DUBLIN — England head coach Steve Borthwick stated his crew’s inexperience performed a key position of their 27-22 Six Nations defeat to Eire in Dublin on Saturday.
England led 10-5 on the break due to a Cadan Murley attempt to 5 factors from the boot of Marcus Smith. However heading into the final 5 minutes of the match, England have been 27-10 down after Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne and Dan Sheehan all scored, leaving Borthwick’s aspect to safe a dropping bonus level late on due to tries from Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman.
It was England’s seventh defeat of their final 9 Assessments — each these victories coming in opposition to Japan. Borthwick stated he was happy with enchancment he noticed in England’s assault, however stated Eire’s expertise instructed.
“In case you take a look at at the moment’s recreation, you see two completely different groups,” Borthwick instructed a information convention. “In case you take a look at the sport, you see an Eire crew that has been collectively for such an enormous quantity time with 1,200 caps and an England crew that has been collectively for six months and has half that variety of caps.
“The fellows went out and should you had been watching that begin of the sport, you would not see that distinction. It’s a crew that wishes to play aggressively with the ball and I believe we took a step ahead in that assault and the defence has improved.
“To be clear we need to win each recreation however we did not at the moment and we’re dissatisfied with that and I believe there are parts we take and construct and present the progress we made within the coaching camp the final 10 days.”
Maro Itoje captained England for the primary time, and stated the crew must take a look at how the match slipped away from them within the ultimate quarter. “I assumed the primary half was improbable,” Itoje instructed ITV. “We did just about the whole lot we wished to. We misplaced territory although within the second half and struggled to exit. It’s arduous to dissect what the reason being proper now but it surely was a territory factor.”
For Borthwick, consideration now shifts to France, who’re subsequent up at Twickenham. Fabien Galthie’s aspect will journey to England having overwhelmed Wales 43-0 of their Six Nations opener on Friday night. Borthwick is adamant England will enhance and stated key to that’s the crew’s self-belief.
“We play France subsequent week and we’re trying ahead to being again at Twickenham subsequent week in entrance our supporters,” Borthwick stated.
“You must credit score Eire, they seem to be a world-class crew and have been world class for therefore lengthy, and also you guys will know the numbers of how lengthy Eire have been within the prime 4 of the rankings for therefore lengthy. And I believe that have instructed within the third quarter the place I assumed tactically they performed rather well and that allowed them to get the scoreboard stress that we could not claw again.
“I am actually dissatisfied we got here up quick as a result of I assumed we might come right here and win this recreation. And I believe our gamers gave {that a} good go. You actually noticed a perception within the gamers that they might come right here and win the sport. And we did not, so we’ll make sure that we’re a greater crew subsequent week in opposition to France again at Twickenham, again at Allianz Stadium.”
Additional studying:
– Why every crew will discover Six Nations success, and why they will not
– WATCH: Can Scotland win their first title since 1999? ESPN writers debate
– Six Nations and Girls’s Six Nations: Full fixture record
– Six Nations historical past, previous winners, extra
