I think the England coaches will be rueing that intercept try considering Ireland only won by 2pts. it was always going to be a long shot, and there is a danger of the oppo getting tries like that when you're chasing a big score, but I think the intercept try and the following fifteen minutes really shows that we still have a lot of areas to improve upon. Our execution under pressure and game management was, for all of the tries, quite sloppy at times.
That being said it was a hell of an attacking performance and a hell of a tournament for us. Important win over Wales and gutsy performances against Ireland and France. There is a convincing argument that had our set piece not died in the last quarter of the Scotland game we could have scored a few more tries and made the Rome game less important. All in all though I don't think second place is an unfair reflection upon where this England squad is.
Because I'm trying to slack of work here are some player ratings. Forwards first, backs later if I can be bothered:
Dan Cole: Average to good when he was playing but, assuming that his injury heals well, an enforced break from rugby will probably do him a world of good. Looks very tired and seemed to be the only player trusted on that side of the scrum. We (and Tigers) need to learn to use him more sparingly. 6.5
Dave Wilson: Came into the tournament half way through with less than an hour of rugby under his belt since injury. Was understandably rusty in his first game but really showed how good a scrummager he is and that he can also contribute to our carrying. Only ever looked under pressure at the scrum for a shortish spell against Wales. I would like to see him start more, or if he does get benched in favour of Cole, come on earlier (see later). 7.5
Henry Thomas: Probably the player we were all the most worried about going in to the tournament. Wisely he was usually brought on at the same time or after Dave Attwood which probably helped his scrummaging a lot. Don't remember him giving away any penalties but he certainly wasn't solid. His relatively short cameos also didn't give him much time to show his wares in the loose. Average. 5
Dylan Hartley: Unsung hero of the pack IMO. His line out accuracy seems to be improving all the time and he's getting better in the scrum (less popping up). I know a lot of guys here don't like him, mainly because of his discipline, but its hard to argue that him being of form is key to the pack working well. However I'm never convinced about his loose work and his silly penalties against Wales and disruption of his own back line against Italy have to count against him. 7
Tom Youngs: I think we all know what I'm going to say here... Whatever was done to Youngs to sort his line out throwing up to and including the Lions tours needs to be repeated, pronto. I have a theory that the new scrum laws and the work he's had to do learning to hook may have effected the time he can spend on his throwing. While his scrummaging and carrying is very good I can't see past the fact that having a hooker who can't throw in really shouldn't be tolerated. If we want Youngs to stay in the squad he either sorts his throwing out or we teach a wing to chuck the ball in line its the 1970s. Dave Ward, Webber (if fit) or Tommy Taylor would have been better IMO. 4
Joe Marler: He's really come into his own this season, both for club and country. Put on some weight over the summer and has adapted well to the new laws. While we're always going to miss a scrummager line Corbs I think it is fair to say Joe is good enough at the set piece that we don't miss Corbs that much. Also looks good carrying the ball. 7
Mako Vunipola: Its interesting to note how, like most of England's Lions tourists, Mako's stock has fallen. Maybe its Sarries rotation policy or a bit of secon season syndrome but Mako's scrummaging is well behind Marler's (case in point being yesterday, when a second strong Italian front row was ruining our scrum largely by turning him inside out). He carries very well and is always looking for the offload, in a way he's a slower version of his brother! Overall thought he had an average to good tournament but he is clearly England's third choice prop on that side now. 6.5
Matt Mullan: Made a brief cameo and was solid. Happy enough with him as birth/injury cover but I suspect we wont see much more of him otherwise. 6
Courntey Lawes:I don't feel the need to say much here. Lawes is finally developing into the player he has threatened to be since the 2010/11 season. A monster in the loose, clearly more than competent in the scrum and a bit of a 'line out general'. Not a typical 'enforcer' of the Brad Thorne mould but he gets the job done and does it well. 8
Joe Launchbury: Makes the short list for player of the tournament IMO. Successor to Richard Hill in terms of the amount of graft he gets through largely unnoticed. He covers so many yards and makes so many tackles as well that yo've got to wonder what they're feeding him at Wasps. I thought he was slightly better than his second row partner, mainly due to his silly work rate. 8.5
Dave Attwood: Left me wishing he'd had more game time. However good a starting paring Lawes and Launchbury have been its clear than Attwood is worth more than a five minute cameo. His carries and tackles are massive and I strongly suspect his scrummaging propped up Thomas a lot. Can't think of anything he did wrong other than not get on the pitch sooner! 8
Chris Robshaw: Solid performances on the pitch, great leadership and his first England try. There may always be some who question if Robshaw is really as good as he is made out to be. However he, like Launchbury, does all the gritty work well and without complaint. He also tackles very well and when a team are as unified on the pitch as England are now you know their captain is doing his job well. 7
Tom Wood: Like Robshaw, Wood often gets lumped with a lot of the graft that rarely makes the highlight reels. He's working very well at the line out and you cannot fault the passion he shows. Arguably not the best option at 6 we have, despite being a very good international player. Can't say he's done anything to deserve loosing his place though. 7
Billy Vunipola: His tournament was annoyingly short but showed, just like he did in the autumn, how destructive a player he is. He's also learnt to catch the ball since leaving Wasps (useful) and has the smarts to look for the offload rather than just try and cannonball his way through on his own. 7.5
Ben Morgan: Glos fans will probably be wondering where this Ben Morgan has been all season. Was good off the bench in the first half of the tournament and showed when he started that he is a able, if not identical, replacement for Billy. He draws defenders too him when he carries and is a very intelligent player. Also showed against Italy that he does have 80mins in him. 8
Tom Johnson: Solid, unimaginative, would have preferred Kvesic. 5.5
I'll do the backs later if I can be botheres or anyone cares. Anyone think I'm being unfair?
