Simmonds or Shields on the bench to cover all 3 positions.
Think Robshaw’s time has run out. ESPN stats show he missed 7 tackles on Sunday which simply isn’t good enough. He really needed to step up in terms of leadership with half the first team missing and completely disintegrated.
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Radrara was always going to cause problems against the new and defensively lightweight centre partnership England put out. Mike Brown was always going to be shown up for pace on the wing. The Toulon players targetted Brown’s wing and made easy ground. No surprises.
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I don’t think it matters who we pick I strongly suspect Jones’ management style of constant pressure and beasting the players has lost the dressing room and there is an attitude of resentment towards him.He is a micro manager and that only works for a time hence his initial amazing successes but it is no longer sustainable.15 months from RWC we’ve .lost 4 in the trot with 3 more staring us in the face in the next 4 weeks.If that happens with the 3 SH biggies in the autumn we can wave bye bye to a decent rwc.We are in trouble.Can Eddie turn it around?I have real doubts
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Thought Francis did well and a few players did no harm to their prospects like singleton and curry. Did Daley play hooker for a bit, seemed like he played everywhere else and the changes made it look like the bench wasn’t very well thought out. Not overly troubled by a loss to that Baabaas team but think EJ needs to get a new defence and attack coach in really quickly
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I dont agree with this “its only a BaaBaas game so the result doesnt matter” line.
Its a competitive fixture that England put out a pretty handy looking side, containing 15 players who will be touring SA. The performance mattered, and losing in such an emphatic manner does our confidence no good at all prior to a very demanding 3 test series.
To get hammered in the way we did was an embarrassment.
Even allowing for the inevitable stop gap selections, we should expect to see far better.
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Really don’t agree with any calls for Cipriani to be used as a 15. He is a natural Fly Half and controls games with his creativity from first receiver. Although he may be fast for a 10 he has not got the running game or arial game for a 15.
England have Watson when fit again but more fittingly now Daly with Brown in the outer squad if required. 4th option and arguably should be higher up the pecking order Alex Goode is a ready made world beater in the position but is pigeon-holed as only a playmaker and not a running threat, even though he consistently makes the most metres in a prem season over recent years! Even Chris Ashton proved he could do a job in this newfound position if he was able to get back in the prem ASAP. If Eddie Jones has any sense he would give him a lifeline and ask him to come back to England with the potential chance of making the squad if his form continues.
Going back to Cipriani’s position in the squad after the season he has had he deserves his chance at 10. George Ford has not done at all well enough to keep his place for this tour, as Jones proved when he was dropped in the last game against Ireland.
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I think generally it is right to be concerned about conceding 60 points in any game; however most of that team don’t get a look when the full contingent are back.
For the first I’d like to see:
Mako, George, Sinkler, Itoje, Launchbury, Shields, Curry, Vunipola, Youngs, Farrell, Nowell, Te’o, Lozowski, Earle, Daly
LCD, Genge, Williams, Isiekwe, Simmonds, Robson, Cips, Solomona
That outfit will go very differently than the one we saw on Sunday. In fact, I expect them to win in SA.
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I have concerns about drafting Shields straight in. Not from a nationality point of view but because we don’t know how he’ll react to moving away from home and playing in a completely different environment.
Ireland did something similar with a kiwi prop previously and it turned out to be a disaster.
Surely it makes far more sense to let him get settled in the UK first before throwing him into the furnace of representing England on an away tour when all eyes will be on him.
Also am not convinced that Curry has yet got the physicality for top level international rugby. I fear the big Boks will just blow him away at the breakdown.
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Completely agree with both of these comments Pablito. Curry is good over the ball and has a great engine, but is still growing. He needs to become comfortable with the additional muscle bulk he has gained this year and I think he will get knocked backwards by big, powerful mature forwards in S.A.. I also do not see why anybody would consider Cips as a 15. He certainly has vision, but a full back has to tackle, which is not his forte by any manner of means. This was a great opportunity to give him a run out at 10 outside Youngs, and the fact that EJ flunked it seems to suggest that he has no serious intent to change his ten but is feeling insecure enough to bend a bit to public opinion. I still think that Ford looks a better player outside most other scrum halves rather than Youngs whose pass is very average.
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Haven’t seen the game but watching the highlights there was some pretty shocking defence.
Try by try
Robshaw & Tinder Missed tackle
Francis Missed tackle
Youngs Poor positioning (sweeper)
Robshaw Missed tackle
Ford & Francis Poor defensive comms
Ford Missed tackle
Robshaw Missed tackle
Curry Poor positioning (Slow to track across field)
Ford Stupid kick
So in summary Robshaw, Ford & Francis are responsible for the bulk of the points we conceeded
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Alternatively, tremendous driving play by an outstandingly well coached and very powerful Barbarians side smashed so many holes in the England defence that the whole team were completely on the back foot and those people trying desperately hard to plug gaps in the line were sometimes caught on the back foot or in the wrong position to make an effective intervention. Missed tackle statistics are sometimes a complete nonsense because players are making desperate efforts to cover for others when out of position. Most commentators now seem obsessed with aportioning blame every time a try is scored. Several of the Barbarians trys were simply brilliant and should be acknowledged as such.
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Robshaw looks a man in need of a few months off – but aside from that, it can’t have been an easy game for him or Curry trying to cover the two weak tacklers at 1o and 12
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Andy, I accept the wisdom of your words and i have only seen the highlights which don’t tell the full story so i may be wrong but looking at tries 1,2,5,6,7 & 9 I feel the defence has a lot to answer for.
Try 3 is a great chip through into the sweet spot so difficult to defend
Try 4 is an incredible offload which catches Robshaw cold
Try 8 is against an already stretched defence so credit to the build up play which is missing from the highlights
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For the tries with defensive questions
Try 1 Robshaw looks like he is playing tag not rugby
Try 2 Francis gets absolutely steamrollered despite being in the perfect position to make the tackle, has to do more there
Try 5 If Ford is going to bite in then he need to let Francis know that he cant drift out. If they do that move and make it round the outside fair enough but they cant be allowed to waltz through the middle
Try 6 Piss poor tackle from Ford, no arm wrap
Try 7 Another flappy tackle from Robshaw
Try 9 Probably trying to force things late in the game but fords kick from our own deadball line was far too risky
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One word – Tipuric! What a star; that off-load was un-be-lievable. Such class, and Ashton too.
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Tipuric is a joy to watch in fast, open games
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Really surprised that Robshaw not being given a rest and a few other options being tried at 6. Don’t agree with Shields but if he is going with Wilson and Simmonds then do we need Robshaw along? Would have liked Gibson to get a shot instead, think he’s been really good this year
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