International Rugby

[cdbearsfan]

There doesn't really seem much point in the Women's Six Nations.

[UK Redsox]

There doesn't really seem much point in the Women's Six Nations.

Apart from when Eng & Fra play each other, the games those two teams play do tend to be a bit Harlem Globetrotters v Washington Generals

[Gareth]

Do Bath give Borthwick bad sandwiches or something….not many of them in his latest training squad

[PaulWinch again]

Not sure I like the Van Rensberg call.

[paul_e]

I agree, leaving Ojomoh in particular out for him is a horrible decision, but it is sadly unsurprising from Borthwick who just wants to add dumper truck in there.

My main thought though is imagine being part of a midfield that got ripped to shreds repeatedly on Friday (they conceded 80 points in the 53 minutes he played) where try after try came through your channel and then getting an England call-up a few days later.

[Dave Summers]

Just watched a painful performance by an England XV over in France, where they were well beaten.

Borthwick picked a really strong team, on paper at least, presumably to try and get a victory on the board despite it being a non capped match and yet we’ve got royally stuffed.

It beggars belief in my eyes that the clown is still picking and coaching an England team after the dismal autumn and Six Nations and every game that passes just confirms that view.

No intent to attack, which after the game in France was the main reason he kept his job I felt and now we’ve reverted to type with yer man Ford hoofing most ball at 10 or running to the line, with no intent to break it and throwing a man and ball pass to his centre. Awful

Can only see a heavy defeat in SA, we may eat Fiji and I’d fancy Argentina to beat us down there. Very depressing times sadly

[paul_e]

The problem is all of the worthwhile attacking England do is actually being coached by Phil Dowson and with all the Saints players who bring that to the party in the final so we look really flat. I like Blackett and I think he could well add something but he's swimming against a tide of negativity coming from the rest of the England coaching setup.

[dcdavecollett]

Wasps played some great attacking rugby when he was the coach.

[paul_e]

Yep, and you see the odd flash of it at times but our overall play is still based around try to break the line with raw power, if it doesn't work play for territory. No amount of good attack coaching matters if your overall tactic is so limiting.

Every time England have played well under Borthwick has come when he's been pushed to put one of the Smiths in at 10 and they have just played their own game. He's "got it right" 3 times so far and every time his own negativity has pushed him back to Ford and we've fallen back into the same pattern.

[Dave Summers]

The problem is all of the worthwhile attacking England do is actually being coached by Phil Dowson and with all the Saints players who bring that to the party in the final so we look really flat. I like Blackett and I think he could well add something but he's swimming against a tide of negativity coming from the rest of the England coaching setup.

Absolutely correct, although Saints weren’t at their free flowing best today I felt. But Lee Blackett is a phenomenal coach and it’s really disheartening to see such a lack of ambition from this team. As I said in my first post, even though we won our games in November, apart from the NZ game it wasn’t enjoyable to watch at all and it seems to be obvious that he is marginalised. Genuinely believe Borthwick is the Steve Bruce of rugby coaching, set up not to lose. Which invariably leads to losing.

And while we’re at it, everything Wigg touches turns to dust be it attack, defence or skills. I’ve no idea what he brings to the table

[paul_e]

The problem is all of the worthwhile attacking England do is actually being coached by Phil Dowson and with all the Saints players who bring that to the party in the final so we look really flat. I like Blackett and I think he could well add something but he's swimming against a tide of negativity coming from the rest of the England coaching setup.

Absolutely correct, although Saints weren’t at their free flowing best today I felt. But Lee Blackett is a phenomenal coach and it’s really disheartening to see such a lack of ambition from this team. As I said in my first post, even though we won our games in November, apart from the NZ game it wasn’t enjoyable to watch at all and it seems to be obvious that he is marginalised. Genuinely believe Borthwick is the Steve Bruce of rugby coaching, set up not to lose. Which invariably leads to losing.

And while we’re at it, everything Wigg touches turns to dust be it attack, defence or skills. I’ve no idea what he brings to the table

I agree, I really hope someone realises later this summer and we get a replacement in for the Autumn. It's very short notice now to get things sorted for the world cup but if we don't he'll be gone as soon as the tournament finishes and we'll have wasted 5 years on someone entirely unqualified for the job and who is wasting the talent he has.