Rugby World Cup: England don’t need tries, but they’d be handy
In England’s 34-12 victory over Japan on Sunday Steve Borthwick’s side achieved what they needed most: a win.
England are now top of Pool D and are in pole position to qualify for the last eight, where they will likely face one of Fiji, Wales or Australia.
But it was an 80 minutes which could have been adopted as a nightcap, because England were poor – really poor – and looked like a side any major rival would dispatch with ease.
England winning regardless
It is understandable. Borthwick said on Sunday that winning is the most important thing, and he is bang on. Who cares how boring England are if they win the World Cup? No one.
But taking the approach England have taken in the two opening matches will only get them so far, and questions remain as to whether it is one that can topple favourites such as France, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand.
In the humid air of Nice, balls were dropped agonisingly close to the try line, opportunities were butchered and England looked a shadow of the side that reached the World Cup final four years ago.
But England fans must remember this: other than a second minute Manu Tuilagi try, they relied on defence and the boot against New Zealand in their 2019 semi-final – widely hailed as one of the greatest England performances ever.
Tries aren’t the be all and end all, but they demonstrate an ability to opponents that you have more than simply a Plan A.
Against Argentina in their opener, England’s drop goal strategy was a welcome blast from the past and helped them overcome their toughest Pool D opponents.
On Sunday England got a try bonus point against the second biggest competitors in the pool.
What’s the issue?
So they’re two from two and have scored just four tries, all of which came against Japan via Lewis Ludlam, Courtney Lawes, Freddie Steward and Joe Marchant.
They’re top of the pool and in pole position to qualify for the last eight on the easier side of the draw, so what’s the issue?
Well fans are divided. Would you rather win a World Cup playing kick-dominated rugby and scoring tries few and far between, or attempt (and probably fail) to win a World Cup throwing the ball around like an oval ball version of the Harlem Globetrotters?
The 2003 Rugby World Cup final, famously not won by a try, did see England cross the whitewash in the opening 40 – Jason Robinson the lucky winger to get on the scoresheet.
And as previously stated, England scored just one try in one of their best ever World Cup wins against the All Blacks in Japan.
So maybe it is time fans got off the back of Borthwick and Co – who have been in the job for less than one year – and realise that it’s not always showboating and free-flowing attacking moves that lead to success.
Rugby World Cup winning
They’re nice to have in the armoury, and sure they give momentum to the side who are able to use those moves when under pressure, but there are other ways to win rugby matches.
“At the end of the day the players found a way and that was the important thing,” said head coach Steve Borthwick on Sunday night. “We are seeing growth now in our attack and I think we are going to see more growth in our attack.
“I believe I’ve got a group of players who know what it is to perform on the big stage.”
And at this point, there’s nothing else to do other than back the side. Because not to do so simply vapourises any hopes of lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy.