Where do England go from here?

One bad game does not make England a bad rugby team.

Unfortunately for England, however, it is not a case of Saturday’s Calcutta Cup defeat to Scotland being just one bad game.

Arguably England have not played very well since the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final. Yes, there were a couple of reasonable performances, I guess, at home to Ireland and Wales in last year’s Six Nations but nothing really to write home about and, certainly in the Autumn, England’s rugby was, by common consensus, pretty dire generally.

On Saturday it felt very much like last year’s performances – deemed acceptable when the team was winning – came home to roost.

Yes Scotland can take much credit – they prevented England’s forwards from getting on the front foot, thus denying Youngs and Farrell a platform, and for long periods the Scots were able to dominate possession. But for Youngs, Farrell and co to hoof away what little ball they did win was utterly inexplicable and unforgivable, especially in the period at the start of the second half where, with Finn Russell in the sin bin, England held the numerical advantage.

Something hasn’t felt quite right about this England team for a little while now and I am not sure what can change in the short term to rectify things. Limited to a 28 man squad thanks to Covid, it is not as if Eddie Jones could, even if he was of a mind to, inject a significant transfusion of new blood into the squad. No, Eddie has to work with what he has got (although it is likely that Mako Vunipola and Kyle Sinckler will return to the squad after injury and suspension, respectively).

What Jones should consider, therefore, is how he can refresh the team from within for next weekend’s fixture against Italy. Personally I think he has to do so, although I doubt he will, at least not to any significant degree.

Assuming Mako and Sinckler come straight back into the team, I’d start Luke Cowan-Dickie at hooker. I’d stick with Itoje and Hill at lock, and pick a dynamic backrow of Willis, Curry and Earl, with Mark Wilson on the bench and Billy Vunipola in the stands. Harry Randall to play 9, partnering George Ford, with Lawrence and Slade keeping their positions at centre and a back three of Anthony Watson, Paulo Odogwu and Max Malins. 

Obviously there is no way Jones will be quite so radical but, if England are to pull out of their current stupor, a major shake up is, I’d suggest, absolutely necessary. 

More of the same simply isn’t an option.

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was