England assistant coach Andy Farrell said his side are in a "great place" despite facing the All Blacks after defeats by Australia and South Africa.
Saturday's 16-15 loss to the Boks followed the previous week's 20-14 reverse to Australia and left England still looking for a first win against one of the old Tri-Nations under Stuart Lancaster.
The omens for the English as they return to Twickenham to cap their November/December campaign are not encouraging.
New Zealand, following their 33-10 win over Wales in Cardiff last weekend, are on a 20-match unbeaten run and the All Blacks have won their last nine internationals against England.
Yet Farrell was adamant that England were the better team against the Springboks, having certainly more than matched South Africa up front.
"I have said absolutely nothing (to lift the players)," Farrell said.
"They are in a great place. They have played against two very good teams and the reality of the South Africa game was that we were the best team.
"You can't not be in a good place when you review the game in its entirety.
"There were a couple of places we would like to improve but in the (wet) conditions and in the circumstances we were taking the game to a side who were in good form and had won games recently at a canter.
"We were piling on the pressure and making inroads. Of course there were errors because of the conditions but they made errors too. We were pushing right to the end."
Former dual code international Farrell added: "You play like that against the second best team in the world and you almost win. Sometimes you win these tight games, sometimes you lose them.
"If we produce the same intensity and the same intent you would like to think you will be in any type of Test match."
But if England's forward play, a shaky line-out excepted, gave their fans grounds for optimism, long-standing worries over the effectiveness of their backs once again provided cause for concern.
Even though conditions were far from conducive for a handling game, the lack of passes to players on the run, as opposed to taking the ball from an all but standing start, and the absence of wit in trying to break down a resolute Springbok defence were familiar failings.
Meanwhile the fact a rare counter-attack by Chris Ashton, which could have led to a try on a day when England did not cross South Africa's line, was spoilt by the wing's poor pass added to the frustrations of the Twickenham faithful.
England have struggled to find a reliable midfield playmaker since the retirement of 2003 World Cup winner Will Greenwood and the current centre combination of Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi, while not lacking for physical power, appears short on guile.
However, Farrell made the point that another problem that has often plagued England against the world's best sides - an inability to generate quick ball - explained the lack of attacking threat against the Springboks.
"The rucks against South Africa were so slow that defences were so on top. It is going to be difficult to play any decent attacking game in those conditions," Farrell said.
"But we took the game to them and in broken play we looked dangerous. We were the ones making 50 or 60-metre breaks and we were the ones looking dangerous."
If England found quick ball tough to come by against the Springboks, the chances are it will be even tougher against a New Zealand side, with captain Richie McCaw leading the way, renowned for their work at the breakdown.
"Richie McCaw is the master of biding his time, letting it all unfold and then pouncing to make it accurate," said Farrell of the openside flanker.
"We have to make sure we are on the ball because, like any other team, if we get fast ball, if we get over the gain-line and continuity then we can do some damage."
Comments
bokbevok says...
@armchair, As a coach why would you be happy they are in a great place because
They are motivated because he thinks they should of won and were the better team
Fact is boks were better team they won, England never looked like scoring. That should be a worry and anyone playing for there country should be motivated. In all boks games they go out put points on board then defend that score, and a lot of the time it works. Regardless of the so called lucky try created by pressure I do think boks would of kept up pressure until they had the lead to defend.
They only had parity in scrum first half because ref but changed after half time. All other areas boks were better, they had the lead so only had to play territory game.
No coach would be happy with that loss, no line out,hit back in tackle, no idea going forward. Seldom ever got over the advantage line, how would the ever of won that game.
Posted 07:52 01st December 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Rugby lover: maybe you need to look up "exceptional" in the dictionary. It may include the words "rare instance". IE he's saying they are by their own measure more motivated than usual.
Posted 08:45 29th November 2012
hellovanite says...
I have to say I do like the look of this Gloucester lad, Freddie Burns. He's got a touch of the Carlos Spencer in him, great individual try against Leicester. It's all that chasing rolling cheeses downhill that they do round those parts, great rugby training
Posted 06:50 29th November 2012
AWEBLAX says...
I've always thought a team who can win with the least possesion and territory is brilliant, sounds like AF felt the Boks played a lack lustre game but came away with the win, have to say it AF, England were quite frankly outclasssed....nothing wrong with being positive though......realistic is even bettter......
Posted 05:53 29th November 2012
Stellenbosched2 says...
England are in a great place-behind their goal line.
Posted 04:39 29th November 2012
Manu99 says...
After the bashing ABs received this week by Wales media I would hate to be the ABs next opponents! Have a great time in that place AF and the England team, I'll ask you how it went after the game ... We ABs tend to do our talking on the field!
Posted 01:53 29th November 2012
bokbevok says...
@melkdave, no not misunstood he believes England were the better team and could of won.
The boks did what they have all year, put points on board then defended it. Not pretty
but I can assure you the boks were comfortable and England never look like scoring or winning.
This team has been together for a few years now but are not world class. They may win the odd game but that's it. By his comments means that's a team they think can win world cup, next joke.
Posted 20:48 28th November 2012
porridge_time says...
melkdave... how can you deduce what he has said is out of context. He either thinks the mediocre showing is a good place or its not.
