Robinson praises 'England's ambition'

Ashton points to poor handling

England boss Andy Robinson insists positive elements can be taken from his side's dismal two-Test tour of Australia.

England have not experienced such a demoralising results sequence of five successive defeats since 1984.

England's 43-18 Melbourne drubbing followed a 34-3 loss in Sydney last Sunday, and it proved another chastening experience for Robinson, who has lost 10 of his 18 Tests in charge since replacing World Cup-winning mastermind Sir Clive Woodward.

But Robinson continues to stand firm, although England's immediate prospects do not look good, with autumn Test opponents New Zealand and South Africa (twice) looming.

"The thing for all of us is to take stock of where we are, find a ruthlessness and an ability to finish sides off," he said.

"The forward display today was pretty impressive, and when we look at it, we had 63 percent possession. It is what you do when you have got the possession, and we turned ball over 27 times.

"We have got to look forward. I was pleased with some of the ambition, but we have to improve our game management. Every Test match you play, there is pressure to perform.

"The key element for me is that I believe a number of players can step up from this tour, and marrying that with the players we rested at home, there is a good side going forward.

"It is another defeat, and headlines will be created because of that, but we have got to be able to move forward. Another couple of players have come through from this tour."

England played the entire second half without injured props Graham Rowntree (concussion) and Julian White (neck), forcing referee Steve Walsh to rule uncontested scrums.

Flank Joe Worsley moved up to prop, but Robinson insisted medical advice during the interval meant both Leicester forwards had to be replaced.

"Graham Rowntree took a blow to his head, he was concussed, and Julian White was being treated for a sore neck. Neither player could start the second half," added Robinson.

Australia ran in six tries through Mark Gerrard (two), Lote Tuqiri, Mark Chisholm, Stephen Larkham and George Smith, while all England could manage was consolation efforts from hooker George Chuter and wing Tom Varndell, with the Leicester Tigers speedster enduring a miserable game opposite Tuqiri.

"We didn't get directness in attack, and our poor execution let us down," said England attack coach Brian Ashton.

"Tom Varndell received man and ball with Tuqiri round his neck from long cut-out passes, and there was no need for those 15-metre passes that we gave them.

"We have got to run much harder lines. A lot of those turnover balls, I suspect, came from us playing laterally rather than directly."