England Yet To Find Their Feet

The word from the England camp this week has been surprisingly bullish given the disappointing start that Martin Johnson’s side have made at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Now with two matches under their belts in Pool B, they have a grand total of nine points to their name – a statistic that belies their difficulties both on and off the park since arriving in the country back at the start of the month.

Against Argentina, England were shabby and disorganised and only just managed to carve out a win despite Jonny Wilkinson spectacularly misfiring with the boot; and on Sunday at the Otago Stadium in Dunedin they were left feeling grateful that Georgian fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili was equally inept in front of goal meaning that the team ranked 16th in the world were actually somewhat unlucky not to be ahead at half-time given the eleven penalties England conceded in that opening 40 minute period. Those looking at the Rugby World Cup betting odds will know England need to raise their game.

The second half performance was a vast improvement – so much so that they racked up their first bonus point of the tournament so that they remained ahead of Scotland at the top of the group – but it certainly wasn’t the sort of display that would leave the powerhouses of the southern hemisphere trembling in their boots. However, some good news on that front came courtesy of Ireland’s victory over Australia on Saturday – a result that now means England shouldn’t come up against any Tri-Nations opposition until the final, something that has had a big impact on the Rugby World Cup betting.

Maybe it was this piece of news that saw Jonny Wilkinson come out swinging at any suggestion that he and his fellow squad members do not have what it takes to lift the Webb Ellis trophy next month.

“We’ve got fantastic players, a fantastic schedule and an enormous amount of enthusiasm… Like the last World Cup, there are games anyone can win – it’s about putting in a performance on the day,” he said.

England are not playing to their potential – that is beyond question – but to be underperforming and still topping their group is a position many sides would gladly be in. Time is still on their side, but with Romania beckoning this weekend, massive improvement is required – and required immediately.