England’s fledglings still have a point to prove

Eddie Jones was rewarded for placing his faith in the next generation of English talent as his side enjoyed a series of strong performances in the Autumn Internationals.

Jones was bold in his selection to leave out stalwart members of his 2019 World Cup finalists’ squad such as Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, George Ford and Elliot Daly.

Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Bevan Rodd and Sam Simmonds all flourished in their roles to make the transition to the highest level. England were outstanding to defeat Australia, brushing the Wallabies aside with ease.

The Red Rose then held their composure against the world champions, earning a semblance of revenge for their World Cup final defeat to beat South Africa with the final kick of the game from Marcus Smith.

Jones will feel bullish over his side’s chances in the Six Nations, although they are backed in the rugby odds from Betfair at 11/4 to win the competition, behind France in the minds of the bookmakers. Les Bleus did put a mark of authority down themselves in the Autumn Internationals by crushing New Zealand.

However, England proved in the 2021 Six Nations they can match France’s power and skill on the field, although playing in the Stade de France in 2022 will present a challenge, especially for the younger players in the squad.

The rising stars in the ranks proved that they could cope with playing on home soil against South Africa and Australia, but their character and composure will be tested against a hostile crowd in Paris as well as in Murrayfield when Jones takes his team to face the old enemy Scotland in the Calcutta Cup.

England’s performance against Scotland in the 2021 offered Jones the insight that he needed to move on from many of his senior players, notably Daly and Ford, who struggled to break down Gregor Townsend’s men.

The result against Scotland in the opening week of the tournament set the tone for the rest of the competition. England were flat and failed to rise to the occasion, and other than a brilliant performance against France, the Red Rose were lacklustre.

Smith’s energy and decisiveness with ball in hand was extremely impressive against the Springboks and Australia. Jones would have taken more pleasure out of his display against South Africa given the quality of their rearguard, while his late kick highlighted his composure under pressure albeit the fact that it was a fairly routine effort.

Jones was quick to warn Smith about the price of fame, hopeful that he does not get carried away with his success. However, all the signs appear to confirm that the 22-year-old is ready to embrace all the challenges of international rugby. 

Steward was a powerhouse at full-back, offering a direct attacking threat that Daly failed to provide on a consistent basis. The 21-year-old is scratching the surface of his potential, but it will be interesting to see how he copes with the demands of his defensive duties, especially under the high ball in hostile territory. His display against Stuart Hogg will be a good test of whether he is ready to match a world-class player at his position at this early stage in his career.

If Steward can handle the challenge, England have cause to be very excited about his development.
Jones’ fledgling players passed their first test in the autumn, but the demands of international rugby are unrelenting, and their performances in the Six Nations may define whether England’s rebuild will allow them to maintain their standing as one of the world’s best or force them to take a small step back while they round into shape.