It is a long time since a Six Nations game changed rugby’s landscape so significantly. For England’s players, in particular, this was a result – and, crucially, a performance – that suddenly makes all sorts of things seem possible. Not only was it their best display under Eddie Jones but their most impressive victory on the road since the halcyon days of 2003.
What will resonate across both hemispheres, as much as the result, is the manner in which England dominated. The staccato rhythms of Jones’s regime up to now have been superseded by the three Cs – clarity, control and confidence – that distinguish all leading sides. No one in world rugby, on this evidence, would discount England as a gathering force.
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Even if that proves a premature judgment, it has added a fresh dimension both to this year’s Six Nations and to the approaching World Cup. Play with a similarly compelling mix of dynamic power, intelligence and opportunism on a regular basis and no one will fancy playing them in Japan. Ireland, supposedly the world’s second-best team, were blitzed in virtually all departments.
Of course there are some huge hurdles to come, not least when Jones’s mob head to Cardiff to meet Wales a fortnight on Saturday. Talking up England on the basis of one decent win, historically, has a tendency to galvanise their opponents even more. That said, it would be hard for even the most curmudgeonly of English haters to dispute the comprehensive nature of Ireland’s defeat, to dismiss Mako and Billy Vunipola, Maro Itoje, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Henry Slade et al as overrated, or Jones as a busted flush.
Derided in one newspaper as a “poor man’s José Mourinho” on Saturday morning, Jones will have enjoyed this outcome almost as much as he did Japan’s ambush of South Africa at the 2015 World Cup. He has finally found a midfield trio to worry the All Blacks, removed any doubt about Owen Farrell’s suitability to inspire England on the big occasion and been triumphantly vindicated in his choice of backroom staff. If the players deserve the lion’s share of the credit, the input of John Mitchell, Steve Borthwick and Scott Wisemantel should not be underestimated.
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Beyond the four tries, the bonus point, the first win by any Six Nations side in Dublin since 2013 and the comprehensive puncturing of Irish reputations the highlight was the absolute certainty of England’s game. The accuracy, speed and quality of the passes that created Jonny May’s early try and the first of Slade’s brace may have been less obvious than the relentless physicality on and around the gainline but they were indicative of a rejuvenated English mindset. If, as Billy Vunipola suggested afterwards, there was less pressure on England given the popular expectation of an Irish win, those tired old clichés about plodding English backplay may need updating by the end of this championship.
Jones, having spent the first three years of his tenure concentrating primarily on the basics, believes his side’s attacking game will soon be even sharper. “Until now, in terms of prioritising coaching time, it’s probably been 70% defence and set piece. It was always the plan that the last building block would be attack. Once you have a good defence and set piece you can go to a World Cup with some confidence. If you then put attack on to it, it gives you that point of difference.”
Factor in the absent Joe Cokanasiga, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Ben Te’o and Sam Underhill and Jones’s World Cup squad is shaping up nicely. The only caveat is that Ireland were nothing like their usual selves, Joe Schmidt having been concerned even before kick-off about his side’s energy levels.
Even allowing for Ireland’s tendency to start the Six Nations slowly, the defending grand slam champions were half a yard slower than their opposite numbers and a shadow of the men who saw off New Zealand in November. They may yet come charging out against Scotland at Murrayfield and restore their supporters’ faith but their inability to locate a plan B once England had grasped the early initiative raised more than a few uncomfortable questions.
Is it possible one or two of their senior men are on the wane? Or was it more a case of the experienced Rob Kearney’s absence making everyone else twitchy? Either way there were eight players older than 30 in the Ireland matchday squad compared with just one, Ashton, in their opponents’ ranks. As England’s class of 2003 ultimately discovered, even great sides can jump the shark within a matter of a few weeks.
No one, to be clear, is yet saying Ireland are fading or that their system is rubbish but international rugby stands still for no one. Without John Cooney’s late consolation score, England would be sitting at No 2 in the world rankings and Jones’s insistence that “praise can make you weak” is now about to be tested anew.
Then again, if England are the side they aspire to be, this weekend should be seen as a potential springboard to yet better things. Even without Itoje, set to be out of action until next month with knee ligament trouble, they clearly have the potential to win the Six Nations.
“People think we’re arrogant but we’re not, we’re just confident,” Billy Vunipola said. “That was definitely one of the more memorable wins but there is always scope to get better.” Inside the England dressing room they firmly believe this is just the start.