After a week without match reports due to travelling and games being inconsiderately scheduled for when I was at work, I settled down to watch England vs Romania knowing full well that there would be a lot to write on. England would either be rampant, or would continue to frustrate.
It was a lightning start by Johnson's men, good hands against a Romanian side who seemed to be as offside as the Irish in their prime. Wilkinson kicked an early penalty, and you could have argued that that was game over. A couple of penalties against England at the breakdown led to thoughts of the indiscipline that had replaced, thank God, stories of dwarf throwing, kissing blondes and bungee jumping in the written press this week.
Danger threatened each time they got their hands on the ball. Only a pass adjudged slightly forward stopped a first try after a third break in 8 minutes from Tuilagi. But solid defence, allied to astute slowing down of the ball by the Romanians, kept them out once more. Penalised at the breakdown once more, Romania gave England a chance to set-up a driving maul, at which they were penalised again but from the resulting line-out, England finally ghosted through the offside defence and Ashton fed Cueto, who went over wide out for a score which Wilkinson failed to convert.
Romania were playing anti-rugby at any opportunity, and with Poite having a confused first 20, they got away with it to a large extent. Penalised though finally after three phases where they could have been, Youngs tapped and went, and the ball arrived in Cueto's arms for his and England's second try. Wilkinson converted this time to make it 15-0.
England once beat Romania 134-0 at Twickenham, and while this game was never going to be as one-sided as that, England were looking to build on the base they had given themselves and run away as South Africa and Australia had done earlier in the week. England were noticeably sharper at the breakdown, and Youngs and Ashton sniping at every available opportunity, the ball went through hands, somewhat laboured on this occasion, for Cueto's hat-trick try in the corner, which was approved by the TMO. It had taken 5 minutes longer than Adam Ashley-Cooper's record yesterday but a 12 minute hat-trick was a reasonable return to the side.
England's efforts were much better both at the breakdown and with ball in hand. From the top of the line-out, Haskell fed Wilkinson, who, with a neat and easy inside pass, fed Ashton who flew over to get himself on the board after watching fellow wing Cueto go over 3 times. Wilkinson converted this one, and virtually from the kick off, Youngs again broke through, and, this time through Thompson and Deacon, fed Ashton, who made it Cueto 3 Ashton 2. Wilkinson made it 4 kicks from 6 from the corner, as he seemed to be returning to something like his best form.
Deacon was penalised from the kick-off for obstruction, and Dumbrava ensured that the ignominy of the whitewash was avoided as he converted the penalty, before Dumitras pushed a second chance wide of the posts from halfway and after a brainless Thompson penalty Dumbrava hit the post, as Romania ended the half on a relative high. Half Time: England 34 Romania 3
20 seconds after the restart, Youngs was fed by Tuilagi and joined the ever-growing list of scorers, Flood, who had replaced Wilkinson at half-time, failed with the conversion. Romania opted to try for 3 yet again as England conceded 2 quick penalties, but Dumbrava was off line once more.
It was England who seemed like they would score every time they got the ball, and they got it right for a 7th try, when Tuilagi took a flat ball and fed Foden, who went under the sticks allowing Flood to convert easily.
Romania then threatened England's line for a good 4 minutes, but England stood firm, and fair, and allowed Youngs to clear. The pack were dominant, the backs incisive, but changes seemed to break the rhythm, and indeed when Thompson was replaced by Mears, they had used their entire squad in a little over 2 and a half games.
Youngs then tapped again, before feeding Tuilagi, who broke a tackle and went over for his first score, and England's 8th of an increasingly one-way evening. Flood's conversion made it 53-3. Romania missed another penalty, a bizarre option when led by 50 points, before the 2 wingers got involved again and sent Croft in in the corner. Flood succeeded once more, and he did again three minutes later after Palmer and the excellent Haskell fed the ubiquitous Ashton, who finished his own hat-trick in rather less exuberant fashion than we have been accustomed to.
There were still 9 minutes to go, and Armitage should have been given his chance, but Poite played an inexplicably long advantage and called play back for a Romania scrum. Another knock-on saw Ashton brought back as England pushed for one more score. In a breathless end to things, both sides threatened, but neither could cross the line, and England settled for a multi-try performance, with slightly increased discipline.
Full Time: England 67 Romania 3
Better discipline from England, and with their two finishers starring with a hat-trick apiece. Ashton and Cueto have both had relatively try-less periods in recent times, and confidence must be returning to both. Tuilagi continues to find his feet at International level, but Tindall looked ponderous at times again in the centre, a mile from his performance against ireland in Dublin some weeks back. The pack was never really tested, but Haskell must surely have done enough to show Martin Johnson that Easter is the past.
What can you say about Romania? They were rugged, had a game plan to slow everything down and infringe where they could, and it worked as the referee missed a lot of offside and hands in the ruck. They missed several kicks at goal which could have put a gloss on the scoreboard, but frankly they were trounced by an England side who probably should have scored more than the ten tries they managed.
Not a lot more than an acceptable piece of progress for the English, who if not playing unopposed, were at times strolling. Cue the ITV platitudes, and how England were a World Cup force once more. Poppycock. Games like this tell you nothing of a side's ability to win World Cup's, the experts should be aware of this surely!
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