Will Greenwood calls out Ben Earl incident against the All Blacks, it proved costly
Rugby NewsSunday, 03 November 2024 at 09:19
Former England centre Will Greenwood has spotlighted Ben Earl's tackling as a key factor in England’s narrow loss to the All Blacks.
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Earl, typically a standout performer for England, has shown an issue with his tackling style—a weakness that Greenwood suggests is reminiscent of former teammate Owen Farrell’s technique.
“NFL-Style Speedbump” – Greenwood’s Take on Earl’s Costly Technique
Greenwood was candid in his criticism, pointing to this flaw as a decisive factor in two of England’s recent tier-one clashes.
Greenwood wrote in his column for The Telegraph: “For all his strengths, Ben Earl’s tackling technique has put England in a sticky situation in two of those four tier-one losses.
"At the end of the French Test in Lyon, it was Earl’s NFL-style speedbump which led to Thomas Ramos’s winning penalty at the death; at Twickenham, Earl performed the same action which gave New Zealand a vital three points at a seminal moment of the match.”
The Verdict? “Zero Complaints” from Greenwood
In Greenwood’s view, the verdict is clear: “He can have zero complaints.” This critical moment, according to Greenwood, could be a wake-up call for Earl as he looks to refine his approach in future matches for Steve Borthwick’s squad.
“Brutally targeted” – Five players who flopped in the opening round of the Autumn Nations Series
Here’s a look at five players who’ll want to leave their performances behind after the All Blacks defeated England and Scotland routed Fiji in the Autumn Nations Series opener.
Ellis Genge (England)
Guardian 5/10: "Back from calf injury and gassed by Tele’a for first try. Embraced the blitz defence but beaten by Jordan too easily as well."
Telegraph 5/10: "Brutally targeted by the All Blacks for their opening tries by Tele’a and Jordan. Rule of thumb: don’t leave your prop exposed against All Black outside backs."
Ben Spencer (England)
Guardian 5/10: "First start at 32 and looked nervous, caught out at one ruck on his own 22 and charged down. Settled thereafter but not the statement showing he’d have liked."
Tommy Freeman (England)
Guardian 5/10: "Handling a bit shaky under the high ball early on but that improved. Not much of chance to show what he can do with the ball."
Telegraph 5/10: "A disappointing showing. His high-ball work is usually his calling card but was very poor here, helping New Zealand to dominate the early aerial exchanges."
Planet Rugby 5/10: "Not a great deal to say for a player who had a lot to deal with in Mark Tele’a and failed to really stamp his mark on the game."
Samuela Tawake (FIji)
Rugby Pass 4/10: "Conceded an early scrum penalty which eventually resulted in Scotland’s first try of the match. Had a tough time at scrum time, which was part of Fiji’s undoing in an ill-disciplined affair."
Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand)
Rugby Pass 3/10: "One of the All Blacks best this year finally had on off day. An ankle tap on Maro Itoje helped save a bad situation in the first half.
"Took a massive shot from Cunningham-South and spilt the ball, the All Blacks conceded a penalty from the scrum. Dropped the pass with an open line ahead on what was probably a forward pass from Sititi, but nonetheless a possible try scoring moment. Pinged right on half-time for side maul entry. Off at 41."
Telegraph 5/10: "Received a thunderous welcome from Cunningham-South in the first half and spilled a Sititi pass which did ask too much of him. Limped off a minute into the second half.
Planet Rugby 5/10: "New Zealand had their lineout wobbles, while Vaa’i struggled to put it about physically. The lock also dropped a ball which he should have held with the tryline in his sight. "
Can you name the top 100 mens capped rugby players of all-time?!
Rugby is a sport of grit, skill, and resilience, and it’s the players who endure season after season, test after test, who embody these qualities best. Today, we’re counting down the top 100 men’s capped players in rugby history – athletes whose dedication to their teams has etched their names into the record books.
From powerhouse props to fleet-footed wings, these players have amassed an astonishing number of caps, representing their countries time and again on the world’s biggest stage. Whether they’ve thrilled fans with dazzling runs, anchored the scrum, or inspired with steadfast leadership, each has contributed to the legacy of rugby in unforgettable ways.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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