Winning ugly, it is said, is a hallmark of great sides, but it can be an indicator of an average one, too. What, then, are England, who have one foot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after beating Japan? For 60 minutes on Sunday, they produced a performance that only a mother could love – but a final quarter acceleration ensured they took five pool points away from a tricky evening.
It may depend on how you view a Rorschach contest of a game and the merits of England’s kick pressure strategy. Take the positives, as England were understandably inclined to afterwards, and a bonus point win was job very much done. Japan are not the force of four years ago but produced a stern defensive showing for good periods of the fixture. Their trademark attacking invention tested England’s own ramparts, but these held firm – one try conceded in two games is an excellent return.
