00:00England's Rugby Union team began their Autumn Nations series with a 25-7 win over Australia at Twickenham.
00:09And following the full-time whistle, Steve Bothwick, the head coach and captain at Maru Itoji, spoke on what was an important and impressive victory.
00:19I think probably everyone would say there was a number of line breaks we had that we didn't quite convert.
00:24So we didn't get the scoreboard pressure on, which meant there was a period where the game was tight and very difficult conditions against an Australian side that are tough and really well drilled.
00:35But as I watched our team, I thought it was really composed, really composed and knew what to do next.
00:43I think the players were really clear on what they were attempted to do.
00:46It's eight wins in a row now. How important is that? We always say, don't we, winning is a habit.
00:50I think next week's the most important thing. I'm pleased, obviously, that the players are developing.
00:55I think you can see the team developing.
00:58Another aspect that I thought was a big positive today was the last quarter.
01:03You can see the team, the experience that's now developing within the team, the cohesion, the togetherness is now developing.
01:10You feel in Q4, this team's going to be strong.
01:14So that's, and there's a number of games we've won in that final quarter.
01:17I thought we were strong in the final quarter again today.
01:20What's most important is that we have a good training week and we step forward again over these next seven days.
01:27And how pleased were you by the impact the bench made?
01:29Obviously, those five changes on 52 minutes were key.
01:33Yeah, I thought the bench certainly had a positive impact.
01:35I think it's a sign that you can see the squads building in depth.
01:40It's been an important summer for English rugby.
01:42And with a number of players away with the Lions and being successful down in Australia, another number away in Argentina and America, it's enabled, I think, the squad to grow.
01:53And that's pleasing.
01:54It means I've got some difficult decisions to make.
01:57It's the kind of, it's the exact decisions you want as a head coach.
02:00It was another eye-catching cameo from Henry Pollock.
02:03Are you as excited by his potential as everyone else?
02:05I think everybody's excited by when Henry Pollock gets on the pitch, what he brings.
02:14I think there's no doubt about that.
02:15I think he's probably the most excited person.
02:17I think the way he is and the energy he brings is a ball of energy.
02:21And I love having that character in the squad.
02:23And I think we've got a great blend of personalities developing within the team.
02:27And from those, from the senior leadership group, I think have done a great job this week.
02:36Tommy Freeman at 13.
02:38How did you feel that went?
02:39And is that a long-term plan?
02:41It's one of the options we have.
02:42I think we've got other options as well.
02:44I think Tommy Freeman's a world-class player and he gave that versatility.
02:48He does, it's excellent.
02:52I think potentially in attack today, we were probably a little bit overeager and probably
02:58the combinations just not quite trained to get enough or played to get enough, which
03:03is why some of those line breaks didn't quite finish the way we wanted them to.
03:08I think this is an important week for training for us, that we develop that cohesion amongst
03:13the players, develop that understanding amongst the players.
03:17So hopefully we step forward.
03:19Mario, where's the confidence in this group at the moment?
03:23You seem to be thriving with each other.
03:25You're playing with a smile on your face.
03:27It must be sky high, right?
03:29We just want to keep building.
03:31Obviously, we're delighted with the result and we are delighted with how the team's coming
03:37together.
03:38But I think the team is just hungry to improve, hungry to spend time together and just get
03:45better.
03:46And to score a try from a driving ball that started outside year 22, particularly pleasing
03:51as a forward, that one?
03:52Very much so.
03:52I know that's probably Steve's favourite try of the game.
03:56So hopefully we can do that a little bit more often.
04:01Steve, would it be a fair assessment to suggest that maybe that was a game 12 months ago that
04:06maybe you wouldn't have wrestled control back from and actually is a really good sign of
04:09how the team's progressed in the last 12 months?
04:11I think the team's developing well and it's heading in that direction.
04:17Finishing games off, there's a number of factors that come to finishing those games off.
04:21And I think the experience and unfortunately, you won progress to do, you want to flick a switch
04:26and win.
04:27Now, sometimes you go through some painful experiences, sometimes you go through those
04:31tough ones, but this is a squad that's eager to learn.
04:33So we'll address those issues we can learn from and there will be plenty out there today that
04:40when we review it, that we could do better.
04:42So the aim is to be a better team next Saturday.
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