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For England, Australia lurk like a snake in the Outback. Many an unfortunate trekker has learnt the hard way about taking one’s eye off the ball: a moment of complacency, an unchecked boot, pain aplenty or worse.
Test rugby’s bite can be just as deadly. Steve Borthwick’s side are already counting the cost of a year of missed opportunities, their proclamations of progress somewhat evident but harder to believe as the failings recur. In each of their last three outings, England were in control against New Zealand at some point in the second half only to let the opportunity slip. The figures are stark – three points in an aggregate hour across the final quarters of each encounter – and even if each has had its own characteristics, there is recognition in the ranks that it is time to step up.
“We can’t be making excuses. As players we have to step up and be more consistent,” flanker Tom Curry said this week, a sometimes circuitous talker entirely forthright.
“We won’t make promises, but we’ve not been good enough. In the last quarter we as players definitely have to stand up. It’s about the full 80 minutes.
“We obviously made mistakes and we’ve recognised that. There’s stuff we were doing in the last quarter that we’re not doing in the first 60. Discipline-wise, we let ourselves down. At 40 minutes it was one penalty conceded, two penalties at 60 minutes and then at 80 minutes it had built up (to seven in total).
“There’s nothing coming externally that we haven’t heard. We’ve had all the right messages from the coaches. We as players need to step up. There are no excuses.”
While pushing the All Blacks close may have done just enough to satisfy the Allianz Stadium spectators, this encounter carries an altogether different expectation level. Since the 2015 World Cup, England have come to dominate this old rivalry, losing just once in 11 meetings, while the Rugby Championship showed that the Wallabies are still searching for a path forward after the disastrous reappointment of Eddie Jones.
But the potency and poison that Australia can summon clearly remains. This may be a side short of confidence, form and consistency but for sheer athletic talent the ceiling is high. It can be seen best in a beautifully balanced back row, where the increasingly influential Harry Wilson and breakdown menace Fraser McReight are ever more effective forces alongside the ever-willing Rob Valetini.
The sky-high potential is also evident in their much-trumpeted new recruit. For a code in need of an injection of life in a British and Irish Lions year and with a World Cup on the horizon, the recruitment of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from the National Rugby League has been a shot in the arm. The 21-year-old has come at a significant cost to a union not blessed with deep cash reserves but in poaching one of rugby league’s top talents, a statement has been made.
His installation in the starting side is telling in many ways. Suaalii has never played a senior game of rugby union but is trusted in the centres immediately in part due to a lack of options, with Hunter Paisami absent through injury and Samu Kerevi deemed not quite ready. As the 17th debutant of the year, he is yet more evidence of a side still searching for direction under Schmidt.
Yet there will also have been pressure, perhaps internal and external, to give Suaalii a chance given what lies ahead. These four Tests are Australia’s last before the Lions series next summer – if the new recruit is to play a significant role a la Israel Folau in 2013, he will have to get up to speed quickly.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for a young man who is really excited to get the chance,” Schmidt said of his new centre. “I guess for us there are four Test matches left this year before we embark on a massive Lions series next year. If not now, when?
“I think it makes some sense for him to play. It’s unlikely it’ll go perfectly, but it will be a benchmark that he can build from. The thing that gives me confidence around Joseph is how well he prepares himself. He’s a very professional young man and hopefully he can hit the ground running.”
Alongside Kerevi, there is also no place in Schmidt’s side for another overseas-based star in lock Will Skelton. His omission reduces the sheer magnitude of the force coming England’s way in skirmishes both at the set piece and in the open field, but Australia have the personnel to enact a power play.
This has become another huge week for Borthwick, still finding his way as an international coach but beginning to run out of learning rope. It has been a testing few days for the Cumbrian, who has dealt with the criticism of his in-game management in his typical anodyne yet amiable way. There will be frustration, though, that his side do not have more than two wins to show for six consecutive strong performances – making this a fixture England probably cannot afford to lose.
“Studying [Australia], over the last couple of months you’ve seen a team that’s really developed some severe strengths,” Borthwick said on Tuesday after naming an unchanged starting side. “The preparation has been good.
“The players came off the back of Saturday’s game and the immediate emotions were disappointment and frustration. But there are also the emotions of the positive nature of a load of things we did. I assume that we can get better and that’s what the players have embraced this week.
“Our supporters were exceptional. Our players talked to me about the atmosphere they felt on Saturday, which was incredible. It was one of the best atmospheres they have ever felt at our home. We aim for that this Saturday. We aim to put in another performance they are proud of.”
