England are 100 per cent better than when they started out - that was verdict of coach Adrian Thompson after his team had seen off Japan's challenge, 28-12, in their opening encounter.
We suspect Thompson had his tongue firmly placed in his cheek. Of course, they had improved a hundred-fold as this was the first time the Jon Sleightholme led England had played as a unit. Thompson added: 'We can only get better. We will improve.'
But the sentimental favourites by no means look capable of toppling the more fancied sides. Last year they defeated Samoa in the preliminary round, and they meet again today. But a repeat of that result looks far-fetched going on yesterday's performance.
Although England defended well, they don't seem to have players who can step on the gas. Their fans will be hoping that since it was the first day, they were taking it easy and just easing into an environment alien to all except Sleightholme.
Thompson agreed that his side should have piled on the points. 'Good teams win. Great teams win well,' said Thompson, disappointed that his team had not won by a bigger margin.
Tries will count at the end of the preliminary round with the two best second-placed teams advancing with the six pool winners into the Cup quarter-finals. If England are beaten by Samoa, they will rue that they did not pile on more points against Japan. And the opportunity was there.
