"They did it very well" - Michael Cheika takes aim at England's sh**housery

Despite facing stifling conditions and the early loss of openside flanker Tom Curry just two minutes into the game, the experienced England side managed to grind out a resilient victory.

In a solemn press conference conducted in both English and Spanish, Cheika left no room for doubt as he pointed out that England's shrewd game management was the pivotal distinction between the two teams.

“Pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I think we let the play get too stop and start. England played the circumstances very well and full credit to them,” said Cheika.

“There was almost no play. There were so many stoppages. The play we did get we didn’t master every well. That was by design by the other team. They did it very well. They put us in that corner.

“We’ll take what we need from it and get on with the next game.”

Cheika added: "The world is not over. We still have work to do to qualify. Our players will take a lot from this experience.

"We have many first-timers in World Cup games and they will take a lesson of how we need to be ready when the whistle blows.”

Make a Greene King pub your Rugby Rendezvous for your next Rugby World Cup outing.

Watch the big games on the big screens they deserve. Enjoy having great food and drink on tap. Take your pick of juicy match-ups with all the home nations, global giants, and 15-a-side superstars ready to ruck. 

Despite this triumph, there remains room for improvement in England's starting lineup, and we believe that Borthwick should consider implementing three changes to further enhance the team's prospects moving forward.

Telegraph 2/10: "The flanker was overeager in defence after an injury, red-carded after a TMO bunker review for a slightly unfortunate head-on-head collision in the third minute."

RUCK 0/10: "Sent off after just two minutes. Some may say unlucky, but the flanker really left the officials no choice."

Planet Rugby 1/10: "Some said he was unlucky, but ultimately he was high in contact and paid the price. Fortunately, his team-mates bailed him out. "

Rugby Pass 0/10: "Was hailed in the build-up as the potential missing link for the England defence as he arrived in France without playing a single minute of the four-game Summer Nations Series. That idea quickly went out the window, though. "

The Guardian 2/10: "Palpably fired up before the match, having not played since May, but lasted less than three minutes before a red card, via the bunker, for an overzealous tackle on Juan Cruz Mallía."

Replacement: Jack Willis

Telegraph 6/10: "Works exceptionally hard and certainly chases kicks well, but the 33-year-old looks past his (very good) best."

RUCK 6/10: "He puts in an exceptional amount of effort and certainly chases kicks effectively, but at 33 years old, he appears to have passed his prime, despite still performing at a very high level."

Replacement: Henry Arundell

RUCK 5.5/10: "Offered nothing in open play and was wayward with the boot."

Telegraph 5/10: "Fell short and wide with two long-range penalty attempts and did not get his hands on the ball as second receiver as England would have liked."

Guardian 6/10: "Gave away a breakdown penalty and gave a rank pass to May as England butchered an overlap on the right. Missed a couple of long-range penalties."

Replacement: Max Malins