Matt Dawson column: 'England's defeat is not the end of the world'
- Published
England's performance against Argentina was scrappy and frustrating.
They were inaccurate in their handling and, not for the first time, one-dimensional in their tactical thinking.
But, there has to be some balance and perspective.
The defeat by the Pumas is not the end of the world. It may even help the team's trajectory towards the rest of the autumn, the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup next year.
You could see from the start that England had a set idea about how the game was going to be played and the best way to win it.
They had seen the wet conditions and opted for low-risk rugby with the ball in hand. They trucked the ball up around the fringe with one-out runners, making use of their heavy-duty carriers.
Number eight Billy Vunipola had 15 carries, more than any other player. Prop Kyle Sinckler was not far behind on 12.
But it seemed to be an end in itself, rather than being used to open up space elsewhere.
Argentina's team were perfectly suited to soaking up the wave of power attacks, with the likes of Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera excellent.
There was plenty of ball and go forward, but England were inaccurate and lateral when it came to exploiting gaps elsewhere.
Genge, seated wearing a bib, has promised some "slightly uncomfortable" conversations will be held in the wake of England's defeat
There was never a sniff of an overlap, you never felt the excitement of a wing being able to take on his opposite number.
That is at odds with how the club game has been going in the Premiership. Teams like Northampton, Saracens or Harlequins are ruthless at finding chinks in defences and making it count on the scoreboard.
If England were not going to be adventurous with the ball, it would have been better to play without it.
When they found they weren't building enough of a cushion on the scoreboard, England could have switched up their kicking game.
Instead of looking to compete and regain the ball, they could have sacrificed possession for territory, kicked deep and asked Argentina if they could play out from deep in their half with a greasy ball.
That would create the chances for turnovers and penalties within sight of the line.
But, not for the first time, there was an inability to take the initiative and read the flow of the match mid-game.
England didn't seem to be able to recognise the pressure they were coming under from the opposition and find a solution. They seemed to be waiting for instruction rather than taking the game by the scruff of the neck.
They had control of the game, but not the scoreboard and they sleepwalked into a dangerous situation where they were vulnerable to a lapse in concentration or a purple patch from the Pumas.
Coach Eddie Jones has talked about building resilience and adaptability. In September he visited US Navy Seals, external to learn about how they react to the unexpected and still get missions accomplished.
His England team still have some way to go on that.
Collectively it was a disappointing day, the result dictated that, but individually I think there were plus points.
Emiliano Boffelli scored 25 of Argentina's points in a superb performance
Wing Joe Cokanasiga was the stand-out in the backs. He was busy, hungry for the ball, broke the line and linked well with his team-mates.
Debutant Alex Coles was dynamic and ran good, clever lines to get past that tight Argentine defence. His kick-off gathering was messy, but that was true of his team in general.
Overall it was a wake-up call to England. Mentally they didn't look switched on enough, they were short of urgency and intensity.
This week, vice captain Ellis Genge has promised some "uncomfortable conversations" are going to take place ahead of Saturday's meeting with Japan.
The Brave Blossoms will be another tricky opponent, New Zealand and South Africa will represent a step up.
At points in the game on Sunday, England looked like they needed someone inside the team to give them a verbal 'kick up the backside' to clear their heads and get them thinking clearly.
That defeat will have done the job just as well.
I'm not writing England off for this autumn, never mind the Six Nations or Rugby World Cup next year.
Matt Dawson was speaking to BBC Sport's Mike Henson
Messi as you've never seen him before: A wide-reaching documentary about the legendary footballer
SAS Rogue Heroes: Watch the incredible new drama from the creator of Peaky Blinders
