OK, so now we've all finished rubbing each others' backs and other body parts, we need to discuss the downsides.
Because I'm a miserable prick, that's why. A famous win doesn't override the need for improvement, despite the many positives out there.
Conceding 37 points to this England side is, quite frankly, not acceptable. The only positive is that they couldn't really crack our defensive structure meaningfully, so kicks through were the spark for this. Maybe on another day, Smith's magic doesn't quite fire this well, but yesterday it did.
On Smith's kicking - we didn't cover the short kicks well in the middle of the field in the first half. The back two defenders were way too wide, leaving too much space in the middle for the ball to bounce. Typically that was Wright and Lolesio so a point for improvement for them, and whichever 9 is in the chariot.
Later when he was grubbering through, we did line defence instead of having a sweeper. Even near your line, you need someone back there or you're inviting tries like Sleightholme's.
Scrum smarts need improving. I don't think Tupou is anywhere near 100%, and got outfoxed a couple of times as I've mentioned previously. If the ref thinks you're the problem, it is increasingly harder to prove you're not.
There have been comments here that Skelton doesn't offer as much as LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). I'll tell you what LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) offers over Skelton as a concrete point: at least one brainfart penalty per game. Coming into that cauldron, knowing the referees had chubby for retreating players on the kick, and he basically lines up and shoulders a guy in the head chasing back. Fuck. Me. Dead.
Our work under the high ball was simply not good enough. We either got out jumped or weren't committed to the space. England has some good options there and maybe we need JAS to defend there longer term.