Hungry: Stuart Lancaster
England coach Stuart Lancaster wants to use the team's record-breaking win over New Zealand as a springboard to success in the upcoming Six Nations.
Following narrow defeats by Australia and South Africa, England stunned the world of rugby with a blistering win over the All Blacks in December.
The 17-point difference gave England their best winning margin against New Zealand but the manner of their victory was especially impressive.
Having gone 15-0 up early in the second half, England saw New Zealand close to within a point after two tries in three second-half minutes.
However, England themselves then responded with three tries of their own as Brad Barritt, Chris Ashton and Manu Tuilagi crossed the try-line.
Lancaster though warned Monday the euphoria of beating the All Blacks would count for little if England, last season's runners-up, failed to maintain their form in this term's Six Nations.
In contrast to the New Zealand match, England will be firm favourites to beat a Scotland side who haven't won at Twickenham since 1983 when they start this latest Six Nations at home to their oldest rivals on February 2.
"We need to make sure we build on our performance," Lancaster told Sky Sports.
"We had a great win there but equally we're still disappointed to have lost the Australia game and the South Africa game.
"What a great way to finish and a great stepping stone to take into the Six Nations, but the games go on and what we need to do is learn our lessons from that and take the positives, of which there were many - the consistency, the intensity and the way we kept playing for 80 minutes.
"That's great confidence for us and the players to take into the Six Nations but with Scotland round the corner we can put that to bed and recognise there's going to be a huge challenge coming our way and we need to be ready for it."
England won the last of their 26 Championships two years ago but they haven't completed the coveted Grand Slam since 2003 - the same year they won their lone World Cup title.
Comments
letsgoboks says...
England getting all excited once again. Yes you won 1 game.
Unfortunately the other teams are developing too. Not just the english.
Posted 09:40 18th January 2013
lawynd says...
I think a lot of you are expecting England to run before they can walk, personally.
Posted 11:30 17th January 2013
melkdave says...
Nice summery @TV Addict,of Englands prospects,I agree they do look good atm,i just hope SL and co can realise them ,whichi think they can and will.I do however think its a season to soon for England to start showing they are world beaters,on a regular basis though.2014 will be the year imo,England really start to show their potential .As we still have a few piceices missing of the whole jigsaw atm,in how we play the game ,and being able to change it in game ,to take advantage of circumstances.So France just to pip os this season ,on points differance ,is my prediction.
Posted 14:46 16th January 2013
APV1 says...
@ hellovanite - thanks for your sportsman-like comments, in contrast to some others. If ABlack doesn't consider the word of Richie et al, then that's a shame. I have found the Kiwis to be honourable and honest and to call them all liars is a step too far for me. They didn't "play it down", they said it didn't affect them. I'll take their word for it over ABlack's any day.
Yes we played well and soundly beat NZ, but we're not world-beaters. Yet.
I think this will be as facinating and exciting a 6N as we have seen for many years, as there is so much to watch.
Scotland - as has been stated, have nothing to lose. They have some exciting and talented players who can play. Just ask Australia.
Italy - ask France whether they have the players to win a 6N match against one of the "big boys". Italy can no longer be considered such an underdog and we all need to aware of their growing prowess.
Wales - up and down like a yoyo at the moment. Firing last 6N and in the doldrums since. I have no idea whether they will be back on form yet.
Ireland - some key players back, yet others missing. Always tough to beat home and away. Their spirit often overcomes any frailties and I expect a good showing this year.
France - ever the enigma, they are on very good form. The only team to have a clean sweep in the Autumn and perennial achievers. But, and it's a big but (no comments please!), they have the tendency not to "turn up" and be a little apathetic. Or so it seems. I've seen this less and less recently and I don't think this will be the issue in the 6N. I think their 9 - 10 questions will be their headache.
England - on the back of beating NZ we are on a high. We have a good squad with some great players. I think 5 out of 5 is achievable and realistic and that's what I'm hoping for.
And I listed the countries in the order I think they'll finish.
England for the Grand Slam!
Posted 12:14 16th January 2013
hellovanite says...
TVaddict... I really like your post it is direct and balanced in it's appraisal of the way forward for England if not a little bit conservative. I think you do have the backs now, so it's time to start using them. England have always had great forwards but the ball never made it past ten 50% of the time. You have the players for sure now, it will be down to how you use them and the strategy that is employed. England may have beaten NZ in November, but your overall win loss record doesn't come close to NZ, so hey maybe NZ is doing something right. We will beat Eng again you know, and it won't take 10 years to do it either.
rugby_rockstar... If you think NZ doesn't have the forwards to match England and SA based on one game you have serious issues. More often than not NZ thump SA and if you want to copy SA then we have no issue at all with that. England is very strong in the back three with loads of options some of which could do a lot of damage. Note to SL please use them! I would like to see Wade and Varndell get a run, they are two confidence players that can really hustle. Try's boys that's how you beat NZ and that is the mindset you should be adopting. Hey it's just an opinion, but it's my opinion therefore it's totally correct... errr 95% of the time :/
Posted 06:23 16th January 2013
hellovanite says...
