Once more, Sir Clive Woodward has criticized England, this time in response to their lackluster performance against Ireland in a recent Rugby World Cup warm-up match.
The world’s top-ranked team scored through Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Mack Hansen, and Keith Earls, securing a commanding 29-10 victory in Dublin.
“It’s fair to say England’s three World Cup warm-up games to date have not gone well,” wrote Woodward in his column for the Mail Online.
“England were beaten five tries to one in Dublin and if Ireland had kicked their goals, it would have been a hell of a lot worse.
“Defeat was no surprise. Ireland were workmanlike and got the job done.
“Once again, England had nothing in their back-line play. The difference between them and Ireland behind the scrum was like chalk and cheese.
“England’s line-out did go well. But on almost every occasion, they went for a forward drive.
“You need to do more than that to beat a team like Ireland.
“I sound like a broken record, but England just don’t play with enough pace.
“Unfortunately, their performance against Ireland was pretty dull and uninspiring and another red card capped off another disappointing encounter.
I”‘m really not sure where England go from here.”
“0/10” – Four England players Steve Borthwick must drop, and who should replace them
Below, we look at four changes Borthwick should make for England’s final home match against Fiji ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
#1. Billy Vunipola
Telegraph 2/10: “Spilled a clearance kick, to the delight of Dublin. His head shot on Andrew Porter was inevitably upgraded to a red by the bunker. Another ban looms, as does a crisis at No.8 for Borthwick. “
Rugby Pass 0/10: “Having failed to sparkle seven days earlier, a huge step forward in performance was needed. It didn’t happen, his day ending with a red card via the TMO bunker. Borthwick claims Vunipola is as fit as he has ever seen him but that S&C didn’t emerge in this display where he looked leggy getting around despite being level with Genge at the short whistle on the pack ball-carrying metres. Two penalty concessions and a cheap knock-on that generated jeers from the home crowd highlight his first half difficulties. Sent packing for his yellow-carded shot on Andrew Porter 13 minutes into the second half, an incident soon upgraded to red due to “high degree of danger, no wrap, no mitigation”.”
REPLACEMENT: Who knows with no other recognises number 8’s in the squad. Maybe, Tom Curry?