Former England head coach Brian Ashton outlines how England can improve their attacking game against Wales at Twickenham next weekend in the Independent.
"At this point, we should remember the remarks of the flanker Tom Croft some weeks ago: those fine words about senior players being prepared to take more responsibility in helping determine style and strategy. Many of the squad, including a good number of the more experienced hands, come from club environments where the qualities under discussion are not first on the agenda. The heavy-duty, collision-bound approach of many Premiership sides does not translate effectively to the international game.
"One of the keys has to be a more enlightened approach to continuity. Contact drills in reduced space on the training field are not the answer: different ball-carrying options need to be explored. There are many ways to test defenders, an example being the use of the early-ball offload, but too often we see what I would describe as the defender's dream: the man in possession running straight into the tackler – frequently more than one tackler – before going to ground for the ensuing free-for-all.
"Establishing and maintaining width on the pitch is, I suspect, another work-on element in England's preparation for their next big game. The English forward mentality of wanting to be herded by the scrum-half into constant round-the-corner rumbles is just about acceptable as an occasional alternative, but entirely unacceptable as a default. Defenders can just as easily herd people into narrow areas of the pitch, from where there is no escape except through the box-kick. A framework is required in which players are encouraged to look up and make informed decisions as to where and how they can best serve the team. At the moment, England's attacking game resembles the Welsh version of a year ago, generally consisting of meandering lateral moves from one touchline to the other."
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