If you watched the first rugby Test in South Africa on Saturday, you wouldn’t have enjoyed betting on the result but you would have been even more frustrated at the site of an under strength side that could have competed.

I’m going against what I’ve blogged about recently by saying that this side actually had the players to give a better game to the bocks and at a certain period in the second half looked as though they can play to the standard needed.

Not to take anything away from the Springbocks, because they were their normally powerful selves up front, but England seem to be hustled off the ball too easily and lacked composure when off loading.

The tackling let them down but not due to man on man tackling necessarily (although this was an issue) but more that the lack of thinking on their feet and keeping the defensive formation.

 Brian Ashton’s got his work cut out to get his squad to turn it around for the next test only this Saturday away. It seems a tall ask but I think there was a framework there on Saturday from which the English players can take something positive.

Hey - you’ve got to keep hoping, haven’t you?