sport news Rugby Autumn Internationals: England can take advantage of Australia's fly-half ...

sport news Rugby Autumn Internationals: England can take advantage of Australia's fly-half ...
sport news Rugby Autumn Internationals: England can take advantage of Australia's fly-half ...

Australia may have won five of their last six Tests and done the double over South Africa and Argentina in this year’s Rugby Championship but I’m expecting a comfortable England win on Saturday, despite Eddie Jones messing around unnecessarily with his back division.

It’s not so much that the selection of Manu Tuilagi is a risk — although he is not remotely as good a wing as he is a centre — it’s just that I don’t understand why you would deliberately break up his centre partnership with Henry Slade which I believe could carry England all the way through to the next World Cup.

It has become a bit of a theme and it’s hard to fathom. Why would you play one of the world’s best flankers in Tom Curry at No 8? Yes, you can do it, but what’s the rationale behind it?

England have won every match against Australia under Eddie Jones and that run should continue on Saturday

England have won every match against Australia under Eddie Jones and that run should continue on Saturday

James O'Connor struggled at fly-half in Australia's defeat to a rusty Scotland side last week

James O'Connor struggled at fly-half in Australia's defeat to a rusty Scotland side last week

We wait to see on both counts, especially with Manu. Is it a sign of how Eddie Jones intends to proceed?

It’s possible it will make little difference today. I was bitterly disappointed with Australia’s performance against a rusty Scotland last week. Like all the Southern Hemisphere teams they are beginning to run out of steam by the time they arrive in Europe every autumn. It’s exactly when the Six Nations sides should cause maximum damage.

I was expecting so much more and although Australia will lift their game, as they generally do against England, I can’t see them ending a run of seven straight defeats against England since Jones took over. The one rock-solid, consistent theme of his regime has been England getting it right against his country!

Australia puzzle me and have for a while because they always have talented players. What struck me against Scotland is their continual struggle to find a long-term fly-half. Identifying talent and picking those players in their correct position is fundamental when you coach and select a national side.

And make no mistake, the fly-half is as important for Australia as it is for Wales, for example. Australia always have a galaxy of running and attacking talent in the backs, so getting somebody to marshal them is their biggest challenge.

Last week James O’Connor was not that man. O’Connor is a high-class back-three player at Test level and he can even play centre but I have never understood his occasional forays in the 10 shirt. He never looks comfortable in that position.

Australia used to have world-beating fly-halves such as Mark Ella, who revolutionised the game

Australia used to have world-beating fly-halves such as Mark Ella, who revolutionised the game

The Wallabies have struggled to find a top-class fly-half since Stephen Larkham retired in 2007

The Wallabies have struggled to find a top-class fly-half since Stephen Larkham retired in 2007

Aussie fly-halves have done more than most to transform the modern game. Mark Ella was a contemporary of mine who revolutionised the game with his flat, close to the line, rugby league-style running and quickfire short passes. I mainly admired him from afar, although I did get to play in an England team that claimed a good win over the Aussies in 1982 — the match made famous by streaker Erica Roe! What a talent he was.

Then came Michael Lynagh, just about the perfect Test 10

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