It’s going to be a sensible coach that recognises how England won two close games, having looked lost in the previous game and for most of the last two 6Ns. Admitting change was needed is a positive. But only if it leads to improvement longer term. This seemed like a short term fix.

England reverted to a gameplan that both suited and was trusted by the players. Fairly narrow, forwards based, and vs an Aussie pack that was short on power….They kicked lots, having a decent 15 to chase and didn’t really run any backs moves. That’s fine, the scrum was ok, the lineout often scratchy and work around the breakdown was “B” grade at best. The defence at least looked like they had met this game. But they were playing an Aussie team stripped of many key players, and with access to lots of regular starters/experienced Prem players, it wasn’t quite the young and inexperienced England squad touted. It’s a team still unsure of who to play in too many shirt numbers.

Playing like that against Ireland or France or a practiced SA or indeed the AB’s would be unlikely to yield a result. The carrying from the forwards would be more limited after engaging with the Ireland pack say, and as the England attack is a blunt thing of little imagination, there’s work to do to provide puzzles for their opponents.

After the first test, England had to “rest” their newish attack formations (really two 5/8ths stacked – like the coach did with Wasps….) and revert to the power and kick game. If they really are going to be contenders – RWC or otherwise – they will need to utilise the pace/experience of players like Ford, Slade and Watson (and Youngs?) and look to pick a backrow able to operated in the wider channels. Watching Wales play SA was to watch a mature backline with pace and confidence. Watching England…it wasn’t….And hasn’t been for a long time.

Ireland dismantled NZ with a well delivered if not over complex game plan, suggesting that England are still lost between trying to be the best team ever….and recognising they play best when they accept their limitations and play like they did in beating France in 2021. The Autumn Internationals will provide us with a clue as to if England can move on from what too often has been a disappointing two years. Players will return, but England easily have two starting 15’s plus spares that are closely matched – it’s now which set we intend to select and what we intend do with them.

Unless Jones – and who knows – is trying a double bluff – this selection will provide Australia with a clear view of how England intend to play. Narrow and with power. Jones is trying a bit of expectation management – as whilst one or two of the 23 are inexperienced, in the main, most of the newer players have plenty of Prem experience. This selection suggests an even narrower plan – as Van P at 9 did offer a fast pass to whichever first receiver was in place – and Care will likely kick more too.

The way into the game for the Aussies is that if they manage to stop England’s expected fast start and get more of the ball, England’s set up doesn’t look like it has many alternative ideas to the power and kick game. Keep within a score at HT and this England fan will be nervous as hell….And if the Aussies manage their chances better than last week, their red zone delivery is excellent and it could easily be enough to win. But allow England ball and time and it could be a long evening.

Safety-wise, there needs to be some way of players not suffering the level of collision/attrition that seems too often to blight especially international games. The Laws too often now seem to be there to be exploited by “clever” coaches – but such an approach will make the game less and less attractive as the game gets less and less understandable.

The problems with the Laws can be demonstrated by the officials looking to allow more “continuity” around the breakdown from around 2015 (roughly) but found the opposite happened and allowing the odd hand in rucks incentivised coaches and players to slow the ball down. In 2020 WR issues guidance on the breakdown, to basically apply the Laws….. as written. But its a mess. The best I saw the breakdown Laws applied was in the Mitre 10 Cup games from 2020 where refs were often calling “tackle” “release” “roll” “ruck” to coach the players. It was easily the best rugby I’ve seen as a NH fan for a very long time.

Such thinking is needed across three main areas, scrum, offside and breakdown. As even as an old prop – I rarely have a clue why decisions have been made. And it was designed as a contest for possession not a penalty generator.

Safety can only come if the level and number of impacts reduce, materially. American Football has seen the light on this – but it can’t done in rugby in isolation from how and who plays the game. Having a breakdown where the pack isn’t all involved and those who are, preferably not head down near the ground taking impact – will mean two lines of players running into each other, pods of 120kg forwards…..and the impacts that cause brain injury. Especially at the try line where players lead with their heads…..It may be that rugby union is not sustainable in anything like its current form.

A win’s a win – but if such games are supposed to be practice for the world cup – why did England have to revert to practicing the “ugly pack” strategy, that’s second nature to most England forwards? This was a win at all costs as England haven’t looked like a team able to dominate games all this calendar year – a carry over from 6Ns 2021 (France game excepted). So England reverted to literally a narrow plan, making sure that the tackle area could be resourced and never really utilising the backs. Several combinations in the backs had never played together before, so leave it to the forwards and then kick well…Back to the Future?

