High dives or high fives? Chris Ashton's flying wing exploits may not have exactly overshadowed the manner of England's victory over Italy, but his defiance of Martin Johnson's order to touch the ball down safely before celebrating excited the media.
Johnson laughed it off publicly, but he will have got his point across to Ashton in the confines of England's training camp this week. Ashton is following a path trodden by Shane Williams, both in the way he tracks ball-carriers rather than stay on his wing and in the manner he celebrates before scoring.
Williams's dives over the line are not as flamboyant as Ashton's and he does have 55 international tries to his name compared to nine, but the coverage he receives tends to be focused on the tries he scores rather than how he grounds the ball. The advantage of being 34 rather than 23, perhaps, and Welsh rather than English.
Johnson will be paternal to Ashton rather then severe, mindful of not deflating a player who has illuminated the Six Nations with six tries in two matches. England are playing with a swagger and while they are unlikely to meet opponents as obliging as Italy as they plot their way to a first Six Nations title for eight years, there is an air about them last scented when Johnson was a player.
It has been a long road for Johnson the manager. It started in the autumn of 2008 when England struggled against Tri-Nations opposition. The intent to play with width was there - Johnson started with Danny Cipriani at outside-half - but England attacked defenders rather than space and quickly went back to basics.
Progress was slow but England became a team that was difficult to beat. There were no capitulations, as there had been from 2004, but every advance seemed to be followed by either a sideways or backward movement. It was typical of a team for whom success had proved elusive and even a year ago there was little sign of the bravura with which they are now playing.
Opening victories against Wales and Italy were followed by a draw and two defeats but it was in France in the final day of the Six Nations, when Ashton was on the wing (albeit the left) and Ben Foden was at full-back that the new England emerged. Jonny Wilkinson was on the bench that evening in Paris and it is where he has remained: the player who for so long was integral to the way the men in white played, organised, deliberate and low-risk, has this year been used to preserve winning positions.
Toby Flood has ended the outside-half debate four years after offering a taste of what was to come against France at Twickenham. England were then a side for the one-off occasion, inconsistent in selection and, as a consequence, on the field.
Johnson has not been kneejerk in his selection and he has not been afraid to trust in youth: Ashton, Ben Youngs, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood have all been brought through with Alex Corbisiero starting against Italy. They will be battle-hardened by 2015.
England are, in terms of attacking play, well ahead of the rest of the Six Nations. Unlike France, they do not rely on turnover possession to expose defences and in both their matches so far, they have run out of their own 22 from the kick-off.
Kicking out of hand has become a last resort. Toby Flood only resorted to the boot once against Italy, 27 minutes in, with Mark Cueto and Mike Tindall employed more to hoof downfield when there was nothing on. England will probably not play as much from their own territory against France, but two years ago they surprised Les Bleus with their adventure and scored 29 points in the opening half. They will play with their eyes open.
Rugby is the art of the possible and England have a greater appreciation of that since they won the 2003 World Cup. They attacked France from deep in Paris last year only for rain to make handling hazardous. Ashton is not the international novice he was then while Flood and Young have become established half-backs. The French will be grateful for an extra week to work out how to stop England.
Johnson's men are now regarded as one of the favourites for the World Cup. They will go to New Zealand looking to become the first team to reach three successive finals, but given that they are now playing more like the All Blacks in 2003 and 2007 than England then, does that enhance or diminish their chances?
Given that the World Cup knockout stage tends, with honourable exceptions, to be dominated by percentage play, does England's evolution into a multi-dimensional force make it less likely that they will win the Webb Ellis Trophy? They scored one try in three matches from the quarter-final in 2007. Does the current team have the capacity to tighten up and win a war of attrition?
The coming weeks may be revelatory. If England go to Dublin on the final weekend on the trail of the grand slam, it would be a repeat of 2003. The Irish rolled out the red carpet then and England wiped their feet all over it. They were then able to play whatever was in front of them, beauty and the beast, but Johnson will be mindful of the way his side was beaten by South Africa last November, taken on up front.
It is hard to see South Africa as a protea in full bloom come September. Yet with Australia and New Zealand both based on movement, the nature of World Cup knockout matches may change. France are keeping both barrels loaded and, even if they do not look it now, could be Europe's main threat, guaranteed to avoid the All Blacks in the quarter and semi-finals.
