Counter attacking - a NH / SH difference?

Long been a bugbear of mine but it appears to me that when the ball is kicked deep and fielded around the 22 the NH teams look to kick first of all and the SH teams look to counter.

To often a kick from around the 22 ends up simply giving the opposition possession around the halfway line - either from a lineout or from the catch in open play.  You even see this direct from kickoff and the opening exchanges in the england game show this clearly.  Long kick into the english 22 in the corner.  a good run out by a england forward giving a bit of momentum then a clearing kick caught on the halfway line setting up a successful AB attack.  Aftert that initial carry England had momenteum but failed to exploit it. they should have kept the ball and ried to run it out.  Why kick the ball away?

Why do our teams play like this?