Former New Zealand scrum-half Steve Devine didn’t hold back in his assessment of watching England’s performance at the Rugby World Cup.
Despite making it to the semi-finals, England’s play under coach Steve Borthwick failed to win over all of its critics. With a third-place play-off against Argentina looming, Devine candidly shared his sentiments during an interview with radio station SENZ.
Devine left no room for doubt, stating, “I hate England. I honestly would rather gone down to my local dog park and picked up s***. That’s how exciting I found that. If that wasn’t a World Cup semi-final that would have been the worst game of rugby ever played.”
The radio presenter chimed in, acknowledging the validity of Devine’s point, asking, “You’re right, if it weren’t a World Cup semi-final, what level of interest would there be?”
Devine responded without hesitation, saying, “I feel horribly disappointed at people who paid really good money for those seats.”
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England team to play Argentina:
15. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 29 caps)
14. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 25 caps)
12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 58 caps)
11. Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 9 caps)
10. Owen Farrell – captain (Saracens, 111 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 126 caps)
1. Ellis Genge – vice-captain (Bristol Bears, 57 caps)
2. Theo Dan (Saracens, 6 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 32 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 75 caps)
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 49 caps)
7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 24 caps)
Replacements:
16. Jamie George (Saracens, 84 caps)
17. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 4 caps)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 106 caps)
19. David Ribbans (Toulon, 9 caps)
20. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 24 caps)
21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 95 caps)
22. George Ford – vice-captain (Sale Sharks, 90 caps)
23. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 20 caps)
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NIGEL OWENS: MY TOP 5 CAPTAINS
#5. Chris Robshaw (England)
The flanker is a former English rugby union player who captained the national team from 2012 to 2015.
Known for his exceptional work rate and leadership skills, Robshaw was a dynamic flanker who made a significant impact on the field. He enjoyed a successful club career with Harlequins, where he played for over a decade. Robshaw’s dedication and commitment to the sport earned him numerous accolades and the respect of his peers.
Off the field, he is admired for his philanthropic efforts, using his platform to support various charitable causes.
Owens said: “Some people will be surprised at this one to start off. His misfortune was perhaps to be leading England during a difficult time, but he always gave everything for the cause, encouraging others to follow suit, and he was a nice guy off the pitch.”
