Australia's performance in knocking hosts England out of the Rugby World Cup was an abject lesson in how to play rugby at its most skillful. England may have more players and more money than any other rugby playing nation in the world, but that matters little if the fundamental joy of how to play the game is missing.
Australasian kids grow up with a mindset to attack. The sleight of hand and creation of space at full speed that led to Bernard Foley's second try, with key roles played by Will Genia and Kurtley Beale, was something the English backline could only dream of doing.
The virtuoso 20-point win is World Cup-winning form and the All Blacks will have watched and worried. It was athleticism over brawn, fast-paced skill v robotic logic, natural ball-runners looking to score tries v forwards and penalty goals.
The Wallabies used to have a weak scrum, but no longer. They humiliated England in the final few scrums.
David Pocock's performance in winning so many turnovers at the breakdown was a master class reminiscent of a younger Richie McCaw. But England played into his hands with how slowly they moved from phase to phase, and their strange commitment to playing the pedestrian Rob Bradshaw at openside flanker. Also watch how slowly England halfback Ben Youngs clears the ball - it is almost playing by numbers and to order.
