Steve Borthwick’s squad is said to be growing increasingly frustrated with their training regime, amplifying the pressure on the England boss in the lead-up to their forthcoming encounter with Ireland next weekend.
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Following a stark display in Edinburgh where England were convincingly outplayed, they now find themselves tasked with preparing to confront an Ireland side that has emerged as a standout force in the Six Nations tournament.
Having delivered a stellar performance by dismantling Wales with a commanding 31-7 victory on home soil in Dublin, Ireland now braces for a meeting with a side they have managed to keep at bay for a duration spanning three-and-a-half years.
What are the latest odds?
- England to win 4/1
- Ireland to win 1/6
- Draw 33/1
Odds correct as of February 27
Making things tougher for England is the growing frustration behind the scenes as England’s misfiring attack continues to be neglected in training.
Their article began: “England’s misfiring attack is not being prioritised in training with Telegraph Sport learning that one prominent back touched the ball just once in a particular session.”
It continued: “There is growing frustration within parts of the camp that far more time is devoted to building the hyper-aggressive blitz defence under Felix Jones than honing the attack under Richard Wigglesworth. That lack of focus stands in stark contrast to how the most innovative attacks in the Premiership operate.
“Under Sam Vesty at Northampton, every player would be expected to have 150 ‘touches’ of a variety of different balls per session. Similarly at Bath, for example, backs would be expected to pass the ball at least 100 times each and forwards 50 times. Several sources confirmed that one English back, who has featured in the tournament, only got one touch during a session.”
Read the full article from The Telegraph here.
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ODDS: Who could replace Steve Borthwick at Twickenham?
4. Rob Baxter – 12/1
Rob Baxter, who guided the Devon-based club from the Championship to European champions in 10 years has done this largely with a core of players that have come through the academy at Exeter.
With this season’s club performance not at the level of previous years, it may be time for him to move on and into the Test game in the near futuree.
Although Baxter joined the England coaching team for the summer tour to Argentina and Uruguay in March 2013, he has no experience outside of Exeter. “I would be happy to have a chat about what the role is, how they see it working and what their plans and ambitions are,” Baxter said of the England job back in December.
“Unless you know what it is, it’s hard to say yes or no to anything. At the same time, I’m not looking for another job! I’m very happy here,” he added.
