![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Joe Marler has invoked England\u2019s 2003 World Cup heroes in his belief that winning ugly is to be applauded if it results in success.<\/p>\n
England have taken a stranglehold on Pool D after delivering comprehensive victories over Argentina and Japan but, for different reasons, neither performance has set the tournament alight.<\/p>\n
Against the Brave Blossoms in Nice on Sunday they kicked for 1,175 metres, putting boot to ball 42 times, and while they secured the bonus point in humid conditions that made handling treacherous, the kick-first approach drew boos.<\/p>\n
Yet Marler recalls that two decades ago Martin Johnson\u2019s England resorted to conservative tactics to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, including winning the final against Australia through a Jonny Wilkinson drop-goal.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/11\/30\/15\/GettyImages-1388382959%20copy.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/12\/01\/03\/GettyImages-1245251240.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cFinesse \u2013 why do you have to finesse it? You\u2019ve just got to win, haven\u2019t you? What did England do 20 years ago? Find a way to win in the World Cup,\u201d the Harlequins prop said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people talk about style of play. In 2003 they went a couple of phases, Jonny slotted some penalties and some drop-goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey won ugly, a lot of that tournament they won ugly but we don\u2019t talk about that now do we? We talk about them winning the World Cup. You forget about how you did it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t talk about South Africa getting pumped in the first game against New Zealand in 2019, you talk about them pumping us in the final and then lifting the trophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll keep trying and taking the lessons from each game and we\u2019ll keep trying to finesse. But ultimately it\u2019s about the win. We\u2019re not getting ahead of ourselves at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\")
<\/p>\n
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n
Marler played a comical role in the 57th-minute try that swung the game away from Japan, with the ball bouncing off his head and over the line for Courtney Lawes to touch down.<\/p>\n
The Sussex native joked that he was influenced by Brighton\u2019s 3-1 victory at Manchester United 24 hours earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell it\u2019s just what I\u2019ve been practising for \u2013 these moments. I\u2019ve been practising with Dan Cole and Jamie George in activation,\u201d Marler said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took great inspiration from Roberto De Zerbi\u2019s mighty Seagulls doing a demolition job on United, which is my son\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour Premier League wins in a row over Manchester United. Only three teams in Premier League history have done that \u2013 Brighton, Man City, Liverpool.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we\u2019ve won nothing yet, which is quite apt because it brings it back to us (England) having won nothing yet.<\/p>\n
We’re here to win games, that’s our job<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had two good victories, won in different circumstances, and we\u2019re on to the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n
England fans turned on the players in the third quarter when Alex Mitchell kicked the ball dead and the groans persisted until the kitchen sink was thrown at Japan in the final half hour.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to win games, that\u2019s our job. We\u2019re here to win Test matches. We want to make every fan and every English fan proud,\u201d man of the match George Ford said.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/18\/22\/2a91c8f342447938754e98f19aa6511fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk1MTA4NTE1-2.73764116.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/18\/21\/a3d7d2cedc07d774c0579aac41364650Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk1MTU1NDA1-2.73780492.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/18\/21\/ca13b2f8178c5835f83055d13e9836c0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk1MTU0NTUx-2.73564179.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand the sacrifice and commitment they make to come and support us and we value that so highly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we want to be a winning team and we want them to be proud of a winning team as well.\u201d<\/p>\n