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Comments in chronological order (Total 416 comments)
17 February 2011 12:37PM
England are playing with a swagger and while they are unlikely to meet opponents as obliging as Italy as they** try to** plot their way to a first Six Nations title for eight years
inserted the bit you were missing
17 February 2011 12:41PM
The coming weeks may be revelatory. If England go to Dublin on the final weekend on the trail of the grand slam, it would be a repeat of 2003. The Irish rolled out the red carpet then and England wiped their feet all over it.
Dont go there........
17 February 2011 12:42PM
Sat belatedly eating my muesli, fighting of the nagging feeling I should maybe be doing some work
And all over the laptop goes mouthful of said Muesli. What do you think you're doing writing things like that Paul? Right before England meet their first decent opposition in this campaign. Thanks.
Through design say some. Through luck say others. Either way the jury surely remains out until one of these players has a bad game. If Foden has a shocker or Ashton goes through a drought half as long as Cueto's would they still get picked the following week? If Lawes gives away as many penalties as Haskell has done will he keep his place? The answer doesn't seem like yes to me - so trust is not the word I would use.
17 February 2011 12:42PM
England are in great form but with maybe three good games under the belt can it already be said Johnson's men are now regarded as one of the favourites for the World Cup? Can we a least wait until after they have the Grand Slam?
17 February 2011 12:43PM
Can we lose this photo now please?
17 February 2011 12:46PM
Did anyone consult Dan Carter and Richie McCaw before putting this to print?
If France turn up for the game that'll be a better indication of where England are at the moment.
Still, pride before a fall and all that.
17 February 2011 12:47PM
Also I'd be more inclined to compare Aston to Henson rather than Williams. Sooner or later every team has a Henson in their ranks.
17 February 2011 12:51PM
Come on Paul - you could have set up the premise that England were now one of the favourites for the World Cup in the first paragraph and then spent the remainder of the piece injecting a healthy dose of realism - lowest common denominator and all that, but still, no one really believes that beating Wales solidly in Cardiff and Italy by a hatful means much. I'd much rather hear where specifically you think England have the knock on any of the SH big 3 now.
17 February 2011 12:51PM
In what way shape or form is he like Henson????
17 February 2011 12:52PM
Given Johnson's character, does the former really seem the more likely of the two options you suggest?
As a captain he always seemed very pragmatic and calculated, I'm not sure why I should assume he lost those traits for a while?
But the story becomes much more interesting when you see that England have released all their subs back to their clubs apart from Shaw but with the addition of Corbisiero - and Haskell and Palmer haven't been released. So I'd imagine it is a match fitness issue, letting the benched players get some game time, rather than mind games with the French but perhaps keeping Shaw as he's knocking on and is judged to need a rest.
The more interesting news is that bit about Corbisiero being released while Wood and Haskell remain - should we read into this that Sheridan is expected back into the starting line up but Moody isn't?
17 February 2011 12:53PM
It's a very exciting time for England but lets not get ahead of ourselves! We still have a long way to go but I am very much looking forward to the remainder of the 6N and WC... it's been a very long time since I've been this optimistic!
17 February 2011 12:53PM
Brian Smith take a bow. Anyone who saw how L Irish developed while he was there won't be surprised at England's progress.
17 February 2011 12:54PM
Few, no league trolls on here (yet). I always feel a little soiled when I descend into the gutter to fight them at their own game. Has to be done though.
Just in case Flood is injured do England have any other promising young 10's who can marshall them in a running game like Flood? I rarely get to see much Aviva. Wilko has proven himself time and again but he's obviously got a different style to Flood and can't see Ashton thriving as much playing off him instead of Flood.
17 February 2011 12:55PM
I don't like them apples at all... Henson? In what possible way? The posing you mean... Because he jumped in the air? Or because he scores tries? Or because of the celebrity girlfriend he doesn't have? Or his sullky demeanour that has already alienated half the side that he doesn't have. Or the begrudging way he trains and plays that suggests he isn't really enjoying himself?
17 February 2011 12:55PM
England versus France is NOT the decider for fuck's sake.
It may prove at the end that it was the decider and it does look like it's going to involve the two best teams in this season's 6N, but as it stands, both teams could finish the Championship with at least 2 losses. So please could the various media outlets, including the Guardian, please give the other nations some respect and not bill this game as the effing decider.
17 February 2011 12:56PM
Also, given that there's a whole 5 months of Super 15 to go before we get anywhere near the World Cup and that usually hones a few talents every year, it's very premature to be predicting anything.
17 February 2011 1:00PM
Early days but Freddie Burns looks like the real thing down at Gloucester. It won't be this year but he's definitely one for the future.