ABlack... You maybe right about France but you seem to have issues with giving credit where credit is due. England should have beaten SA and Aus, yes they didn't win, but by no means would anyone other than a myopic fool doubt that they are a much improved side. Some of this might come down to an injection of overseas players to a certain degree, but hey I'm over that now and England being a good rugby side is good for world rugby. I too think that the French will beat them, but I am by no means confident of that. England beat us at Twickers this year and with some style, so be a man and congratulate them for it rather than look for excuses to why we lost.
Posted 06:00 16th January 2013
ABlack says...
France is my pick for 6N champions. England is overrated which they themselves & their media have based on 1 win against the AB's who didnt play well mainly due to the viral problem which has been downplayed by the AB's but the fact is a loss at this time wont have done the AB's any harm. England didnt improve that much from the Aus and SA games to the All Blacks game, its just the debilitating effects of illness had kicked in by 2nd half.
Hansen & co will be okay with this loss as tis hard to win 100% of the time and the players will have new motivations come 2014 because of that loss.
Posted 00:57 16th January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
France Ireland Wales only have 2 home games. England tournament win is a minimum expectation. Grand slam the goal. One close loss acceptable. Good performances with a tad of bad luck then 2nd could be after the event considered ok. Grand Slam is not ignorant and arrogant expectation. Only France is above England in rankings and England are improving and home to them and now have some experience together. England clubs in HC are again in with a shout. I expect them to win but all to play for...
Posted 22:46 15th January 2013
jmanngod says...
perhaps if they can their opposition to go on a quick exhausting tour of the world for 14 games and then have them come down with the Norovirus the last few days before playing them - then england can expect a similar to result to that against the NZ in December?
Posted 19:20 15th January 2013
NHsaints says...
I think we should expect to win all 5 matches but we've got to remember that to do that we've got to come up trumps against a tough French pack and a stout Irish one too, then once the forward platform is in place we just need to concentrate on maintaining possession and building phases, we know for a fact that when we do those simple things right then we're one of the best in the world. The problem (as with south africa) is that if we're not completely overwhelming at the breakdown and at least 90% functional in the set piece then we fall apart.
Posted 17:40 15th January 2013
TVaddict says...
...CONTINUED...
I also believe that a bench should be exciting and about impact. That's why I love the idea of bringing on mobile forwards like Lawes and Armitage, along with the attacking half backs of Youngs and Burns and JJ for whoever is flagging in the backline. That is an impact bench which can take advantage of the tired bodies at the 60 min mark. Flood shouldn't be in the starting 23.
In terms of the future by below ramblings should clarify:
-Corbisero would always start for me, though I imagine Vunipola and Marler will push him in the future.
-Burns and Farrell should switch around depending on how we want to play, with Ford joining them in time.
-We'll have Care, Youngs and Simpson battling for the 9 shirt.
-Vunipola and Morgan battling for the 8 shirt.
-A Lawes and Launchbury starting combo, with Parling on the bench and being pushed by players like Kruis who also cover 6. If the lineout is strong enough a Lawes Launchbury combo could become one of the best as they have plenty of time to develop an understanding.
-As good as Armitage is I agree with Lancaster about him performing best with big dominant packs, so I mainly see him as a super sub to come on for the last 20-30 mins coving 7 and 8.
-I see Yarde, Biggs and our plethora of quality fullbacks battling for the 11 shirt, and Wade, Sharples and Ashton (in form) battling for 14.
-I hope Daly will develop well as he can as I see him as a future super sub, with excellent pace, kicking and decent defence plus covering 11,13,14 and 15. He could also compete for a starting winger spot.
-At 6 we have an embarrassment of riches with Wood and Croft both young, and the likes of Kruis and Clark who are fantastic talent.
-In the centers we have Barritt and Twelevetrees competing for 12 and JJ and Tuilagi for 13. I can also see Tuilagi moving to 12 in Nonu fashion.
Posted 17:38 15th January 2013
TVaddict says...
@rugby_rockstar
My choice for the Scotland game (Given Corbisero is injured and I think Goode is too) would be:
1) Vunipola
2) Youngs
3) Cole
4) Launchbury
5) Parling
6) Wood
7) Robshaw
8) Morgan
9) Care
10) Farrell
11) Foden
12) Barritt
13) Tuilagi
14) Ashton (But really it would be Wade/Sharples)
15) Brown
16) Hartley
17) Marler
18) Wilson
19) Lawes
20) Haskell (I'd really like Armitage here)
21) Youngs
22) Burns
23) JJ
I agree about doing the basics, but I feel Englands victory against the ABs was an emotional victory much like the Ulster vs Northampton match where Northampton won. It proved that on our day we can beat anyone, but we need to be able to replicate that now. Our forwards won us that game, and as long as they can compete at the breakdown and the set piece like they did then that's their job done. However, we need more clinical backs to truly compete with the big three. That doesn't mean running Australian like lines to score from our own 22. That means simply things like being able to get over the gainline using clever running lines and not just the brute strength of Tuilagi. It's about being able to implement basic skill like drawing the defender, running dummy lines, and throwing a miss pass. It's about being able to regularly score tries once your 5m from the try line.
