"Getting a win at Twickenham" – Maro Itoje eyes up a home triumph against the Wallabies after All Blacks heartbreak
Yesterday at 12:47 PM
England vice captain Maro Itoje is eager to right the wrongs of this past weekend, after his side succumbed to a defeat against the All Blacks. Itoje is adamant this England men’s team has what it takes to secure their first win at the re-named Allianz Stadium, after the Red Roses recorded the first England win at the re-christened stadium this past September against the Black Ferns.
Itoje hammered home how he has a victory in his sights, as England host Australia in the second match of the Autumn Nations Series this Saturday. After a gut-punch of a defeat to New Zealand saw England squander an eight-point lead for an eventual loss, the Saracen ensured that his side’s main priority is giving the England fans plenty to cheer about at the final whistle.
“I am looking forward to getting a win at Twickenham, that's what I am looking forward to. That's the most important thing.” Itoje said. “They (Australia) are obviously a very talented team and we have played Australia loads but for me the biggest thing is getting a win.”
“We will get it. We will get it. We have to lick our wounds and take our medicine at the moment but this team is building in a positive direction. I have been part of a few teams and you get a sense of when a team is moving in the right direction. We have had some agonising losses.
“You guys will have seen those games. But I think even you guys can see this is a different team to what it was 18 months ago with the way we play, the endeavour and I think unfortunately we will have to take our medicine now but I think we will get it.”
England were left heart-broken in the closing stages against the All Blacks, as two missed kicks from George Ford proved costly to the overall result. The Sale Sharks fly half hit the post off a match winning penalty in the penultimate minute, before sending a penalty wide of the sticks to bring the match to a close. Itoje expressed how his side could have been feeling far brighter had fate fallen their way, with the intention of not having such minuscule margins decide Test matches in the future.
“We got ourselves in a position to win the game and we didn't win the game. In a couple of key areas we were not as clinical. I thought we played with loads of passion. I thought we played lots of attacking rugby but today wasn't our day. Common theme in late losses?I think the growth of this team, which I think I said it earlier in the week, is to turn these tight losses into tight victories and then bigger victories with bigger margins further down the line.
“We probably didn't control field possession as well as we could have but that being said we got ourselves in a position to win the game if certain things went our way. We had a drop goal at the end and if that went over we would be in jubilation right now. We got ourselves in a position to win the game but we didn't win the game so that's what we need to make sure we are a bit tighter and not give them points where it can be avoided.”
“I think we obviously fell short and have done a couple of times against these guys. I think we are close. I think we are very close. We're not getting it as of late but I think we are very close. I think as a team once we get a bit wiser in finishing off these games I think we will grow and grow and grow. The key thing for us to do that quicker rather than later.”
“That set play (George Ford missed drop goal) didn't necessarily go as planned. We are playing a good team. The endeavour is to have a solid set piece, then go round the corner, then get forward, get on the front foot. It didn't quite work out like that.”
England have started to garner some criticism, for taking their foot off the gas towards the end of the matches. This was certainly witnessed on the Summer tour, as New Zealand claimed two comeback wins, with recent history rearing it’s head for the start of the Autumn Nations Series this past weekend. Itoje commented on the concern, and expressed how his side are not one that want to scrape by to the 80th minute.
“We want to attack games. We want to attack games at the start of the game and we want to attack at the end. It is not necessarily a healthy way to play the game just to make it to the final whistle. That's not how we try to play. At the same time, we need to be smart, play field position and the core plays need to be robust. That's the growth of this team to make sure we are more robust.”
Despite the defeat, Itoje reinforced how England continue upon their mission to grow with another hard fought loss to the All Blacks. This match was by no means a heavy defeat in favour of Scott Robertson’s side, as the Saracen took the positives away from a disappointing end at the Allianz. Itoje shared the message that was said in the full-time huddle, as England banded together and left the pitch with their heads held high.
“We are close. With a tight loss, we can either feel sorry for ourselves or get back on the saddle. There are still loads of things we did right and loads of things that we are proud of in terms of how we played, in terms of the endeavour, in terms of how we controlled field position for a large part of the game. It did not feel like we were playing a team that was by far better than us and we were surviving. We actually felt we deserved to win the game but ultimately we didn't and that's the most important thing.”
“I think we are growing in the right areas of the game, how aggressive we are in attack and I think the general feel of confidence and vibe amongst the players. Sometimes in the past when we lost, it was clear losses and we were clutching at straws. I don't feel we are clutching at straws. We lost but we're close. We put ourselves in a position to win the game. Ultimately we did not win the game and that is all that matters. But I do feel like we are genuinely moving in the right direction.”
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