England v Ireland

How the mighty are fallen...

England look a shadow of their former selves. Not the side that got thumped all over the park in November, but certainly of the 2003 generation and even the 2008 generation. Not helped by a boss who seems to have forgotten the rules of rugby... take it into a maul and it's use it or lose it, and he's complaining because his maul went forward then stalled and they lost the ball.

The total lack of ambition and creativity that appeared against Italy was back, once more, and against a side like Ireland there needs to be both to make space and chances. In fact, if you think back to Wales, there wasn't anything creative there so much as Wales self-destructing.

Ireland deserved to win. England defended for the most part well, but as I wrote only a couple of hour ago of the Italy v Scotland match, a good defence is no longer enough. The better sides, which I'm not sure really include Ireland any longer, can unpick the defences - Ireland really only created 3 good chances because of poor conditions and stiffling (illegally so in my opinion) defence, but those 3 good chances turned into 3 tries and the points that scored the victory.

But Ireland are no longer looking good, in fact I might go so far as to say they are looking poor. I'm not quite sure why - sure the conditions today didn't really help, but I'm suspecting that it's old bones and that experience that clicked so well last year for the "golden generation" is turning more into "golden girls" territory as the spirit is willing but the body is just too slow, taking that extra second or two to recover from the last burst of effort and so on. Rugby is one of those odd games where experience makes a huge difference but it can suddenly click from experience into being too slow. In many other sports you'd expect a player to find their feet after 10 caps or so, in rugby 10 caps is inexperienced still... 25 or so is established, 80+ is experienced but over 100 is rare. Ireland are clicking that 100 barrier with 3 or 4 players and I think they're too old rather than experienced... it's a shame to say it of them but I think they've shot their bolt and they're in decline.

Johnno and Johnny will be under fire tomorrow I'm sure. Johnno won't be sacked - he might deserve it or not, but who would you replace him with at this point in the RWC cycle? He'll stay until the cup and then they'll get shot of him asap unless he pulls off a miracle. He might decide to fall on his sword but I doubt it - my feeling is that the confidence that goes with his career as a player is giving him a false air of confidence, tipping into arrogance, about his ability as a manager.

Johnny Wilkinson though... there is a lot of commentary saying it's up to the 9 and 12 too - which in some ways it is. But he's still making poor choices when it is clearly his choice. Then he's failing to demand quality ball from 10, demand the 12 be in an attacking position. If you watch Wales, Ireland, South Africa, even New Zealand, the 10 runs the game in those aspects too. In France it's more of a 9-10 partnership and the 9 as le petit general, in New Zealand the 12 as second five-eighth can take control but he's often an outlet, other-footed kicker rather than the primary shot caller. Wilkinson seems to have lost his confidence in his ability to read the game properly - or perhaps he's feeling too constrained by the style of play the manager wants - and that is spilling over into his ability to control the players around him.

Apparently Johnno wants stability. He can be stable and pick the same side for France and get stuffed in two weeks time. Maybe that will open his eyes? England really failed to execute from 6 to 15, and struggled at 2 as well. Maybe they just all had a synchronised bad day... it can happen. But you'd have to say that 8, 10, 12 have been poor throughout this campaign and through the November tests. How many chances do you give them?