17 February 2011 1:01PM
Crash....
No.
And you'll notice the full stop.
The players who should be ready look unconvincing. Myler and Geraghty. Ryan Lamb.
The next wave down, a little younger... well there's no JW there. But Ford and Farrell look like they're going the right way. It'll be next season that lets us really know. Right now? No way.
17 February 2011 1:01PM
CrashBall
17 February 2011 12:54PM
Hodgson is probably the closest but other than that not currently - there are the not good enoughs like Lamb, Gerahty and Myler and then there are the up and comers like Farrell, Goode (though this was supposed to be his season at No 10 so he might need moving to the not good enoughs soon), the Ford Bros. and others who look really promising but but need to live up to that promise.
17 February 2011 1:08PM
jb71 - I think you're far closer to the mark than Mr. Rees is. England were very good against Italy, as you'd expect a top side to be against such weak opposition. Home and away victories over the Aussies were good, but the victory at Twickers was sandwiched by defeats - fairly serious ones - to the Kiwis and Boks. The Kiwis never got out of 3rd gear and the Boks, on the back of a miserable season and playing with half a team, were comfortably better than England.
I've been saying this since these boards derided the Boks last year, that come the WC they will be a far more formidable beast. A slew of players coming back into the mix after injury and some pretty good talent emerging - especially in the much-maligned back division. P-Divvy or not, we'll be there or thereabouts.
Perhaps the most telling sentence in the article is this one:
They will be battle-hardened by 2015.
That, if ever, was a tacit admission that this World Cup is too early for England. Not that I'm writing them off completely, I just don't buy this sudden belief that England are close to the finished article yet.
17 February 2011 1:09PM
Andy Key is out at Leeds, hot on the heels of Hanks getting the shove at Wasps. Two directors of rugby in 24 hours, are some clubs starting to follow football's short term obsession?
17 February 2011 1:11PM
@snoop & hackney
Cheers for, as Tr@ndy would say, dropping a few knowledge bombs on me. I think either Setanta or one of the ITV's have started showing late night Aviva highlights on the weekend. I plan to catch them when I can so I'm a bit more up to date with future England prospects. And to follow Tony Buckley as he batters Sale's way to a championship!
Maybe not that last one...
17 February 2011 1:13PM
Thank the lord.
Anyhoo- this
is pertinent. I think we've all been saying that this WC is at least 1 year too early for this England side.
17 February 2011 1:17PM
Yeah, I don't give a toss about 2011 - it's Johnno's equivalent of SCW's 1999.
That was the one where Woodward preferred Paul Grayson to start against the Boks in the QF, over Wilko. By 2015, Freddie Burns will have turfed Toby Flood out.
Building, building, building.
17 February 2011 1:17PM
Hodgson isn't the answer, Snoop. I'd rather Myler got the role. We don't know if he's good enough, yet, and he's done OK for the Saxons.
17 February 2011 1:19PM
JB- as much as I do appreciate the post on the other thread, you've now alerted him to the presence of this one and he'll be drawn to it as if it's a bit of metal and he's got a super strong magnet in his fingers.
17 February 2011 1:20PM
Myler isn't an international fly half - no one mention which game he came from though!
17 February 2011 1:23PM
Interesting that so many England players have been released back to the clubs.
I don't think so many is normal is it?
I spose he just wants to make sure we have a team and bench who can last 80 mins of what will be thrown at us.
17 February 2011 1:23PM
Rather him than Hodgson.
17 February 2011 1:23PM
Deebee - I rememebr the Boks scoring 7 tries and nearly 60 points vs Italy last year, just prior to having our asses handed back on a plate by NZ & Oz.
17 February 2011 1:26PM
DCC - can you keep posting on the other blog as well? Just to keep Steffy away.
17 February 2011 1:27PM
Is there an email version of topday's breakdown.
I didn't get it today
Is it 'cos I'm Irish?
17 February 2011 1:29PM
Already thought of it. I really do no work when the 6N is on.
17 February 2011 1:29PM
@always27unitsaday - Wales have done the same - 4 Scarlets, 3 Blues that I know of but I think it is just to give them game time that they have been lacking on the bench - 4 weeks out is a long gap.
17 February 2011 1:33PM
Foils: sorry.
