Why do England struggle to win games they really should win?

Six Nations champions needed extra-time to squeeze past a second-string France side, leaving Eddie Jones to admit they need to learn how to play with the favourites tag above their head

Owen Farrell left it late to kick the winning points as England defeated France to win the Autumn Nations Cup (EPA)

Amid the fire and brimstone, there was one concern that Eddie Jones admitted was an issue for his side.

The England boss came out swinging over criticism of his side’s lack of adventure, with their sudden-death extra-time victory over France doing little to ease the fear that defence is the new attack in the world of rugby union. But though he found suggestions that England deliberately go out to play a boring brand of rugby “disrespectful” to those who pull on the red rose each week, he did accept that there was a bigger issue to figure out.

It proved to be the burden of the favourites tag, and the shift from being underdogs to a side that is odds-on to win every game it plays. England’s best performances under Jones have come when the odds are stacked against them: the 2016 tour of Australia immediately springs to mind, as does the 2019 Six Nations trip to Dublin and the almighty victory over the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final last year.

But when they are tipped to win convincingly, things don’t seem to go so well. They came unstuck in Wales in the 2019 Six Nations when leading at half-time, and were strongly backed to claim a second World Cup triumph against South Africa only to come up short against the Springboks 13 months ago. Although England have undoubtedly progressed since the Yokohama defeat when it comes to closing out games - the proof came in the 22-19 extra-time win being the very first time England have won a game after trailing at half-time during Jones’s time in charge - it came against a second-string French side that were down to their third- and fourth-choice options in some positions, with 25 first-team player unavailable for selection.

“We have got to learn how to embrace that [favourites tag],” Jones admitted after the Autumn Nations Cup triumph.

READ MORE: England defeat France to win Autumn Nations Cup

“I thought we had taken a step forward and I think we have, but not as big as a step as we would have liked.

“I thought we started the game well but they probably started the game with a higher intensity and they got a few things going their way which allowed them to get on the front foot, and we had to find a way in the second half to regain the game. We did and I am so pleased about the way the players did that.”

There are a few factors that contribute to the concern. The obvious one is leadership. Owen Farrell may have kicked the winning points in the 95th minute, but it is difficult to ignore the four previous misses from the tee that the normally metronomic goal-kicker committed that could have seen his side to a comfortable victory. By his own account, Farrell knew that burden fell on his shoulders, and having to balance the interests of the team with the pressures of being their main source of points - while trying to build a rapport with the referee to give his side the benefit of the doubt on the marginal calls - can sometimes take away from certain areas of his game.

That said, his teammates did not waver in their faith in his ability to deliver under pressure.

“Owen’s a world-class kicker,” said fly-half George Ford. “We have the utmost trust and belief in his game and his kicking, and I’m pretty sure that if he felt like he needed to say something then it would be on him.

“It happens. I’ve been in games before where you miss four or five kicks, but I had no doubt when we got the penalty at the end, he called straight away and he nailed it. I had no doubt he was going to do that and fair play to him for doing that.”

“It takes some real mental strength. Obviously as a goal kicker it’s a type of game within a game, you feel a little bit out there on your own sometimes when you’re kicking for goal. For that to happen, to miss three or four - which I’m sure he’ll fix - to then step up and nail that difficult kick from the left-hand side between the 15 and five, just shows the type of guy he is to do it.”

Ford wasn’t required to take over kicking duties despite Farrell’s uncharacteristic misses, but he was certainly on hand to play an integral part in dragging England to an unlikely victory. With eight minutes to play, the overwhelming pre-match favourites found themselves 19-12 down and looking rather unlikely to cross the whitewash, only for the Leicester fly-half to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

George Ford steered England to victory with two dazzling kicks in the closing stages (AFP via Getty)

It was Ford who triggered a 78th-minute counter-attack, side-stepping the on-rushing Alivereti Raka before linking up with Henry Slade, and once the French wing was caught on the wrong side of the breakdown seconds later, it was Ford who found the five-metre line from near halfway to set-up the lineout that produced Luke Cowan-Dickie’s leveller. The best was yet to come though, as Ford once again isolated Raka with a deep kick that allowed Slade, Elliot Daly and Tom Curry to trap Raka deep in his own 22 and give Maro Itoje the chance to secure the penalty that Farrell eventually kicked to seal the victory.

Ford’s assured performance demonstrated the difference between games in the past where concern has manifested into panic compared to this one, when regardless of opposition England found a way to wriggle out of an uncomfortable position without losing their heads.

“I think the maturity of the team has improved and they now understand that they don't have to be at their best.” evaluated Jones. “If people looked at us 12 months ago they would have looked at us as a flat-track bully, when things were going well our game was powerful, quick and incentive. Now when it is not we were able to find a way to win.

“We’re trying to win games of rugby and we’ve got to find a way to do that, to try to get the ball to the opposition goal line as we can. That’s the aim of the game. Always has been always will be.

“The easiest way at times is to kick the ball, other times is to run the ball. We’re always looking to get the right balance. Would we like to run the ball more? Possibly yes, but not if we’re not going to win games of rugby.”