Eddie has to decide what style he wants

JEFF PROBYN

A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME

Now the tours are over, there is a time to rest and time to reflect on the impact the last few weeks have had on the world of rugby and what there is to look forward to.

There can be no doubt that with three of the home Unions playing the SANZA group and Scotland facing an improving Argentina all on the same day, week on week, this was an end of season tour schedule like no other. For the last three weeks we have had a super Saturday every week with everything coming down to the last game of each country's tour. Who would have thought that not one of the tours would be decided until their very last game?

With England, Scotland and Wales desperate for a good showing after a poor Six Nations, where France and Ireland dominated, this was a chance to boost morale, not just amongst the fans but also the players. As the last tour before RWC2023, it was the last chance for the players and coaches to show they are ready for the challenges that lay ahead.

For Ireland, who completed their historic series victory over the All Blacks with a fine win in Wellington, it has shown how the players have moved forward under Andy Farrell, with a slight nod to Leinster and Stuart Lancaster. This series win puts them as currently the most likely team of the Home Nations to lift the World Cup, if they can maintain their current form and keep their players injury free, especially Johnny Sexton. The importance of Sexton to this team cannot be overstated with his on-field decision making proving to be essential to Farrell's game plan and Ireland's success.

Wales can take comfort from their first Test three-point loss and their second Test one-point win which were both played at altitude. But they will be disappointed at the loss in Cape Town. Unfortunately for Wales, the Boks were the side that showed the greatest improvement of the SANZA nations as their players re-adjusted to playing back at home in South Africa. As the SANZA country with probably the most players currently plying their trade in Europe, it was obvious that it would take a while for the world champions to hit form. However, they did that in the last game by overpowering a gallant Welsh side .

Scotland, on the other hand, capitulated in the dying seconds of their final Test succumbing to the Argentinian flair. Now that's something I didn't expect to say, as Argentina are famous for their forward game but the Rugby Championship has changed them a lot as Scotland found to their cost.

Gregor Townsend now has a mammoth task to get his team up to speed for the autumn games and Six Nations, let alone the World Cup.

Meanwhile, England brought home the goods with a series win that, although seemingly against the odds, was always on the cards.

Having beaten Australia in every game since Jones took over as coach, until this summer's first Test in Perth, it is proof his inside knowledge of the players and coaches has been invaluable to England.

Add to that the slow rebuild that has been taking place in Australian rugby with inconsistent results over the last few years. They were also not helped by the loss of nine first choice players in the first two games, and it became obvious that England should win the decider.

The slow start by England gave the Australians a chance to build an unassailable lead but unfortunately for the Wallabies, and probably as a result of the disruption to the team created by the high number of injuries, they committed a series of basic errors which saw England go in at half-time with a one point lead.

Wonder try: Marcus Smith scores against Australia in Third Test

Even Marcus Smith's match winning wonder try came from an Australian error at the lineout. I am not trying to undermine the efforts of the players in completing a turnaround to win the series, but to say this was good for the development of the squad is a massive overstatement. England still have many obstacles to overcome before they can achieve the consistent level of performance to win.

With Owen Farrell, below, dominating the decision making role, Smith is being sidelined as a ‘bit player' who seldom gets to control or influence the game. Jones has to make up his mind as to what style of game he wants England to play and choose which of his play makers control the game. For all the talk of young players, it was the experience of the pack that actually made the difference and got England the result.

Jones is no fool. He will take the plaudits and praise his ‘young' side but he knows it wasn't England that won the series, it was Australia that lost. By the time we get to the autumn games the boot will be on the other foot with the SANZA countries at the end of their season and ours just starting. England don't play Australia this autumn, so it will be Scotland that the Australians face in the first game with a lot riding on how each team has adapted to the disappointment of defeat.

One thing for sure is that Courtney Lawes has proved himself the captain to take England forward. Unlike Farrell, he has a calmness about him that doesn't get under the skin of the referees and so in a game being more and more dominated by the man in the middle, it's that which counts in Lawes' favour.