On the fly half thing, as long as they're keeping with the structure of the game that England's much maligned coaches are now inculcating, I wouldn't care whether it's Hodgson, Myler or Rob Andrew. It's a real team effort at the moment. Does Flood do anything so special that no one else can replicate that? Probably not. I'd like to see a bit of fresh blood with more running ability in there than Myler, but we're no longer in the "10 as saviour" mentality that built up around Wilko around 2000, and which Hodgson couldn't carry by himself.
17 February 2011 1:34PM
Damn right.
I want to look at this more deeply:
I think the important missing link is "in terms of attacking structure"
As Smaug says, Brian smith has used the players at his disposal to create an effective attacking structure, which will get over the gainline, and give the back3 the chance to come onto the ball at pace and in gaps..
But we dont have the best attacking players, talent, or game breakers.
However, Ireland showed some fantastic leinster stylie all-in total rugby attacking play on sunday, just kept dropping the ball.
The attacking play & structure was there, the execution was missing.
Only because England seemed to have grasped that, with the laws back the right way, possession is key.
If you have a quick & good enough pack, and centres like flankers, you can take the risks to retain possession. And its back to kicking if it is the best option, not the only option.
Wales, in particular, seem to be stuck a good 2 years behind in this respect, still box kicking too deep and putting long kicks infield with no decent chase. Scotland did the same, but only cos Parks was so off form & kicks were shite.
The only time England looked threatened against wales was directly after going 15odd points up, and flood started trying to play percentages and kept kicking possession back to wales.
If you control the ball, you control the tempo, and you can control the momentum of the game. Yes teams can score off turnovers - and they will - but you just then have to retain possession and control he momentum again. They have scored, but don't let them back into the game.
Wales are clueless in this regard, with the first 20mins of the 2nd half vs scotlanf a prime example. They conceded possession & momentum again & again, and it was only scotland ridiculous ineptitude on that day which saved them. Brown passed behind barclay with 3 men over, and previously they blew a chance on the other flank.
17 February 2011 1:34PM
KeepYourApple
"Also I'd be more inclined to compare Aston to Henson rather than Williams. Sooner or later every team has a Henson in their ranks."
Interesting comaprison
AsHton. First nine internationals, nine tries, confident, well rounded and engaging young man.
Henson. First nine internationals, one big tackle, one huge penalty, no tries, coloured orange, complete prick.
17 February 2011 1:37PM
Oh how I long for the good old days of serious rugby journalism from the Guardian - you remember - in depth analysis of Cipper's latest shag, or AO's tango form. Compared to Ashton's dive, its Pulitzer stuff.
As for WC favorites nonsense, I guess it must be the result of living through a long and protracted drought - the first little shower of rain and you are out dancing in it. We all know England need to deal with their midfield issues first.
17 February 2011 1:38PM
B2bB
I take issue with you there. In both the SA and Australia AI's Wales's following up was absolutely superb. After every kick they were allover the opposition and it was commented on as being a very sepcial aspect of Wales's play. The problem now is that Byrne and Phillips seem to kick for no reason and as no-one is expecting it they aren't ready to follow up.
17 February 2011 1:40PM
Oh FFS this is getting ridiculous now
England have played the teams who will be vying for the wooden spoon at the end of the championship.
Let's see how they do against a team with defences and decent players first shall we?
christ on a bike!
17 February 2011 1:40PM
I think we should allow rolling substitutes on the other blog before DCC does himself a nasty injury
17 February 2011 1:42PM
Latest in John Smit saga - now at loosehead. He should just retire.
http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/super14/news/2695221.htm
17 February 2011 1:43PM
I've had a go boys, have a read, i bet he wont respond to that one.. ;)
17 February 2011 1:44PM
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17 February 2011 1:45PM
avs:
Absolutely read my mind. I'd definitely be bringing Manu in to the current England set up, if the problem is his defensive positioning then there is no better environment than the England elite side to hammer home where he should be. He doesn't lack for anything with the ball in hand.
I think he's definitely that good.
17 February 2011 1:45PM
tov -
aha! Explains a lot!!!!!
I thought it was a bit of a major tactical oversight.. especially since wales were so quick to adjust to the infield kicking of the elvs in the first place..
17 February 2011 1:46PM
@gecko411
Steffy should go on that rugby365 blog - it is about his level
17 February 2011 1:47PM
BtB
You should post the touching down in corner link on league blog here when Ashton and disrespect are mentioned in the same sentence.
If you haven't already.
17 February 2011 1:49PM
'@gecko411
Steffy should go on that rugby365 blog - it is about his level'
Ja Tov, provincialism is alive and well in SA.
17 February 2011 1:51PM
England options getting better at 6/5.