England full-back Ben Foden feels win over Australia was crucial
English full-back Ben Foden believes that the team’s 35-18 win over Australia on Saturday 13 November was an important step in their development as they prepare for next year’s World Cup.
Foden admitted that England’s record-equalling winning margin over the Wallabies was a significant psychological victory for the players.
Speaking to the BBC, the full-back said, "That was our main aim, to put ourselves up there and make sure we're competing with the big boys. That's what we've gone out to do. We've put down a marker now."
The English international stated that a defeat would have been a massive blow for the team after England finished the Six Nations well and recorded a 1-1 draw with Australia on their summer tour to the southern hemisphere
"Although we saw [defeat by] the All Blacks as another step forward, a loss against Australia and it would all have been eradicated. A lot of the hard work we'd done over the summer off the back of the Six Nations would have been undone."
The full-back now believes that the result will give England the confidence to challenge for the World Cup next year and that the win should have the southern hemisphere teams worried.
"The southern hemisphere teams have to take us seriously. Australia beat New Zealand a couple of weeks ago, we gave the All Blacks a good run for their money, and they know we're a threat. Australia will certainly be thinking about us come World Cup time."
But Foden agreed with his coach Martin Johnson and urged the team and fans not to get carried away with the results.
"We'll go back to work next week and look at ways to improve. We just need to keep on working because we're by no means the finished article."
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