It took Eddie Jones about 40 minutes to realise that southern hemisphere-style running rugby is not so easy on a cold winter’s day at Murrayfield, as a change of tactics enabled England grind out a 15-9 victory in his first game in charge.
England had looked lively in the opening quarter of the Six Nations encounter but their ambitious attacks too often came to nought, apart from a bulldozing run from lock George Kruis which put them ahead with a 14th minute try.
After reaching the break 7-6 up, Jones’s team took a more measured approach in the second half and though they were never able to stretch clear, a second try by Jack Nowell and an increasingly dominant set piece ensured they always had their noses in front.
“We wanted to play some positive rugby, the attitude was to try to move the ball, but we were a bit off our game,” Jones said.
“It’s hard to get an attacking game going when the referee allows the defence a lot of advantage at the breakdown so you have to play with that in mind and adjust.”
With their noses in front at the break, Jones said the victory was never in doubt.
“It became a set-piece, defence game and we excelled in that and in the second half I thought we were commanding.
“Our data was that Scotland scored 69 per cent of their points in first 30 minutes, so at halftime we were pretty confident and we won the game easily in the end, we scored two tries to nil.”
It was also a satisfying start for Dylan Hartley as captain, particularly after Jones had said he wanted to re-establish England’s pack as a unit to be feared.
“It was a bit of an arm wrestle in the first half,” said the hooker playing his first international since last year’s Six Nations after he was omitted from the World Cup squad for disciplinary reasons.
“We wanted to seek dominance at the set piece and that tends to creep in the second half. We stuck at it and when it mattered we got some dividends.”
Four years ago Stuart Lancaster began his stint as England coach with a similarly ground-out Murrayfield victory but Jones again showed how he is taking a more relaxed approach to the job when describing how the squad would celebrate.
“We’ve come up here and won the Calcutta Cup. We scored two tries, there are no injuries so it’s been a good day at the office,” said the Australian, who has made of point of giving the players a little more latitude than under the previous regime.
“So there might be a few beers tonight.”
Taylorman
Guest
Think you just proved my point. Those players are not in the top rung of current international test duty. The ones that are are in sides that didn't make the semis of the World Cup final so having more players at the lower end doesn't prove a point. We have ITM and SA had Currie cup players better than some of the lower end club levels but of the top rung, you have to go four or five teams in before you start putting NH based players in there.
CUW
Guest
" Been plenty of debate on who shouldve been motm in past matches…so why does that actually mean he was the best player on the day.. " if there was plenty of debate as u say that was at RWC when the promoters used fans' votes to determine who the MOTM was. that worked untill players who had played half the match got most votes becoz they were fan favorites. though u say it was only Moore who made him MOTM , it is actually the commentary team who discuss and agreee on a player , but gives the honor of naming goes to the most illustrious guy in the team . and there was nothing controversial in thier selection given it was a scrappy match in which not many came to light and not many points were scored or many scoring opportunites came.
Not Bothered
Guest
Yes eventually all players drop off their best. I think you will find that if they dont head north that also happens. Although I dont think you have, will or want to think about it and your constent negative slant on anything and everything to do with the NH is a bit of a give away tbh. Might aswell hold up a sign saying "unreasonable when it comes to NH rugby". Your comment about a NH club side and a WC makes no sense and I have no idea what you mean.
Not Bothered
Guest
Oh dear. There is not 10 of SANZARS WC squads in the European comps, there is about 20 or more, about 22% of their totals. Holmes, Toomua and a few others are going soon too Add about another 200 Super Rugby level SH players. Guys like Evans, Anscombe, Horwill, Kruger, Maitland, Aki, Juan Smith, George Smith, Leonard, JOC, Steenkamp, Masoe, Saili, Clarke, Fritz Lee, Afoa, Longbottom, Flynn, Piutau, Halai, Tikoirotuma, Betham, Nyaivoro, Lam, Futuali'i, B.O'Conner, Laulala, Add all of Engs, Wales, Ires, Scots, Italys, Frances, Georgias, Canadas, USAs and 80% of Fijis, Samoas, Tongas best and about 30% of Arg. However they are accross 38 club teams and when it comes to rep rugby they play for a wide range of nations.
ben
Guest
Motm was picked by 1 commentator.Brian Moore..and as he states "Billy Vunipola is my man of the match" Been plenty of debate on who shouldve been motm in past matches...so why does that actually mean he was the best player on the day.. But sorry..only your opinion on that counts too right.
ben
Guest
You know when someone says did you actually watch...as if thats a qualfication for your argument.and yeah take your own advice about leaving earlier.
ben
Guest
Not sure why you put things in caps for..does that make you feel better or what. Ok so he was motm so what...does that mean hes not over weight or cant get better if he got fitter because he got motm. And go back and watch again...see how often both are walking around. Hansen made a point of that in the abs...absolute fitness and ability to play the whole game. Sorry i havent got caps on..but im sure you can read with your glasses on. But then of course only your opinion counts seeing you know everything about rugby.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
You know when someone says something like, I've been watching for 45 years as if it's a qualification, it's probably time to find someone else in the bar to talk to. You also know when someone ignores the major and first part of your argument with them, you should have left earlier. As it happens, I don't know that I'd mess about too much with someone putting in that type of performance but it's a truism that anyone could benefit from being fitter.
