AJust four months ago England were caught between two stools. Their desire to play a different brand of rugby was not matched by their performance on the field, having just been beaten 30-21 in Scotland. It gave the feeling of a real sliding door moment, a clear meeting taking place as scheduled.
The bottom line is simple. There is a lot of talent in the backline but it is not being utilized to its full potential. As one of England’s new vice-captains, Henry Slade, recalled this week, a collective change in mentality was needed if England were to realize their attacking potential.
“We spoke as a team, as coaches and as players after the Scotland game. We felt we needed to be braver, ask for the ball more and get the ball into the outside channels because we have such dangerous players. We want more The best way to do that is to play a wider game.
England have since beaten Ireland, this year’s Six Nations champions, and lost to France in the final seconds of a thrilling game in Lyon. Their self-confidence grew once again, and the quality of those quality players whose abilities had been stifled by a lack of ambitious game plans was reinvigorated.
For Slade, who was dropped from last year’s World Cup squad, and midfield partner Ollie Lawrence, who fell from great heights under Eddie Jones, international rugby is suddenly interesting again.
Defensive rigor and tactical fitness are still needed, of course, but after 62 caps for his country, Slade, 31, sounds like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. “I mean, I had a great career with England and was part of some really great teams. I had some great experiences, but overall the way we played at times was The way the ball works, the way I play and my chances of getting the ball can be a little frustrating.
“I do think the way we are trying to progress now is a more enjoyable way to play. Every time I go into training camp and represent England I can get more into the game and feel more excited.
For Lawrence, it was also a far cry from that day against Scotland in 2021, when the center forward finally touched the ball after an hour. Jones, who will captain Japan against England on Saturday, had little praise for the then 21-year-old in a book published later that year. “The praise heaped on him by some in the media would make you think he was already destined to be one of the best players in the world,” Jones wrote. “One day he might do it, but he’s not hungry enough or disciplined enough.”
Fast forward to this week, and Lawrence, now 25 and loving football again, may be able to convince his former coach to update that assessment. “There’s some real talent at the back. That’s one of the most important things for us; we want to continue to bring intention to the way we play. That shift towards the back end of the Six Nations will certainly continue this summer. Hopefully we can take it to another level.
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Marcus Smith has been on the field from the start – “We know how good he is with the ball, able to get opponents into space and take on defenders himself” – while Emmanuel Faye-Waboso With Tommy Freeman on the wing, there will certainly be no shortage of players to attack and threaten Japan off.
Even if England relax, though, Lawrence won’t be in a hurry to throw a grenade at Jones. “He gave me my first chance to play international rugby. He was a coach who challenged me, which, looking back, was a good thing for me. I needed that. Later in my career, When I look back, I’ll be thankful that it wasn’t as easy as I hoped. He was honest with me, and sometimes that’s all you need.
England’s senior players also know from experience that Jones will be desperate for Japan to embarrass their visitors, with temperatures expected to reach 30 degrees. Whether that involves cutting red roses with a samurai sword at a Japanese team meeting—Jones loves his visual metaphor—Slade is being cautious. “We know they’re going to be a well-coached team – fit, strong, hungry to play – and he’s going to have some tricks up his sleeve. The exciting challenge this week is to be on the other side and play against him. Hopefully we can get there Have a nice day.
