Wales icon Sam Warburton has slammed ‘arrogant’ Scotland stars insisting they will ‘never win a Six Nations Championship’ with these players.
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He said: ‘Scotland? It is the same old, same old, unfortunately. They were competitive again but I don’t think they will ever win a Championship with this group of players. It is just not there.
“I know they were dealt a bad hand against France but to go to Italy and lose in the way they did just showed that they lack that last bit of ruthlessness, that killer mentality, to be a Championship-winning side.
“I don’t know how they find that. I do worry about their mindset and I saw an example after the win against Wales that really worried me, when two players came to an after-match function still in their kit, drinking beer, and acting as if they had beaten a top side to win a title. They just seemed a bit too cocky.
“I am not going to throw these two players under the bus, so they will remain anonymous, but they were two senior players in the Scotland team at the moment. I remember watching it and, in my head, I thought it was shocking from a cultural perspective. They came in, beers in their hands, still in their kit, flip flops on, giving it the big one.
“Bear in mind this was over just one win. They were doing this Q and A and I thought they were really arrogant. I’ll be honest. I would never have accepted that from players in a group I was involved with.
“I would have said: “Are those our standards? Let’s celebrate when we win something.”
“I don’t know for certain but, for me, that told me there is not quite that hard edge in the Scotland camp.
“I was watching, thinking, that’s how I would celebrate winning a World Cup. What I saw with Scotland, I’m thinking, that’s not the mindset of a Championship team.
“I don’t want to sound too negative but I just think if you want to be truly elite, you have to really act as if you are elite. I think maybe it’s a cultural thing.”
A liability” – Telegraph rank England’s five worst 2024 Six Nations players
Telegraph Sport conducted a thorough assessment of each England player’s performance during the Six Nations, with criticism aimed at several individuals.
One player was labeled a liability, while another is advised to come to terms with the idea that their peak playing days may be behind them.
5 players who underperformed:
#5. Alex Coles – 6/10
Coles is a member of the Premiership outfit Northampton Saints, a club he has been associated with since the age of 13. His journey with the Saints began when he joined their senior academy in the summer of 2017, eventually making his senior debut in November of the following year.
With versatility spanning across the second and back rows, Coles has represented his country from U16 level all the way through to U20, featuring prominently in the U20 Six Nations and the World Rugby U20 Championship.
His impressive performances earned him a call-up to the England senior Men’s squad ahead of the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, where he marked his debut in their narrow 30-29 defeat against Argentina.
They wrote: “A cumulative 15 minutes of action, but it is telling that England opted for no lock replacement in their final two matches.”
RUCK RATING: 6.25/10