Sir Graham Henry: England failed at emulating All Blacks

England have been knocked out from the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty

England has paid the price for trying to copy the All Blacks without the skill level to be able to do it.

That's the view of New Zealand's 2011 World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry who said England's effort against Australia today demonstrated they don't have the skills to compete at the highest level.

"It could have been embarrassing," Henry told Newtalk ZB sports host Tony Veitch of the final 33-13 scoreline. "The English boys give it 100 per cent they just simply weren't good enough."

"I think they've been playing the wrong game for a long time. They are trying to simulate the way the All Blacks play and I don't think they have the skill level to do that because they simply don't come from that sort of environment. They've changed their game in recent years and it hasn't been successful.

"So (head coach Stuart) Lancaster will get some stick in the press. He's tried hard Stuart, no doubt about that. He has good standards in his team, good culture but they're not good enough at this level."

Henry agreed the match underlined that Australia is bonafide Cup contender.

"The big thing about the Australians is they have some stability up front and the most embarrassing thing for the English tonight was the way the Australians dominated the scrum. And they got better as the game went on.

That has been their achilles heel in the past and that's why England has beaten them in the past - they couldn't scrum."

Henry hailed the impact former Argentina forward, Mario Ledesma, has had on the Wallabies since being appointed scrum coach.

"He's done a brilliant job. He's turned them around."

Henry also supported his All Blacks successor Steve Hansen who has been at pains to soothe growing anxiety in New Zealand after the muddling win over Georgia, even suggesting the team is holding back so as to not reveal its hand too early in the tournament.

Henry said that made sense.

"I remember coaching the team in 2007, we beat Italy in the first game of the 2007 Rugby World Cup by 90 points, playing outstanding rugby. We just creamed the pool games and got beaten in the quarter finals."

"I think the All Blacks are in great shape because they won't get ahead of themselves, they won't get over confident, they know they're not playing as well as they should, they know they have to get better....what greater situation can you be in?

"I just think they were a wee bit overanxious (against Georgia). When it comes to the big games when there are some real challenges, that will bring the best out the best in them.

"I understand what they are going through. When they get to the quarter final against Ireland or France at the Millennium Stadium, they will be in great shape and they will play well."