England’s supposed rebuild is yet to establish rock solid foundations
England came just metres away from an historic defeat at the hands of Samoa last night at the Rugby World Cup, and it would have been a loss they deserved.
Steve Borthwick’s men were all over the place, struggling in the midfield and unable to take the chances they were given.
The 18-17 victory in Lille was secured, and saved, by an exceptional Danny Care tackle as England were rescued by one of the old guard.
A loss wouldn’t have been the end of the world, England were already through to the last eight – where they are set to face Fiji – but it would have been a significant representation of where the side are if they were to have fallen to the Pacific island.
Samoa stepped up, guided by former New Zealand and Wasps fly-half Lima Sopoaga, and gave one of their best World Cup accounts in years. The development of the side amid a smaller playing budget is a sign for World Rugby to invest in the second tier like they have done with Fiji.
But England were often outplayed, and a quarter-final against the flying Fijians is not as easy a match as many are suggesting.
Sure heavyweight clashes between France and South Africa and Ireland and New Zealand are taking the headline, but England face a side who beat them for the first time two months ago and a side who can reach the semi-finals for the very first time.
Fijian success would be good for rugby as a whole, but it would be humiliating for an England side with some of the budgets in the sport.
Borthwick’s side looked void of any flair, and in the absence of that there was little go-forward for fans to cling on to.
This is an England side who could be demolished by the likes of Les Bleus or the Springboks in a potential semi-final.
But in the doom and gloom England cannot forget about the last World Cup in France, where in 2007 England were written off only to make the final – and lose it controversially at the Stade de France.
Knockout rugby is a different beast and likely opponents Fiji will want to be the antithesis of traditional quarter-final rugby, they will want to stick to their systems and claim the scalp of England.
For the men of the Red Rose, it is the last hurrah for many of them. They’ll want to go out with a bang, but they must ensure it is not the kind of bang that precedes the sinking of a ship.
England have always been about the post-Eddie Jones rebuild, but the foundations supposedly being laid this year aren’t yet rock solid.