From the outset of their tour, and even before they’d arrived, Eddie Jones made no secret that he wanted to leave Australian shores with the Cook Cup under his arm.
The English Rose on his chest has been as prominent on this tour as has the smile on his face, and with the cup retained, it’s hard to know which is shining more.
And why wouldn’t be happy with what his team has achieved?
Jones arrived with the stated intention of wanting to take his side to no.1 in the world, and on current form, you’d have to think they’re the team most likely to knock the All Blacks from their long-held and comfortable perch.
And it’s clear that everything about this England team is geared toward this goal.
Another Rugby World Cup may come before they achieve their goal, and it will require its own focus; in the meantime, everything England has done and is doing under Eddie Jones is simply a rung on the ladder to the top.
Winning three Tests in Australia carried a Rugby World Cup theme with it – Jones rightly said to win a World Cup you need to win three tough games on consecutive weekends – but it also saw England rein in New Zealand’s lead atop the rankings somewhat. It really it is a shame this current England side will have to wait at least 16 months to tackle the All Blacks.
Winning the first Test was the key result. England had never won in Brisbane, and they did it. They’d never won a series on Australian soil before, and they did that too. And they’d never claimed a series clean sweep before – they’d never won a three-Test series, in fact. All boxes ticked, and with it, Australia’s first clean sweep defeat in my lifetime.
It became clear watching Jones’ squad in action the demons of the Rugby World Cup ousting are long gone, and in their place is a determination to be the best they can be. And you can hear the determination whenever the England players speak now.
Pre-match on Saturday night, I spoke with injured backrower James Haskell for ABC Grandstand.
“It was difficult for us after the World Cup, because a lot of people and especially the media were talking about pride in jerseys, but from my experience, whenever you’ve been involved in an England squad, it’s the greatest thing you can do as a player, to play for your national side, and no-one’s ever taken that shirt for granted,” he explained.
“I think with Eddie, and his coaching staff, and Dylan [Hartley] as Captain, there’s a real renewed sense of competition within this squad and a desire to win things.
“Some of us in this squad are lucky enough to have a few caps but we haven’t really won what we wanted to win. Under Eddie we’ve started well, but it’s a long, long way to go and we’re not getting carried away. And if old blokes like me can keep plugging away, then we will do.”
Haskell’s performance in this series has been phenomenal, for a player who we have seen a bit of throughout his career, which included a solid but unspectacular stint in Super Rugby with the Highlanders. Haskell admitted that he’s been a sponge when it comes to learning from Wasps teammate George Smith, and Jones was smart enough to bring Smith into the England camp and continue that backrow tutelage. And where even just last year, Haskell might have just played out his days winning England caps here and there, now he doesn’t want to give it up.
“I’m devastated not to be playing,” Haskell said of missing the final game on tour. “Teimana Harrison has been outstanding for Northampton… but from a personal point of view, you always want that shirt. It could well be the last time I play for England, so I’ve got to go away and work even harder in rehab because I want to be involved in this England team for a lot longer.”
Eighty minutes later, former skipper Chris Robshaw – who was similarly brilliant through the series – echoed the same sentiments.
“Of course it starts at the top, and goes all the way through the coaches and the players, but more importantly, the players have bought into it,” Robshaw said.
“That’s what you want from a team; you want guys going out there and giving it their all, working as hard as possible, getting up off the floor doing it again and again. And I think you’ve seen that in our performances this year.”
When established players like Haskell and Robshaw – with nearly 120 Tests between them – are speaking in those terms, the degree of the turnaround is evident.
Interestingly, the self-congratulations didn’t last long, with Jones expressing annoyance from within the team that they’d shelled five tries to a side that never looked like breaking through them only seven days earlier. This kind of grounding is what will keep the English standards high.
But so will the competition for places, and the difficulty with which selection is gained. In naming his side the day after the Wallabies announced another wave of changes for the Third Test, Jones wryly opined, “You have to work extremely hard to earn an England cap so there was no temptation to make changes for the sake of change.”
Jones made three changes from Brisbane to Melbourne, and only one more – Harrison in for Haskell – in Sydney. 27 players in all. Australia used 33 players, with five changes for Melbourne, and another five for Sydney.
And where Michael Cheika trimmed a 39-plus-some initial squad down to 33-plus-some-including-guys-not-in-the-orginal-39, Jones enjoyed consistency throughout. Part of that comes with being on tour, of course, but it also speaks for the evident uncertainty around what Cheika sees as his preferred side. News that the French cavalry will be arriving in August only further underlines this.