I agree that currently our strategy should be about a pressurising defence, a competitive if not dominant set piece which includes the restart, and territory. So I'd pick a 15 to do that, hence Farrell with his world class defence, tactical kicking, and goal kicking. However we need backs that can score tries when the opportunity presents itself, and the Springboks do have that. Once they're in your 5 m line they are very good at scoring tries, it's what they're game is based on.
Posted 17:13 15th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
its interesting that you're talking about developing our back play Tv Addict. Who would be your no.10? Farrel or Flood? If we're talking back play then Flood is the obvious choice, but he failed get much out of England's Saracens, Leicester and Harlequins mix in November. Farrel is not a "master of puppets" either but we ran in a few tries against the All Blacks. Why would that be???
I think our tries vs NZ came from our simple basic game plan. They fell into place thanks to the pressure we brought to bare. Against Oz, Fiji and SA we were hunting tries and failing because we were pushing too hard. The cogs were whirring vs NZ, we played like a team. The cogs were off doing their own club thing for the other three games and we were a total mess. I say keep it simple and basic and lets turn our bread and butter skills into an art form.
The Boks are basically doing the same thing and when they click they thump NZ too.
Posted 16:30 15th January 2013
Propmelsey says...
Pity about the Lions tour this year ... I would have like to see this squad playing the summer internationals as England ...... i expect the whole squad to be in gatlands touring party .... shame really ..... timing and sport don't always go hand in hand :((
Posted 16:26 15th January 2013
melkdave says...
As long as we improve again ,and hopefully win 4 games i wont be disappointed if we dont win the tourament.Though hoping we do lol.France and Ireland will be real threats ,and tbh ,i think France will win the championship,albet without a slam ..While Ireland are always a hard match,and if DK bloods some of the good young talant he has atm ,even harder.Italy just keep improving year on year,and going by the aurtum performances ,are also going to be a very hard match for anyone.While Scotland will be looking to get some confidance and build on some decent performances against NZ and SA even if losses.So first up against England is going to be a really hard battle.As to Wales well players out of form ,alot of injuries,and a lack of confidance ,isnt going to make it an easy champonshipfor them tbh.Besti can see for them atm is finishing 4 th,but might even finish 6 th if not carfull
Posted 15:43 15th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Autumn was looking like a total wash out prior to the "miricle match" and don't forget that the all blacks had gone down with Noros virus.
We played well, but it was a backlash from the Austrlia and SA losses and we know england get fired up and play well after everyone has ripped into them over the week. the big question is whether they can play with that sort of motivation week in week out and if not WHY NOT???
Nice to see Lancaster is eager to push the point though.
Posted 15:42 15th January 2013
TVaddict says...
I think the important aspect for England this 6 nations is to develop our back play. Our forwards are what made us competitive against South Africa and won us the game against New Zealand, so now it's the backs turn to improve. We need to get players like Twelvetrees and Burns some game time as well as some exciting wingers. I'd like to see some more strike moves off set pieces, and to see examples of the players playing heads up rugby (i.e. counter attacking from deep when it's on).
In terms of results I'm expecting 4 out of 5, so the win but not the slam. We have to win all our home games as we have to try and make Twickenham a fortress again where even the SH teams will dread coming. We should also beat Wales as they lucked out last year and seem to have regressed even further. Ireland is where I think we'll slip up, they always play their best rugby against us when they're at home. They seem to play against us with a passion that verges on hate, as though they've just been told that their wife has had an an affair with the whole England squad and loved it. In fact, if we beat Ireland in Ireland I'll class that as massive progress for this England side.
Posted 15:33 15th January 2013
lawynd says...
@Propmelsey - exactly, given their squad it was the right mindset. England should be aiming to win every game...along with Wales, Ireland and France. And with the strength of those teams, plus home advantage for Ireland, wins against them are anything but a foregone conclusion. Our boys may have beaten New Zealand but they're still a long way from *being* that good.
Posted 15:31 15th January 2013
Propmelsey says...
@lawynd .... Personally i prefer the mindset taken by the New Zealand team during the autumn internationals .... They came to Europe expecting nothing less than 4 wins ..... That was the right attitude to have given the squad they brought over .... i expect no less from England during this 6 nations.
Posted 14:53 15th January 2013
Heart_of_oak says...
The Irish neArly always surprise us in Ireland and the Welsh beat us last time around. We lost to Australia and we lost to South Africa both of which were home games. France will also be very hard to beat. They have a great pool of players.
So please, let's not get cocky.
Posted 14:03 15th January 2013