Experienced England player, Steve Thompson, has hailed the young England side after they managed to nudge past Australia and level the test series 1-1.
England put on a much improved performance with a number of key individuals standing out in the side. They managed to win the match 21-20 after the Wallabies missed some late penalty kicks to go on and win the game.
England showed great pace, skill and determination in key areas of the pitch and although the match could have gone either way, these were the things, which ultimately helped them stay in front.
The problem for England is that they are likely to face a much more difficult test when they go to New Zealand. The Kiwis have just smashed Wales in a couple of test matches and this would have given the team a huge lift and confidence when many had started to question New Zealand dominance of rugby.
Tactics
Martin Johnson would have pleased many in the match over the weekend because it seems as though he got his head down and planned tactically how England would win the game. They looked much stronger in different areas of the pitch and gave Australia just as many headaches as the home side created for the English.
These tactics were clear for all to see. England got men behind the ball, which would allow them to press and push forward with their pack and in the scrums. It was noticeable that whenever Australia got a scrum, they were looking to get rid of the ball as quickly as they could because England had the power to turn the scrums over.
There are also some very fast players in the Aussie side and England got men over to these players to ensure that tackles went in early. In recent games England have been guilty of standing off of key players and this is what has cost them a few victories. However, the tackles were heavy, well timed and perfectly executed.
Improvements
There are a few improvements that England have to take into the tour against the Kiwis. They must keep their concentration going late on into games. They made a couple of mistakes, which led to penalties and had Matt Giteau kicked perfectly then England would have squandered their advantage and lost the match.
They also need to close the space more effectively. There were plenty of tackles going in on key players but because of this space opened up in other areas of the pitch. Players in golden shirts could wander into these spaces and if the Australian passing had been a little bit better then this could have led to important tries for the home team.
England will need to get a little bit more experience into the side or a young team will get attacked and targeted by the Kiwis. This is critical because Johnson must ensure that the young members of the side do not develop mental scars when playing a country early on in their careers.
Betting Advice
England looked a well organised and tactical team over the weekend but as many people will point out, playing the All Blacks and not a weakened Aussie side is completely different.
England must raise their game against the Kiwis and they will go into the matches as the under dogs. If you fancy a bet on the Kiwis and winning margins then go for them beating England in all matches by around ten to fifteen points. You can always bet in play if you prefer to be a little more conservative and wait to see the pattern of games.
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