Jones has united England rugby when they were standing on shaky ground, and has completed a remarkable turnaround with largely the same playing group. He’s united the playing group, furthermore, and has them on a track in which they firmly believe they can beat anyone.
Right now, having sat so close to the final act of this remarkable series performance, it’s very hard to argue.
And so, fittingly, Jones gets the last word. Smiling throughout the post-match presser, Jones finished his official duties with a classic ‘Eddie’ quip.
“I’ll always be grateful for what Australia has done for me in rugby, but it was certainly nice to beat them 3-0.”
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Neil, you can look with your eyes and reach your conclusions. Good for you. I don't rate them high, as I don't rate high Skelton. I think that they fit England's style of play and Eddie used them brilliantly. That's it. We don't have to agree.
Richard
Guest
AAAAAAAH The real Rob Horne, " Hey Cheiks you've been fooled, Dave_S,has found the right Rob Horne ".. I can see he is the fair dinkum Horne, as on his resume he`s covered more real estate in one hour than the current Hoax has in his entire career. .
ken
Guest
How come we lose most times against the big guns when he plays at 7 then Dave_S ???
Richard
Guest
We " LOST " all 3 ..Your point is null and void..
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Carlos, give it up mate. You previously slated the Vunipolas before this tour and you give every impression of a man desperately trying to justify himself despite the evidence. How you can still tell us Billy isn't as mobile as McMahon (using Hooper as a comparison is rediculous) after we've watched his line speed in midfield and bullocking runs is just nonsense. Please tell me where Slipper showed up over Maco?! You were spinning the same line during the 6N when Billy was largely considered player of the tournament, ran prodigious metres and for the full 80.
jemmcd
Guest
Bit of an overstatement to say that EJ has not changed the team. The RWC squad and the Australia tour squad have 12/13 different players. Based on 32/33 player squads that IS significant. Fact is that he did it early on and they have had 8 games on the bounce to gel. But to say he didn't make big changes is to short-change Jones' selectorial skill.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Paul Ackord? Hmmm, he hasn't made sense since Mendez clocked him...
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
I don't think we disagree much. As I mentioned in the comment, Eddie planned it better, chose his players better, made them play to his player's abilities and to the Wallabies' weaknesses. I still think that the Vunipola's are good players for the English side, but I don't think that they would fit an All Black mold, for example. Faumuina is much more mobile and Read is a much more complete player than either Vunipola. But Eddie knew what he wanted from them, trained them for their specific purpose and got them disciplined to do what he wanted from the. Kudos to Eddie. But it seems that he becomes unwelcomed over time. Let's see if this happens in England too.
Marius Ciliers
Roar Guru
Absolutely brilliant Brett. Loved it. Brutish and that hated word Ffffhhhyyysseeeecall(Cheika aka walabies) Vs. Inteligent and Tactical (Eddy aka Racers..err Roses) In a game that is continualy re-inventing itself like madonna the Kiwi's up their game and the World follows suit. They just seem to edge everyone by a fraction each year and stay ahead. North vs Southern Hemisphere Rugby levels are nearing ever closer with SA in a political mess not growing in rugby level and performance..but barely coping. Aus seeming to have reached their ceiling,the lost pumas recovering from consequtive concussive concussions in Super Rugby all out off sorts in the 2nd french match. The kiwis again setting a southern hemishpere and world benchmark in get up quick shake those cobwebs,clean the motor,add new oil,calibrate and ajust it and mash that throttle like u stole it.. But ol Eddy.. Wise Eddy showed us a vehicle can only be as good as his chasis allows it. Too much power,too much grip,everything is a factor. And even a decent chasis structured with all the right parts at all the right times to accomodate and compliment that decent good chasis for the specific track its about to put its 1st lap on.. Needs a capable driver composed under pressure who has done his homework and knows the track. And in that moment when the sum of all the parts, driver and track mechanics and crew come together to form a harmonious symphony of perfection. With a track ready middlevel V6 racecar vs an out of tune unbalanced not race ready fire spitting supercharged racecar and emotionaly driven driver..it will always be a close race..yes the V8 will be spectacular and burn tires and make smoke,loud noise and brutal fast straight line speed...but it is no match for the relentless persistent constand track speed of the V6..and should that V6 motor caugh a bit..a sparkplug might be changed..and that harmony continues.. The V8 never stood a chance. The Kiwis are rebuilding their Worxs spec factory V10 supercharged racecar with some modified remapping of the ecu's,new parts replacing tried and tested old ones,still good but worn. And one wonders in the back of one's head.. How will that V6 run....16 months from now.. And what a blessing to World Rugby it is that The English Rose has enough time to get it ready.. World Rugby is reaching a zeneth,a ceiling of sorts,and V10 power will need all the strenght,speed,precision,brakes,handling cohesion and testing its chasis can handle. Because a well balanced V8 Factory Worx Race Team..may just beat them..
