“The balance isn’t right,” begins Ben Youngs, a scrum-half who has enough England caps (127) and has put up enough box-kicks – thousands, probably – for you to pay attention.
England are coming off back-to-back one-point wins in the Six Nations, when it looked as though they were stuck in the habit of losing those tight matches. “We won the game and people are still upset about it,” loosehead pro Ellis Genge sighed last week.
As noted by Youngs, at half-time France and Scotland must have been in the Allianz Stadium away dressing room wondering how on earth they were not further ahead. To England’s credit, how they scrapped and adapted in those second halves to come out on top felt like positive growth. But beyond any criticism? Of course not.
“England found a way and you have to commend that. You need that fight, that dog,” explains Youngs. You can sense there is a “but” coming... “It was a tough watch at times. I will never shun beating Scotland but, equally, I get why people are frustrated. The people who come to Twickenham will have a club and are familiar with their club’s players, so when they see them out there [with England] they think ‘I don’t really recognise that guy’. That is where the frustration comes.”
‘It was boring playing for Eddie Jones’
Youngs understands it because he has lived it, as a scrum-half under first Eddie Jones and then Steve Borthwick. As he explains: “You have to understand Steve’s psyche. He is a risk-averse coach, he tries to mitigate all risk of losing a Test match.”
Under Jones, England adopted such a heavy kick-first strategy that Youngs makes a frank admission about that time. “It was boring to play in.”
This is why he sympathises with England’s current scrum-half Alex Mitchell, describing the free-running, attack-minded Mitchell everyone is used to from Northampton Saints, and the version dutifully doing his bit in the kicking game for England while attacking with the handbrake on, as being like “two different people”.
Harry Randall, the zippy Bristol and England scrum-half, is another example, sending up box-kicks when, as Youngs notes, that is not his strength. “His speed of ball is exceptional. He is there to take people on, lift tempo, bring that zest and speed of ball, finding runners. That is his game.”
What is that like, I want to know, having to suppress those instincts to stay loyal to the system.
“You have to be aware that the coaches might see it on an outcome basis. If the edge [going wide] is on and you fail to execute, they might not see it as the edge being on, they’ll probably see it as you took the risk and it didn’t come off, so it wasn’t on. You have to understand the coaches might see it in a different light,” Youngs explains.
“I’ve been coached by Steve and had him at the back end of my career, when I was at a different stage of how I saw the game. You’d be mad to think that England aren’t trying to get the best version of Alex [Mitchell], the one you see at Northampton. Fin Smith, Marcus Smith and all those guys. When you look at it like that, are they being given enough freedom? Does the structure have enough wiggle room for these guys to do their thing?
Players would benefit from greater freedom
“There are parts of Test rugby where you need your structures and kicking game to get out of your half. But equally you look at some of the best teams in the world, there are always moments of individual brilliance. We have guys that can do that. We’re probably not giving them an opportunity or platform to do that.”
The end of the Jones era, when England in an almost knee-jerk reaction decided the way to overcome their World Cup final defeat was to try and play like South Africa, was full of “really high kicking”, as Youngs puts it. Data supplied by Sage – Youngs is an ambassador – therefore become vital to measure the hang time of his strikes. It went against his natural game.
“That was the gameplan and instructions and you kind of go with it, but a lot of us look unrecognisable. I have been on the other side of it and it’s hard. You believe you can bring a lot more. You believe you can influence the game more and create more opportunities. You believe that what you’re currently putting it out there is OK, but you’re capable of so much more. As a player that becomes frustrating.”
Youngs and Dan Cole, his partner on their For The Love Of Rugby podcast, have animatedly discussed England’s attacking bugbears in recent weeks. Their podcast is enjoyable, trying to share the experiences while breaking the game down “in layman’s terms”. Currently he believes that England are set up to “create an arm-wrestle”, rather than to blow sides off the park. Cole, recently suggested that Youngs was being “a little bit negative” about England’s attack, adding: “I don’t think England are going to run it from their own goal line.” He is probably right, but fans may be disheartened to hear it being said out loud by someone who was in camp as recently as the middle of November.
Youngs has a different take. “Everything is still a decision. If you are five metres from your own line and you take the three-on-one, you take it because that is the option. But that has to come from the top down, that you are comfortable to make that [call], you know? You have to be backed to do that,” Youngs adds. “There are a lot of instinctive players out there. If the three-on-one is there, take the edge, don’t boot it. I have always backed that as much as there is a structure and a gameplan frame, everything is still a decision. If it’s on to go, you’ve got to go.”
Maybe the Italy game will be when England loosen up a bit but their issues against Scotland were arguably around attacking execution rather than intent, with key offloads not going to hand. Why? “Not enough cohesion,” Youngs replies. “So, either not enough time on it, or guys aren’t just comfortable in what they’re being asked to do. I can’t put my finger on it.” Perhaps everyone will have some answers on Sunday.
As for Youngs, now 35, his contract with Leicester expires at the end of the season. He could stay another year, retire, or possibly move abroad. Hearing him discuss those “boring” final years with England casts a shadow. Hopefully his successors in the number nine shirt do not end up feeling the same way.
Ben Youngs hosted media at a smart ball session with Sage. Sage is the Official Insights Partner of The Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations, enhancing the fan, player and coach experience through innovative technology and insights into the game. Discover more rugby insights and how Sage can support your business at https://sage.com/rugby.
