Rugby World Cup: England's outside backs produce tense game

Chris Ashton of England scores a try. Photo / Sarah Ivey

By all accounts England quite fancy their outside backs at this World Cup. But against anything approaching decent opposition, they must be concerned about their ability to pass them the ball.

On a mucky night at Eden Park, the men in white took their first bit of tidy possession and booted a low kick-pass across the field to Chris Ashton's wing. The theme for the night was set.

Nothing came of that kick - nor most of the heap that followed - and Ashton was all at sea a few minutes later as the Scots returned the favour.

There was much talk during the week about David Sole and the slow march on to Murrayfield - 1990 and all that. And in the first half at least, it seemed ideas about what to do on attack hadn't progressed much since then.

The best attacking moments last night owed more to Culloden than Cullen.

The first five-eighths's boot was the preferred method of getting the ball into the wingers' hands.

Left wing Delon Armitage's frame and experience means he is well suited to chase-and-regather. But his frame looked altogether more menacing when he opened the second half with a charge down the left flank that could have produced - of all things - a try.

It fell to Ashton on the other flank to bag a try. Like Armitage, Ashton is big and coolheaded, which in the type of rugby England play - and in the knockout ahead - is plenty.

Other than a flappy-armed punch, kicking and chasing, Ashton's night was subdued until the 78th minute.

With six tries at the tournament , the league convert is just two dives off the record (held by Jonah Lomu and Bryan Habana). His high-jumping finishes raised some eyebrows against Pool B tiddlers Georgia and Romania, but the high plunge hints at a personality type well-stocked with the kind of confidence England like.

Since bringing him into the side in 2008, Martin Johnson has stood by Armitage through some ropey form and two bans.

It's easy to see what Johnson likes about Armitage. He's big and as quick as most international wings. He's smart too. He thundered off his mark to make timely early tackles and tidied up a late bomb admirably.

In a tense match, Armitage was probably the pick of the Englishmen and Ashton sealed the result. Not a bad return.