seriously?
After England’s loss to the All Blacks on Saturday Lawrence Dallaglio was all over the Beeb’s coverage saying Martin Johnson’s side would win the Six Nations next year.
You wouldn’t be taking certain substances you boasted about selling a few years back would you Lawrence?
England rattled the feathers of New Zealand for quite a long time but what we need to add is that creativity, that skill, that guile. Lawrence Dallaglio
Errr, no they didn’t, they held an average New Zealand side for a while, an All Black team that isn’t exactly the best to visit these shores and barely got out of first gear all game. But still had enough to win.
Yes there was more heart shown than against Argentina, but much more is required than the bare minimum desire. Yes we like the bruising game, a bit of a battle but prefer it to be the forwards that do that going forward leaving the backs to do all the fancy Dan stuff. The backs shouldn’t just be big buggers that run straight and bash into tacklers.
And while that was all going on the Jocks were getting one over Australia, a side England never looked like beating two weeks back beaten by a Scotland side led by Andy “little boy lost” Robinson. Remember those befuddled post match interviews that followed the befuddled match performances when he was in charge of the England side. And then the Taffs stuffed Argentina, who Johnson’s men struggled to overcome last week, yes it all bodes well for for next February.
Now doubt in two and a bit months time those players who perform well for their club will decide to perform in the same style and manner for their country, or will that only occur when the coaching staff is changed. What chances that happening? Doubtful, a coaching team that isn’t working will be kept alongside a captain, who though he had a much better game against New Zealand, still isn’t up to the job.
The one thing Lawrence got right in it all is the guile and skill that is needed to be added, if they can add that to the effort and defence they showed on Saturday then who knows. Yes there are plenty of injured players that missed the autumn internationals to come back. But if they are stifled like those in the last three weekends and play like these last three games then it could be a battle with Italy for the wooden spoon.