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Your right Sheek however Blighty would be a gloomy place right now, don't think the Rugby lads will get much coverage upon returning home particularly in light of the Miracle of Iceland !
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Interesting that both Coaches have taken there teams from the scrap heap to Number 2 in the World in the space of 6 to 9 months. The Poms were very professional in everything they did, the Wallabies absolutely got them at the wrong time, reckon the Poms would have pinched a game across the creek. Jones has done a terrific job instilling the belief, confidence and a winning mentality, such a powerful force in any sport. Cheika had it going last year but boy he has been out coached by the wily old fox. The Wallabies have 6-7 weeks to stew in this before the Rugby Championship. They were for the most part, not at the races in this series. Everyone involved from coaches and players need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. As for the Poms returning home, reckon they would be better off going anywhere but England right at the moment ? !
sheek
Roar Guru
Gee, It's a good thing England beat Australia in the rugby. The country is reeling from the humiliation of backing a Brexit from the EU that apparently a majority didn't really want to happen. They just wanted to punish the pollies! Then there's the hilarious embarrassment of being kicked out of 2016 EURO by Iceland, a country of only 332,000-odd people. I heard a TV presenter say they only have about 100 professional soccer players. Like one Englishman lamented when interviewed, "It's not a good time at the moment to be English." Unless of course you 're a rugby fan.....
Bob Wire
Guest
England played ok, but a long way away from AB's
Harry Jones
Expert
Brett has an even better article up over on Rugby365. He's an international sport writing love machine.
Harry Jones
Expert
That's actually true, Brett.
adastra32
Guest
No observer with any sense and with no prejudice and/or journalistic axe to grind is talking England up vs. the All Blacks - least of all Fast Eddie himself. As has been stated, they are a work in progress. Expect change especially in the backs.
Billy G
Guest
Great article Brett. You can see how vision, strategy, execution, alignment of purpose and commitment can shape an outcome. The impressive part of this was Jones' abilty to maintain centre stage in the media whilst the players maintained a singular focus on their goal. Brilliant. It is a far far different team to the 2011 RWC bunch that navigated their way around NZ in a party mood with night out stories dominating the newspaper articles. A cultural divide! Intetested too in the half time rantings and ravings of Chieka vs the calm demeanor of Jones. Confidence vs Loss of Control? Self assuredness vs panic? Culture vs Culture? Clarity vs Confusion?
buster
Guest
Relying on the French "cavalry" is a backward step, I think. How long do you ignore local talent before they move on, either to the NRL, or overseas. A certain Qld breakaway is proof of that. Also, coaches must be prepared to to think outside the square, so to speak, as was made evident from an article in a newspaper about our Eddie. In 2014, he visited the Bayern Munich football club in Germany, to scope their training regime. From that he manages his two big training sessions each week to have one physical, and one faster than the game. He said some rugby teams train as we did 30 years ago [ wonder who] No decision making, no emphasis on pace, and a lack of physicality. The training must simulate the game, he said. I thought that was a given, but after watching the Wallabies, not so sure.
lex
Guest
I was watching a Q&A video with Jones after the test sponsored by the Daily Telegraph with Paul Ackford. He made a very interesting point about how other unions put more pressure on players than the English to improve and compete. The reason being that they are smaller and have fewer teams to sustain professional players so there is fierce competition for the limited berths. Also, you can make a pretty good living playing for a club in England or France. In Australia and New Zealand you have to play for the national side in order to really make any significant income fostering more competition. It was a very interesting and in depth chat where he fielded questions from those attending.
A.O.Tear Rower
Guest
So who does he pick over Mumm that isnt an "experiment"? Arnold, Carter, Horwill, Simmons, Coleman, Skelton? I think you will find he picked all those players too and started some ahead of Mumm who had very little influence on the series outcome.