But it doesn’t take England forward, it wasn’t a performance far from their only other win this year (Italy excepted) vs Wales when lots of penalties just about held off a Wales team that once they started, ran in three tries only for England to be saved by the bell. One try max in any game (Italy excepted) and nothing that suggests they can deliver some scores. Yes they are missing lots of players – but it seems that if there is a plan, it can’t be delivered and so it’s back to forward grunt and kicking.

Could easily run in some scores next week, but the question remains – what on earth have England been doing since Autumn 2020 at get to where we are now?

That’s fair – re the coaching, he took on a decent squad and team that got their coach sacked from losing one game – in the last 5mins…..(RWC 2015 v Wales) It had all the tool from the 2012 and similar U20 RWC/6Ns squads which has talent. I saw Anthony Watson rip several teams a new one in the 6Ns. And we selected continuity especially in the back with Youngs, Ford, Farrell, JJ, Watson, May and Brown (often)

The selections and thinking appears to have dried up. We haven’t used opportunities like the Autumn Cup to make changes. Ireland and France did just that – as did France on tour last year. And here we are. Today’s selection smacks of panic….

I’m not sure he cares about the media, Nic, but what we have suffered as England fans is the promoting of England being on some sort of journey (hate the word) and that all the losses in the 6Ns are part of moving towards some attacking nirvana. We’re essentially being told that the losses are part of the way we’re going to win.

England were poor all 6Ns this year, using doubtful selections that ignored their good points of difference and the lack of attacking edge was pointed out before the games started. And yet Jones is supposed to be some sort of genius….I can see little evidence from the recent games – or any game this calendar year. Nor, I guess, can the myriad of players trundled through the squad sessions and never used or used and discarded.

The most worrying thing about the loss last weekend – least for this sofa pundit – is that once the Aussies scored their first and excellently worked try – it all seemed inevitable. Especially if you saw what Wales did in the 6NS in nearly winning a game that seemed well lost at 50 mins – and yet three tries were scored vs an increasingly panicking England “defence”…..

While Jones has been very sensible in his pronouncements about Arundell, it’s probably worth looking at how his club have managed the player. He’s only started 2 Prem games, ever, come off the bench a few more. He’s played a few second level domestic cup games. That’s really it. We know what he can do – and England have form for not doing well with flair players. What needs careful managing is expectations and the gaining of experience. England’s new FB might only be 21 but had played over 20 Prem games before a soft try out vs Canada and US and had played nearly 30 Prem games before facing serious opposition in internationals.

So with Tommy Freeman in the squad – a man who actually came out of the BaaBaas game with credit – perhaps playing him would be a good idea. Whilst only 21, he is an experienced player at Saints with Euro Cup games under his belt as well as nearly 30 Prem games. Has played FB and wing. and is also seriously quick.

So if England want to make the most of Arundell – it may be that less is more and the bench would be best. I for one, really don’t want to see him wasted by being asked to too much too soon – when he’s barely played 230 mins of prem rugby….ever…

I’m torn as an England supporter as what to take from two very poor 6Ns efforts. Was it a development period or was it a team and coach that appeared to have lost their way? The 2020 6Ns was rather impacted by Covid, but England went into it, without Manu (no surprise) but looked to play like it was still 2019. They won the 6Ns but little new. Autumn Cup 2020, France and Ireland especially, looked to experiment, England played their best side, only just beating an experimental France team, who looked to experiment further on their Australia tour.

2021 6Ns and it seemed like England hadn’t registered the WR guidance on the breakdown and were comprehensively beaten at ruck time by Scotland at home and Wales and Ireland away – but bizarrely looked great vs France in their only decent performance. Finally some new players started to filter through….but 2022 6Ns, we couldn’t decide what we were trying to do. Especially iro 8 and 9 and 12. Again dull picks, with England suggesting there was some sort of plan…if you squinted…lots…Performances might have papered over some cracks – but the most worrying game for me was vs Wales. Winning but looking so ineffective with the ball.

So here we are – the biggest need is to win some games. England can always win – more than enough ugly forwards to do a job on any team – but it’s a long way from being the bluntest team in the 6Ns to a team demonstrating a coherency needed to threaten a world cup win. Even with a great draw!

Even as a keen England fan, I’m confused by the last couple of seasons and what it is that England are trying to do. When England came to Australia in 2016 – it was off the back of a Grand Slam and with the bones of a squad that had done nearly everything well – except for a home world cup….Indeed – you can identify 16 of that squad in or around England still….But the tour was in many ways an early high point for Jones’ England after which they were much less consistent.

This tour – the selected team (not bench) is much as expected, mainly 6Ns squad players plus Billy and Farrell. It’s not far away from the team that lacked cutting edge or pace in those 6Ns games, earlier this year. It’s quite a big step up mentally and performance-wise from even the game we won vs Wales. Losing the try count and looking blunt.

