Possession may be nine-tenths of the law, but in sporting circles it will always count for little unless you do something with it. Pushing opponents onto the back foot makes ultimate success easier to come by, but it never offers any guarantees.
England found that out to their cost in a 2022 Six Nations opener against old adversaries Scotland at Murrayfield. Eddie Jones’ men saw 54 per cent of the ball in Edinburgh and enjoyed dominance of 62 per cent in the territory stakes, but ended up on the wrong end of a 20-17 scoreline.
A step in the right direction was taken against Italy in Rome, seeing odds cut to 13/8 for ultimate glory in Six Nations betting at Betfair, but there is still plenty of work to be done.
Rolling over Gil Azzurri, even away from home, is to be expected and offers little indication in a grand scheme of things as to the direction in which victors are heading. Positives can, and should, be taken but it is as important to highlight any flaws and come up with a plan about how best to iron those out.
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A source of concern for England has been a lack of drive and inspiration at centre. Henry Slade can be relied upon in that area to offer quick hands and a useful left boot, but Elliot Daly felt more like a square peg in a round hole after seeing Owen Farrell ruled out through injury.
Joe Marchant stepped inside off the wing at 13 against Italy, but that X-factor spark was still missing and a Manu Tuligai-shaped shadow continues to loom large over Jones’ midfield. The plan is to welcome a destructive match winner back into the fold as soon as possible.
Graft and guile
Jones had been quizzed on the chances of drafting Tuilagi into his squad ahead of a trip to Italy, with no risks being taken on a man who has only recently returned to club action for the first time since November.
England’s boss said: “We have got to be cognizant of the fact that he is a player over 30 now and we need him to get a bit more game time, a bit more training into him.”
That is all well and good, with it foolish to start relying on the fitness of a talismanic presence when he is not ready for elite competition. The services of a human battering ram were never going to be required in the Italian capital.
Questions are, however, being asked of England in an area where they really should be well covered. Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has said it is “ridiculous” that England are so reliant on Tuliagi, with the Welshman claiming it is “inexplicable” that a nation of such a standing in world rugby cannot find suitable cover at inside centre.
He makes a valid point, and one that Jones will be all too aware of. He does not want to be leaning so heavily on certain individuals, but when needs must there will come a time when calculated risks have to be taken.
