Fingertips’ Seb Stafford-Bloor on England’s bleak future under Martin Johnson…
By the time Tommy Bowe had gathered Jonathan Sexton’s well measured chip to cross the England line, critics were already sharpening their pencils in anticipation of Sunday morning’s headlines. This after all, was before ten minutes of Satuday’s encounter with Ireland had elapsed. Jonny Wilkinson’s scuffed kick-off aside, England had controlled possession well, recycled the ball fairly efficiently, and worked the ball right and left in a manner that was at least promising. With essentially their first touch of the ball, Ireland exploited offensive numbers down England’s left, and the Sexton and Bowe combination punished the home side with ruthless precision.
Commentators and columnists have laboured the point about England’s kicking away of possession, about Jonny Wilkinson’s inclusion, and about Martin Johnson’s credentials as Head Coach. But the problem is more general, and was highlighted so glaringly in that opening ten minutes at Twickenham. Bowe’s try, incisive and impressive as it was, was simply the product of an unexpected turn over – so little to criticise England for other than the obvious. The problems occur when England have the ball, and the lack of ambition they show with it. The mentality that runs through the team seems to be that by running through enough phases of possession they will eventually find themselves within striking distance of the scoreboard. Arguably, battering through opposition is yesterday’s tactic in International Rugby – defenders are too big, too athletic, and too well drilled for one dimensional teams to be able make consistent line breaks while also keeping hold of possession.
Critics of Woodward-era England, and there were plenty of them – even if they spoke with an Antipodean accent – used to cite an over reliance on Jonny Wilkinson as the barrier between the team and greatness. In hindsight, this was more a comment on the way that England team played rather than what they were capable of. The old midfield of Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood offered all that England currently don’t possess. – a dynamic, strong runner that was capable of breaking the gain line, and a centre partner that had the guile to exploit any gaps that existed in the opposition. Seven years on from the Sydney Telstra Stadium, England shift the ball from the breakdown with hope rather than any expectation. In terms of creativity, the best England can hope for is a missed pass – another relic from the amateur days – and as effective as a spoon in place of a tin opener. A new age of quick, drifting defences has rendered Following the sterile win against Italy, Johnson confirmed that results would always be held in higher esteem than performances – a mystifying comment considering that the two are hardly mutually exclusive. Regardless, if he is still convinced that grinding wins is actually possible, then why does Johnson pick the team that he does? From nine through to fifteen, there isn’t a single player that can break a tackle – barring Mark Cueto. If you intend to play the game in an attritional, powerful way, then it would surely follow logic to build a team capable of doing that, and not stacking the back line with flair players and restricting their creative tendencies.
Another traditional English strength that has turned into a weakness, is the back row. When England did look promising on Saturday, promising attacking ball was too often snaffled by Heaslip, Wallace, or Ferris. Lewis Moody is unquestionably an asset within the English team, his reputation for a lack of self-preservation undermining his technical proficiency in the tackle and energy around the break-down. Nick Easter, it has to be said, feels like a step backwards. Good feet, good hands, and good set of skills, but sadly he lacks excellence in any key area – denying him status amongst bona fide international Number 8s. Scotland aside, Easter would not win a place in any of the other Six Nations’ sides – a true sign of the times. Easter’s deficiencies considered, they pale in comparison to those of James Haskell. On paper, Haskell has the attributes to be a monster within the game – a true dominant force. An awesome physique blended with exception athleticism around the field, he should be spoken of in the same company as McCall, DuSatoir, and Juan Smith – even Pierre Speiss. But he’s not. An appalling attitude, blended with an exaggerated sense of self-worth, and a profound confusion as to the rules of the breakdown, mean that he is too often a complete liability in an England shirt. Supporters of the Stade Francais monolith quote his regular selection in a premier European club side as a reason for patience, detractors point to the lack of effort Wasps made to keep him in the Premiership as a reason not to.
Throughout the team, there are too many players that are selected as a safe option – and Johnson’s team seems to be built on the premise of avoiding defeat. A case in point is Jonny Wilkinson. Wilkinson has been the best player of his generation, a superb goal-kicker and easily the best defensive fly half of the modern era – but he is no longer. His continued selection epitomises the lack of courage shown by the England management, especially given the form of Toby Flood. It cannot be stressed enough that Wilkinson was once peerless, but one has to believe that his inclusion relies more heavily on his personal relationship with Johnson than his form. Danny Cipriani’s exodus to Australia is the direct result of England not being willing to take any potential risks. Cipriani at his very best shares a lot of attributes with a young Wilkinson – creative, dynamic, excellent goal-kicker, and a true game-breaker. His continued exclusion even from the squad reinforces the belief that Johnson has no desire to build a team with any creative freedom, for which the young, soon to be Australia based, number 10 would be the poster child.
Without addressing the shortcomings within his selections, Martin Johnson will continue to face criticism for how his team plays. The mixture of personnel and tactical set-up is extremely underwhelming, and it’s hardly surprising that England continually run out of attacking invention before half-time. Without individual brilliance to rely on, and with such a negative approach to the game, England will surely continue to drift in the International wilderness under Johnson.
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