So – England can win, but it will need a solid set piece and working out how to break the gain line whilst not annoying the officials. Especially at the breakdown where SH refs like the Laws to be applied and adhered to. Especially Law 15…..The back row isn’t set up for the breakdown and if Australia get many turnovers, they will be v dangerous if SR form is transferred to the international scene.

But what England have been trying to do in the last two 6Ns and especially this year’s event is a mystery to most fans who would like to see, at least, some evidence of a coherent approach to their game. It may be that Australia could do England a big favour, win the series, and clarify where they are on the road to RWC ’23…..

We’ll see the real selection later – but nothing likely surprising for England. The proviso’s are why it’s taken so long to look towards ball carriers and why Billy wasn’t dropped when playing poorly in 2020/2021 and left out when the form 8 in the Prem from autumn 2021 into 2022……Especially when England were lacking ball carriers and hadn’t selected pace….

The expected team is capable of winning – but several weaknesses persist. If the back three includes Nowell and Steward, it’s v capable in an aerial battle but lacks the pace that May and when fit, Watson provides. Joe is great ball in hand, but issues have been raised about his positioning and defence.

Keep this England side on the move and “make like SR” and you’ve got every chance. It’s likely to be only three starters away from the teams that were lacklustre in the last 6Ns. So there ought to be clear clues about how to make it difficult for England. But if their set piece is sound and they look to territory, then they have every chance.

There’s a couple of issues running in parallel – a) how will England (and Australia) go in this series and b) were the 6Ns performances actually reflected in the BaaBaas game and the ineptitude?

The 6Ns games had team selection that didn’t replace pace when May and Watson were injured and didn’t select forwards, especially loose forwards, that could get over the gainline. These were England’s key strengths since 2015. The 6Ns selections were criticised for lack of either. And it showed in losing three, and only scoring three tries – Italy excepted. England can win any game purely by their ability to select an ugly pack, having a decent set piece and kicking well. Somehow, even that’s got lost in the last two 6Ns. So whilst Jones has always been able to create a specific one off plan for a specific team – it’s really hard to see where England are headed…Least to this increasingly skeptical fan…

Ouch…Ok – so England were missing players – but that was a selection with lots of caps and lots of first choices or recent starters in the 23. Smith, Randall, Marchant are all recent/regular starters, May was a first pick prior to injury and Joe C was always a Jones fav and has double figures in caps and lots of points. Up front, regular starters/squad in the flankers and SR and only the front row and 8 were a little inexperienced. BUT – they’ve been in training camp for over a week and surely must have had a better understanding than a BaaBaas side that were rumoured to have socialised more than trained?

It’s suggested Jones has some sort of “plan”. We’ve seen it said England are on a “journey” but even though a well respected video analyst suggests there is a “pattern” it seems England can’t deliver….England last played really well in a competitive game vs France 6Ns 2021….and lost badly a week later to Ireland. Perhaps time to get the basics right? Much more pressure on the tour. Different selections etc, but something does appear wrong in the camp – least to this observer.

I agree – he’s only started 2 or 3 Prem games, ever….I’d pick May, the lad is terribly naïve – I’d like to see him play a season before international prospects!

Harry – England’s wins have more often than not been with Joseph at 13 as Manu has rarely been fit. BUT – the selected teams had pace out wide – in May and Watson most often, and had the Vunipola brothers in the pack amongst a forward selection that could break the gain line and offload/pass – Itoje amongst them. The last time England picked that team, (or similar) and it went well was vs France in 6Ns 2021. What happened the rest of that season in 6Ns is hard to explain, beyond Sarries players perhaps being off pace but this 6Ns. we looked terrible, even in winning vs Wales. It’s rumoured there’s a plan…I guess we’ll see on this upcoming tour!

If England have a plan, looking back at the last two 6Ns, then it was only apparent vs France in 2021. That team didn’t have Manu at 13, but Slade, and England have won more games with Joseph at 13 than anyone else. Last season in the 6Ns, not only did England appear to have no plan, but they were failing to select the players that gave them the cutting edge that wins games. Without pace in the back three – more often than not May and Watson – and offloading forwards, able to break the gain line – most often 2xVunipoa, England were blunt. We tended to run into teams, happy to tackle – even vs Scotland it didn’t work. And worse, we seemed surprised that we were not scoring tries or looking dangerous.

The selection of lesser known players in the training squad could be looked at two ways – my take is that when a RWC squad needs to be more or less sorted within 12 months, why are we picking players with little chance of making it due to inexperience or have proven to be not to Jones’ taste (like Dan R) Apparently, there is supposed to be some fab plan – many of my fellow critics are unconvinced. England need to demonstrate they can win games and win well this summer. Watching SR suggests if we’re not up to speed, it could be difficult. Even with the “evil eye” on the Australia team at present! And we’ll have to adapt to officials apply the Laws…..