England will need to step things up to a level that they have not reached in over decade to be able to beat this current AB side. The only thing in their favour is the possibility that the ABs might be somewhat jaded and ready to go home, but somehow I doubt that.
Posted 18:57 28th November 2012
melkdave says...
Alot of what AFs said is being taken out of context imo Its the teams morale AF is refering to.England did play better than the bokke overall,thats a fact,but we lost ,so it really doesnt matter ,the records will just show a bokke victory.The good place AF is refering to,is the fact the team isnt downbeat,and they know they really should have won last week,and most probily the week before aswell Australia a streetwise team mugged England that dayThey will be working hard on improving their handling,and ball control,and hopefully on giving the ABs a close match..Wheather England can win ,well thats the big question isnt it LOL
Posted 15:04 28th November 2012
rugbylover says...
@Armchair General.
Gosh! A professional international rugby player exceptionally motivated! This must be something new............
Posted 15:02 28th November 2012
rugbylover says...
I think Swift defined it better. Poor man.
Posted 13:37 28th November 2012
trianglechoke says...
England lost to Australia and to the Boks, Now you think you can beat Allblacks. Yes keep thinking. I put the men in Black by a score 39-10.
Posted 13:27 28th November 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Farrell is seriously wrong with this statement. We are not in a great place at all. We are mediocre. I feel we always produce a good scrum but we almost never produce players with creativity and flair. I could claim it's down to our crap weather but the Welsh can produce creative players and they get the same weather we do. I could claim it's down to our league but even when we didn't have the relegation dog fights we still didn't produce many great creative players. I'm trying to think of someone English in recent times who could do something unexpected and my list ain't that long. Will Greenwood perhaps ?
Our back line is the problem and has been for God knows how long. We need to do something about this. Maybe it's a grass roots coaching thing. It's something I would expect Rob Andrew in his capacity as .... (what is it he does ?)... to deal with. Always supposing the upper echelons accept that we have a problem in this regard and regretably, I don't think they do.
Posted 11:46 28th November 2012
undecided says...
That's right, close your eyes and go to your "happy place"
Posted 11:26 28th November 2012
APV1 says...
"... the reality of the South Africa game was that we were the best team." Nope. We lost. They were the better team.
For me the better team is the one which wins. Regardless of how they do it, the scoreboard shows who was best. Suggesting otherwise isn't going to help.
"We have to make sure we are on the ball because, like any other team, if we get fast ball, if we get over the gain-line and continuity then we can do some damage." Yep. Now that's certainly correct.
We lost because we made some daft decisions, were inaccurate and couldn't complete. Let's not sugar-coat it.
We're not in a great place. Good, I'll accept, but not great. Great would be firmly ensconced in the Top 4, winning as many as we lose against the other 3. We're not there yet.
YET.
We are still progressing and our greenness is less apparent. But our lack of creativity in midfield is a worry and the 9 - 10 - 12 axis is lacking spark, flair and, as PR put it, guile.
There were loads of positives to take from the match, but let's be honest about our execution and finishing too. And line-out. And...
@ dropkick - they were not gutless. I don't agree with some of the other stuff you mentioned, but this is irrefutable. Guts isn't the issue. Decision-making, perhaps, but not guts.
@ kiwilad & hellovanite - Hear! Hear! No idea why he said that, or what his brief was. But Soundbites R Us has done him (and us) no favours at all!
Posted 10:33 28th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Maybe you Bok fans speak a different language. He's not saying he's happy with the results. He's saying they're exceptionally motivated. And confidence is not down because they know they should have beaten the Boks. I watched the game again. England were very good. But lost. No denying the loss. Not saying they are a better team than Boks in general but in that game they were better. It's very obvious but I know there will be a backlash to the comment. Sometimes the weaker team on the day wins and the Boks were weaker. They got the result and will refresh and get players back so no worries for them. But I see why Farrell is saying what he is saying.
Posted 09:49 28th November 2012
StunTheMullet says...
And the singing can be heard from Stuart, Andy and Grahams digs at Pennyhill Park - "You've got to accentuate the positive, Eliminate the negative, And latch on to the affirmative, Don't mess with Mister In-Between"
Posted 09:00 28th November 2012
latin says...
jeepers they silly people. still i have a hunch england will win saturday
Posted 08:50 28th November 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
Right positives, narrow defeats in could've won and should've won matches.
Defensive and physical performance good, execution and decision making not so good.
Farrell is right, when you are playing quality sides with double the number of caps, its a better place than say the tour from hell from a few years back.
BUT - I seem to remember the same being said about Scotland 2 rounds into the 6N last term.
Its going to sound like sour grapes but WC rankings are just flattery at the moment
I still feel that any one of 2-10 today could beat each other in a one off match meaning that its the tier 3 draw that will be important to a team like England as Tier 1 or 2 will be tough matches either way. In fact, based on performance rather than result, I would probably fancy winning a group with Australia or SA in it (assuming them to be Tier 1) and relish the French less.
That said, the report has to be taken in the context of the interview and the PR editorial assumes he came out bursting with pride at a narrow defeat and wasn't trying to defend his charges from the usual barbs aimed by the "I would never have lost brigade" some of whom are becoming the "old farts" that they appeared to hate so much.
Posted 08:18 28th November 2012
hellovanite says...
If ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a merry christmas. But sadly Mr Farrell, they are not...
Posted 05:41 28th November 2012