Jeremy Guscott column: You’ll have to take it up a notch to beat All Blacks

For a team in transition just eight months ago, it is remarkable to see England's transformation under Eddie Jones and the team's ability to adapt to any given situation.
Taking on one of the so-called ‘big three' in the Southern Hemisphere has always been a massive ask at the end of a long season. Let alone after a World Cup campaign for which training began last July. It is a huge step-up in quality compared to the Six Nations and no England team has sufficiently dealt with those stresses and strains since 2003.
Jones billed the game as a World Cup final, getting the team in the right mindset to win crucial games on three successive weekends. Victory in 2019 is his ultimate goal and while it is early days in Jones' reign, the suggestion is this team will find a few more gears before then.
And they will need to if they are to challenge the All Blacks.
Australia still opened England up too easily at times using the Bernard Foley tunnel-ball to the charging Israel Folau, who then had too much pace and power to be contained by one defender.
However, there are signs that England are adapting as his threat was diminished compared to previous weeks because England were tenacious around the breakdown and blocked the fringes forcing the Wallabies to go wide before they had earned the right to.
And then, with their impressive line speed, they could close down the space and add more pressure. Michael Cheika bulked up his pack looking to dominate the combat area and Will Skelton and Scott Fardy had huge games at the heart of the Aussie pack. But it didn't shake England. There is a new steel to the pack and they again dominated the close-quarters.
By stifling the quick ball, they forced rushed passes and lateral movement which compounded the issue, as Folau found out when he was given a loose ball which led to Mike Brown's try.
If it wasn't for a few first-up missed tackles the victory would have been more comfortable and Paul Gustard will not be happy with some of the soft tries. That said, last week the win was built on aggressive defence, this week the attack also caused problems and the George Ford-Owen Farrell axis looks to have taken another step in its evolution.
I've been very impressed with Ford's mental toughness on this tour.
Yesterday he again displayed the combination of calm head under pressure and full range of playmaking skills to keep England largely in the right areas. He took a few huge hits from the Wallaby back-rowers and just got up and carried on. It's that attitude that Eddie Jones will demand from every man.
They'll enjoy this series win and the statement it's made around the world but focus will soon turn to the autumn internationals and making sure they see off the Wallabies again – and next time it will be the Aussies coming off a long season.
To put in three consecutive high-tempo performances of such athleticism is staggering considering the year they have had and it shows they've made gains already in the fitness stakes. When they take it up another notch they will be able to compete with the All Blacks.
New Zealand still look to have an edge in their ability to attack with fluidity. They are so slick and precise it's like a black wave coming at you. England still have a way to go to match that.
The pack, to a man, have stood up to be counted this series, with heroic displays from Chris Robshaw and James Haskell epitomising Jones' man-management skills.
Young men have stepped up to the Test arena and showed they have no fear – and this pack under Steve Borthwick and Neal Hatley looks in good shape.
Their next opponents will be South Africa in November, another step up in the physicality stakes.
Behind the big men, however, there will be a couple of players who, as they pack away their shirts, will not know whether they'll be putting them on again against the Boks.
Jack Nowell was dropped for the first Test and yesterday his defence was not up to scratch. Folau is a danger runner and Nowell must learn to go lower.
Brown is another in my mind who needs to start the season like a train with Harlequins to keep hold of the No.15 shirt. Anthony Watson continues to impress and Jonathan Joseph made a big statement about his toughness in defence.
There used to be questions over his physicality but not anymore. He had Tevita Kuridrani in his pocket all game.
The removal of Teimana Harrison midway through the first half, like Luther Burrell in the first Test, shows Jones can be ruthless. So, while the whole of his Grand Slam team survived to tour, it will be interesting what the 23 looks like in the autumn. The Ford-Farrell axis is tried and tested and will only get better – but a fully fit and firing Manu Tuilagi is a force to be reckoned with and I'd bet the Leicester man comes into the equation somewhere.
Not only is he a gamebreaker, he would give the dam-busting front-five a rest at times. But with Ford, Farrell and Joseph all on top of their games, it will be an interesting conundrum for Jones.
In a short space of time Jones has turned England from a laughing stock to history men.
A 3-0 clean sweep in Australia is a massive achievement and I've been mightily impressed in how England have gone about rebalancing the rugby world.