Sir Clive Woodward blasts Freddie Burns in latest column - Ruck
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Sir Clive Woodward blasts Freddie Burns in latest column

14 October 2018
Steven
 Sir Clive Woodward has not held back with his assessment of Freddie Burns display this weekend in his latest column for the Mail Online.

He wrote: “I still cannot even start to understand what on earth was going through Freddie Burns’ head when he failed to touch down what surely would have been the winning try for Bath against Toulouse on Saturday.

Make no mistake, Freddie is one of rugby’s really good guys but firstly what on earth was he doing having a coffee with Maxime Medard on the Friday afternoon before the game?

“I’m all for opposition players — perhaps old mates or guys who have roomed together with the Barbarians or something — fraternising after a game, but never before. It sends out the wrong message. Succeeding in professional rugby is not easy. It is a tough, unforgiving business, not a school outing!

“And then there is his botched try. Todd Blackadder has said he will be sitting the team down for a talk on Monday morning. That in itself surprises me as surely it must already be part of the DNA in any professional team who are serious about winning.

“What was Freddie thinking? Why did an experienced senior pro in a team desperate for a good win and start in Europe act like somebody scoring their first ever try for the Under 13Bs?

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“It was all so wrong, blowing a kiss to the crowd, the badge touch and did I see a wave as well? It was crazy behaviour and has very possibly killed Bath’s European campaign dead before it even started. This is the kind of stuff that can cost coaches their jobs and Blackadder also needs to have a good look in the mirror himself.

“After talking to Freddie he needs to talk to the team and ask some serious questions. There was a similar botched try from Tom Homer which cost them a game on the first day of the Premiership at Bristol.”