Not Bothered
Guest
YOU ATTACKED THE MOTM!!!! The best player that played and you start spouting off about how hes fat and walks around. Its not because we have a different opinion its because what you said is odd because the player you are putting down was THE BEST PLAYER FROM EITHER TEAM. Now we have cleared that up...
Taylorman
Guest
Can't agree with that at all. How many players in the NH club scene were represented in the first three ranked National sides as at the last tests played? 10? As opposed to 60 odd? What is the best 'paper side' from the NH club scene as at the final of the World Cup? No way it would match the best SH side. Best players are not in the NH. Not by any means. And that includes those from the SH. Add the last lot of recruits by any means but they'll soon drop below their eventual replacements. That's kinda how it works.
Not Bothered
Guest
Zero likes to demonize the people who disagree with the fantasy world he has created. As if those that are disagreeing with him are only doing so because of some bias or agenda. It allows him to keep his fantasy world intact without having to think about things. Those who say QC has been playing badly are just Kiwis that hate quade, for example. Cheika only selects Foley over Quade because of Cheika being part of the NSW conspiracy to rule Australian rugby.
ben
Guest
See my comment below on why i singled them out..... Why would i comment on the game if i hadnt watched it. It makes me laugh...everytime someone differs with you and some others opinion..they have no idea or know nothing or didnt even watch it...as if that means only your opinion counts for anything and you're the expert because no one else knows or watches rugby like you guys. Ive been watching rugby for 45 years....but maybe because you guys know more about rugby than me...maybe i havent been watching...
ben
Guest
You are defensive.and obviously your struggling with mine...never did i deny either played well...billy was motm...i said theyre fat and overweight. If they lost 10 15kgs they would be far better players. Billy could be rated up with the best 8s in world rugby...if he lost weight and got fitter. Marko is the same...could be if he lost his podge and got fitter. So you agree with me it was way below the wc knockouts. It was a performance that was average at best....no matter the reason.... And i would say i have more idea about what im watching than you hayley. Been watching for 45 years. Just because you say so makes it fact does it? If you had any idea about what your watching..and plainly you dont...then you would agree both vunipolas are over weight and need to up their fitness levels. I posted my opinion ...you yours...i minded my own business...maybe you should give it a go sometime.
Not Bothered
Guest
European club rugby isnt as high a level as Super Rugby. Mind you, Super Rugby has 5 countries with 18 teams whereas Europe has 6 countries with 38 teams and although they clearly have more of the rugby worlds talent, it is diluted much more. Having said that, many European club sides are better on paper than many Super Rugby sides. Toulon, Northampton, Bath, Wasps, Quins, Leicester, Racing and perhaps Glasgow compare well to most Super Rugby sides. Thats due to a large amount of players from Can, US, Geo, NZ, Aus, SA, Arg, Sam, Ton and Fiji playing for European clubs. As for the WC, Wales were leading SA into the last 5 mins or so and Sc were leading Aus into the final min. Thats no worse than usual, although Aus has struggled against Scotland for the last few years. Ire suffered a whole bunch of injuries and were smashed by a very good Arg side.
Taylorman
Guest
Not the soon to be departed Tina? Pity...
Not Bothered
Guest
Ben, the Vunipolas were both excellent. Why youve singled out those 2 I do not know. B.Vunipola was motm and easily the best player on the ground, why did you have a go at the best player? He ran the ball 22 times ffs! The most of any player! I know, lets have a go at his workrate. M.Vunipola played 30 mins and made more runs than any other prop that played and made the same amount of metres as ALL the other props combined, all 7 of them. That is why you were asked if you had actually watched.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
If you say so. Although not sure how or why.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
OK, since you're obviously still struggling with my comment, let me spell it out for you. Observing that 'it was a game a few rungs below what we saw at the World Cup knockouts' demonstrates you have no real conception of this fixture. It's not the fifth in a series of games the team have played together over the course of preceding weeks and spent weeks before preparing, it's the first in months. It's also being played in the cold and wet of February in Scotland. It's a nailed on recipe for an error strewn, disjointed game. It's also one where Scotland have always struggled against England, scoring only twice against them at Murrayfield since the 6N began. That's why I say, if you actually watched it, you had no real idea what you were watching. Second, call out the Vunipolas if you like but Billy was all action all day and was easily motm and Mako somehow for all his walking flubber was in the line to deliver the killer pass that opened up Scotland for Nowell's try. I'll take that all day from those walking dead beats. It's not defensive my friend, it's facts and common rugby sense. Give both of them a go sometime.
CUW
Guest
whether u watched it or not BEN, the assessment of Billy V would have been accurate like 2 years ago when NZ played them. I had the same opinion then BUT not anymore. Billy V is becoming a very good 8 - he will not have the silky skills of a Read or Parrisse - and also the stamina to go the distance. He used to be a 55-60 minute player but played whole 80+ and was still running at the end. he was the only bright spark of the 3rd row packed with 3 bulky boys. the scots had 2 7s who manged to do better in defence but they lacked the attack to break the pom line. only Hogg showed any enterprise and one wing made many a mistake in both attack and defence (not maitland the other). one thing noticeable was the england pack was better at scrums and line outs and mauls. but there was one maul that left me wondering why it is allowed when the english had a formation 4 man deep. now how the hell can anyone gt to the ball when its a wedge 4 man deep and the apex guy has the ball !!!!
ben
Guest
Im sure taylorman neil above actually used to act on coro...as the departed hayley.