English rugby. How do you frustrate me, let me count the ways...

The huge tactical balls up that was Saturday's decision to go for the three points and then a drop goal against a) the best defence in the world b) a team we hadn't really looked like scoring against even when camped on their five metre line and c) Farrell's lack of previous success at drop goals, all seemed amateur at best. However, this was a small aspect of a problem that if we're honest started a lot earlier than two minutes from time.

Firstly, we simply don't do the basics. 2v1 and counter-rucking skills seems to be non-existent, mainly based on the fact we don't have an out and out 7 and most of our turnovers come from Dan Cole when he's on the pitch. This 'fanning out' concept of allowing the ball to be played by the attacking side was done wonderfully by the Aussies the other week and they totally snuffed out an England attack that rarely made it out from the fly-halves channel. When England do it against South Africa, it doesn't matter if you have 13 players in your defensive line, they will GO THROUGH YOU, get behind your defence and build from there. You need to snuff them out behind their own tackle line and put pressure on their service players. Didn't see this much on Saturday at all.

Secondly, attacking instincts are just totally vacant. We've become so concerned with phase play that we poo ourselves when someone makes a line break, or overrun when someone pops an offload behind the gainline. Instinct is not all about throwing a blind 30 pass out of the back-hand, instinct is when you see a prop, a centre and a flanker in support of the Dan Carter after he has made a break because they are hard-wired from a young age to attack in this way.

Finally, what exactly are we trying to do as a national side? It is very clear what South Africa are trying to do, and it doesn't matter if other teams know it because they do it very well. They punch holes, kick for territory and keep the points board ticking over every time they get in the oppo half. New Zealand are the same, they sling it wide at the first sign of an overlap and feed off the breaks or half breaks they know their entire back line can conjure. We seem lost out there at times and whilst the idea of the practising set-phases from set-piece sends a chill down my spine, we need a vague game plan at least.

Off the evidence of Saturday, I'm still scratching my head as to what it might be.