England made it two wins from two at the 2023 Rugby World Cup as they secured a 34-12 bonus point victory over Japan; Despite the win, there is still plenty to work on for Steve Borthwick's side after a disjointed performance
Monday 18 September 2023 20:06, UK
After England claimed a 34-12 victory over Japan in the second round of the Rugby World Cup, we take a look at the talking points that emerged from an intriguing performance...
Despite securing a bonus-point win and making it two wins from two at the Rugby World Cup, there was much evidence that England are still struggling to find their attacking flow after a disjointed performance overall.
Lewis Ludlam went over for England's first try of the tournament and then they added three more in the second half through Courtney Lawes, Freddie Steward and Joe Marchant, but it took a lot of effort to finally find continuity.
Although on the face of it this seems a marked improvement from a side who could only score through George Ford drop goals against Argentina, it felt like it took England too long to grow into the game and it is an area in which they might come undone when facing stronger sides later on in the tournament.
Indeed, their ability to produce stunning tries, such as that from Steward, is there - they just need to do it much more often.
"At the end, I enjoyed that. Guys getting a chance to express themselves, getting quicker, running lines and offering themselves up - but it took a long time to get there," said England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson, speaking to ITV.
"Japan kind of tired out in the last 20. There were so many handling errors which stunted that continuity and the opportunity to get those guys in the game.
"You can see it's there, it just needs to be there for a lot longer."
England's limited attacking options did not impress their supporters out in Nice as boos were heard ringing around the crowd every time they opted for a kick through rather than chancing their arm in attack.
It has been a staple of this England side for a long time and it has irritated supporters when it seems other attacking options are being overlooked in favour of premeditated plays.
Despite some opposition to their style of play, fly-half Ford was quick to defend his side's approach to Test match rugby, although he does understand the "frustration" felt by some.
"It probably wasn't the prettiest to watch and we had to build a game in a different way to get our points in the end," he told ITV.
"There was no frustration from our end - we understand what wins Test matches. I can understand frustration from what people might see on the TV or in the stands, but building pressure is more important - especially in those conditions tonight.
"There will be decisions we look back on which we could have done better, but overall very happy with the way we played."
Ford was quick to defend his side after the match and he will also be hoping he has defended his spot as England's starting No 10 as Owen Farrell now returns from suspension.
After putting in a dazzling display against Argentina, Ford was also solid against Japan and now the big question for the England camp will be if he has done enough to keep the captain on the sidelines.
For some, it makes sense to give Farrell a game against Chile and see who fares better. For others, it is unfair to drop someone who has not put a foot wrong.
This week, we will see which side of the line Borthwick sits on.
One player who has been not only assuring their place in the starting line-up but also leading the way is Ben Earl.
As England grew into the game, Earl was at the forefront, and at his first Rugby World Cup he has been a shining light.
Strong in the pack but also dazzling in attack, he is a key performer if England are going to progress far in this tournament.
Can others learn from how he has performed?
Although England's ingenuity in attack has been questioned, props (pardon the pun) have to go to Joe Marler for his 'planned' header that lead to Lawes' try in the second half, his mohawk sending the ball forward and into a perfect position for the captain to pick up and score.
Indeed, it is a move that Marler insists he has been working on this week. We will let you decide if that is the case...
"Course I did! [mean it]. I was practising with Dan Cole and Jamie George in activation back at the hotel, doing some of that [actions to head a ball], getting us fired up," Marler told Sky Sports post-match.
"And I take huge inspiration from Roberto De Zerbi and his mighty Seagulls, doing a demolition job on Man United yesterday.
"I take huge inspiration from them, in finding a way to to help the boys score..."
