England win with Farrell 'golden' penalty

Buddy, go and have another look at May’s try against the Irish just a few weeks ago. Then have a word with yourself. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NY095xwikN0

France: Dupont, Vakatawa Scotland: Finn Russell

With England, it's almost a case of, 'if you say it enough, it must be true.' Eddie Jones has consistently talked about the kicking game and how the sport is currently heading in that direction and, as a result, it's almost as though his players have developed an inability to pass the ball accurately. Because they're so afraid of getting turned over (seemingly due to Jones' comments), every time they do move it through the hands, it's like a hot potato and it often ends in the ball being knocked on. As France's young side tired on Sunday, opportunities did start to open up. Their defence was slower to set and England, being the fitter and more experienced side, were organising quicker in attack, enabling mismatches out wide. However, the skill execution was so poor. Guys like Ford, Farrell and Slade, who are obviously very good ball players, were stopping the player who was receiving the ball in their tracks because the pass was that bad. England really need a rethink about how they're approaching the game. Don't mind the kicking but their obsession over it and the current law interpretations has really hampered their skills.

It has been a weird year indeed Highlander, in both hemispheres. SA keeping their powder dry is probably the single thing keeping their reputation intact. For all their excellence in the final, let's not forget how they struggled in their semi. But as the saying goes, you're only as good as your last game - and what a game that was for them! Apart from lifting the cup, probably the next best achievement by Rassie was keeping his team under wraps and away from the madness.

On the contrary CUW, I see no evidence Eddie's thinking has changed at all following that final defeat.

Thanks for your thoughts neil I have watched all the NH internationals this year, standard hasn’t been great - much like SH - England have looked either reluctant or unable to pressure sides and score points. They have struggled to put poor sides, ireland and Wales, away. It is an interesting stage in the global game.

Digression of Eddie's England reminds me of digression 2005 Wallabies. Players may be growing tired of Eddie's ideas. Maybe a 4 year cycle really is the limit before you need new coach. Graeme Hendry excluded

Gotta get a winner out of a final somehow I guess. Tough for the French who should have really won that.

That’s actually a pretty good summary.

England’s scrum dominance signs of the influence of World Cup winning Bok forward coach Matthew Proudfoot recruited by Eddie Jones.. By miles the best set piece and mauling coach on the planet.. But where are the game breakers in NH rugby.. No Kolbe or Beauden Barrett type of player who can create magic on their own.. Someone who can light up a game with a moment of individual brilliance….

Could not agree more Look out for my open letter to joe Schmidt and Joel Jutge in the next couple of day’s They are the poor guys that have to fix this mess

@ Highlander still wondering why Nigel didnot get the final maybe powers that be thought he had enuf finals and someone else deserves a chance onlything the ref was rubbish club grade not fit for a final even the TMO was silly - "let me show that to u in slo-mo" - when it was obvious with just one look in general reffing was average in this cup - who can forget the air tackle monsieur Poite refused to look at - when tmo called him! world rugby shud seriosly try to fix the reffing - irrespective of country . because it was bad in 8 nations and it was worse in 3 nations. cricket went thru that process many years ago and are now not shooting their feet off.

@ Harry Jonesi england had its first team on the park - only name i can think of missing is Manu Tuilagi france missed their entire first 24 !!!

@ Neil Back i think the saffas gave EJ nighmares at the world cup and now with the help of saffa coach - he is trying to replicate that style of play with simillar type of players. when England best Georgia - there was lot of press questioning the forwards oriented match and those questions have not stopped.

Eddie IMO is influenced by his assistants Mitchell and Proudfoot - from NZ and SA respectively. both are more or less experts on defence and defensive rugger - so it seems their first and second options are about defence and defensive rugger. even withi this talented backline - england twice were covered and stopped even when they had two on one overlaps and if u go back to a few recent matches - the line has not constructed many trys - rather they come from a moment of individual enterprise or a kick chase. one shud not forget they have 4 guys in that line as playmakers - Ford Farrell Slade and Daly maybe that is a problem in it self.

@ Harry Jones that was rubbish reffing of the worst kind. in those last few minutes the ref managed to miss 2 knock ons by england and to make it worse gave a penalty that enabled them to get near the line. even in the 2nd extra time start he saw a knock on against france which was not they didnot use Nigel is puzzling France was a B team after their first team was not released by clubs - so basically the top 24 players were not involved in this match in fact the press expected this match to be a farce and england to rout the france B but then this is Feance !!! that was the worst reffing of a final by an amateur - why

All good questions DH, and only Eddie could answer them - but don't hold your breath expecting him to do so honestly in a presser! I'm sure he plays the percentages for a win as any sane coach would. Is he taking advantage of the current laws as you ask, or is he hiding behind them? Maybe that's the question, and I don't have an answer. The issue appears to me to be that too often the team on the pitch stays on script regardless. There's no doubt in my mind this England squad has the talent in both the backs and the forwards to match any team in any facet of the game. I just don't think it has the on field leadership to orchestrate it fully. Is this Eddie's 'fault'? Ultimately I think it is.

Wouldn't disagree that England have indeed shown enterprise through the backs under Eddie at times, and more often than frequently given credit for OOP. But that's part of the frustration. They often appear unable to go to that approach when the game demands it. This weekend was a case in point when overlaps were frequently ignored in favour of a kicking game that wasn't working or a bash up the middle. You also had Daly, a class act, seemingly so unsure how to partner with Watson that he too often crabbed him across field before finally delivering a pass that left Watson nowhere to go. Just inexplicable. And yes, coaches can become stale. But it's not like England haven't had a hiatus before under Eddie, and much earlier in his tenure, such as 2018 and the disastrous 6N campaign.

How much of this do you see as Eddie taking advantage of the laws as currently written as opposed to utilising the skills within the team available to him Neil. Do you think he plays purely on percentages for wins or has doubts he can win with a more expansive game. I see the potential for England to play a fast recycling and wider game to their obviously talented backline. They have the players to succeed. Is this coaches hubris or a demand from his employer that winning is the only thing that count

I personally think this is an overly harsh critique, both of how Eddie has the team play (given there have been periods under Eddie where England has played really good attacking rugby with the backs involved) and of England as a team. I’d say England would likely be the second best team in the world after South Africa, and I’m not sure they should be any higher with the players England has got. I certainly think rarely do coaches succeed with a team for more than 4-6 years. Things just naturally grow stale. So I’ll be impressed if England stays a top 2 side and makes the World Cup final again in 2023.