Sean Fitzpatrick: Don't underestimate the English challenge

Mike Ford. Photo / Getty Images

By the time this is read, we'll know the result of the test against England but, regardless of that outcome, no one should underestimate the strength of the English challenge for next year's World Cup.

They are going through some changes in the game, which most of us assume will place them at some disadvantage compared to the All Blacks, but that isn't necessarily so.

Let's go back to that test match against Australia in Hong Kong last weekend. I learned a few things there.

Being there live made me appreciate even more the skill levels and the intensity with which both teams played the game. It was quite phenomenal.

The speed, the pace of recycling and the physical play at the contact area ... again, it was breathtaking sometimes.

After the match, you didn't hear Robbie Deans complaining about the All Blacks killing the ball any more. That's because the Australians have learned how to contest at the breakdown. It made a huge difference to them.

They put more bodies into the breakdown. In the Premiership in England, the opposite is happening.

Teams here have reacted to the new law interpretations differently. They are putting fewer people in at the breakdown and then spread their defence.

It is a very defence-oriented approach and they do it so they don't get penalised at the breakdown.

The way they read it is the interpretation has changed from the attacking side getting penalised more to the defending side being pinged. So they try to reduce the penalty count against them by committing fewer people to the breakdown so things are more transparent to the referee and fewer offences are committed.

It's not necessarily the wrong way. It's just different.

It may be too that they learn from the All Blacks as Australia did. If they do, they will be a dangerous opponent at RWC 2011 next year.

There is a further word of warning.

Right across the Premiership, teams are concentrating on making a huge effort to lift fitness levels across the board. They have realised they are way behind when it comes that type of rugby.

So, England might not be ready quite yet, but do not underestimate their ability to get there.

We also should not be fooled by remarks like those from England defence coach Mike Ford before the test against the Al Blacks.

He seemed to pour cold water on all the high-scoring test matches and Tri Nations matches from the point of view, often expressed in the northern hemisphere, that they don't seem like 'real' test matches; close and with lower scorelines.

"Everyone's talking about how many tries there are and how exciting it is," said Ford. "But we are confident we can stop that."

We scoff at that because we are all brought up as rugby players developing the skills in backyards and school playgrounds - we naturally, philosophically embrace an open style of rugby.

That's another reason why the All Blacks have done well this season.

But I would remind youthat defence is what the All Blacks have built their house on - on not having the ball. That came first, and the attacking stuff came later.

Go back to last Saturday night and look again what the Australians learned. They were exposed a little by Quade Cooper and the fact that he can't tackle, but they had done their work on defence too. They got up fast and they were competitive, especially on attack.

I can think, therefore, of no reason why the English should not be competitive themselves, come 2011.

Or perhaps one reason - they simply don't play as many quality test matches as our guys.

The All Blacks play 15 or so internationals every year. They are together for getting close to 30 weeks a year.

The English play 30-odd games in the Premiership and only seven or eight internationals of quality. That's not their fault. It is the way the game is structured there. But it could be a telling factor.