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Jamie George: You'll see the real England in Rome

By PA
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 21: Co-captain, Jamie George for England XV watches a reply during the rugby international match between England XV and France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Sam Mellish/Getty Images)

Jamie George insists England’s slump is only temporary and is convinced they will bounce back against Italy.

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Successive defeats to Scotland and Ireland have halted England’s Guinness Six Nations title quest after just three rounds, wiping out the optimism generated by their recent 12-Test winning run.

Two abject performances have called into question the direction of the team and now their Stadio Olimpico appointment on March 7 has become a match they dare not lose.

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George, however, believes a revival is imminent. He said: “We certainly aren’t a bad team overnight.

“We aren’t that far away from it. There was a snowball effect in both games because of the way we started.

“Outside of that, we’ve got really good players, we’ve got a great plan and great coaches. I’ve got no doubt we’ll be back to where we need to be against Italy in two weeks’ time.

“The results have not been good enough. Those last two games have been poor. To be beaten as comprehensively as we have is disappointing.

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“Everything is explainable and there are probably a sequence of errors and an inability to keep our own ball, and then that becomes really hard.

“If you are many points down and looking to score tries and not able to keep hold of the ball, then that becomes really difficult.

“To concede 40 points at home is inexcusable as well. There is a fair bit to fix, but at the same time we feel very confident that we aren’t miles away.”

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9 Comments
S
SB 1 hr ago

So the team for the first 3 games of this crucial tournament ahead of the 2027 World Cup was the Fake England?

J
JB 1 hr ago

I get what George is trying to say, but this goes beyond a bad start or a snowball effect. When you concede 40 at home and look second-best physically and mentally for long stretches, that’s not “not far away” — that’s a collective failure of intensity and belief. Italy in Rome isn’t about seeing the “real England”, it’s about proving they still have one. If they don’t front up emotionally and defensively, the Stadio Olimpico will be a far tougher test than England seem to think.

T
Tom 1 hr ago

It's worrying that he's still convinced they have a good plan. If these last two games haven't proven the plan sucks, I don't know what will. Everyone can have a good plan until they get punched in the mouth. England just got punched in the mouth twice and had no answers. The problem with the plan is they're too invested in the plan and have forgotten to play rugby.

E
Eric Elwood 2 hours ago

I heard Ian Madigan say the following about how some of England’s attacking broke down.

1: They don’t like to go high in the phase count to score.

2: Scotland and Ireland made England go high in the phase count.

3: Ireland especially were very determined not to be disciplined which would allow a pan advantage and a 5 metre lineout or tap.

4: Ireland were Ok conceding a metre here and there to achieve this

5: Eventually after the phase count goes over 10 fatigue and inaccuracies come into play for England.

6: Not necessarily unforced errors by England it was more who made the errors first.

7: Ireland trained to defend high in the phase count, which is not England’s game.


NB* England missing touch from any penalties the did get does not help

NB** If George thinks that Italy won’t be as tactically astute as Scotland/Ireland or won’t have at least as much intent, then England are heading for the mother of all upsets.

T
Tom 1 hr ago

If England don't score after 2 phases they seem insistent on kicking it. It's always perplexed me. The best teams build pressure with multiphase rugby.

J
JB 1 hr ago

Missing touch from penalties only compounded the problem. When your pressure-release valves fail, you’re stuck playing exactly the game the opposition want you to play.

And that’s the real warning sign ahead of Italy. If England assume Italy will be less tactically sharp or less intense than Scotland and Ireland, they’re kidding themselves. If Italy drag England into high phase-count rugby again, the upset isn’t just possible — it’s entirely plausible.

f
fl 2 hours ago

I’ve found it quite odd seeing people say that Borthwick’s job could be in danger if England lose in Rome and Paris. If England finish the 6N with 1 win and 4 losses Borthwick is 100% gone, no ifs, no buts.


But I don’t think England will lose in Rome. This slump does feel like its temporary. If England just got back to kicking; ran more lineout drills in training; and defended like a team that cared about winning, they’d be right up there.

J
JB 1 hr ago

I’m with you on the first point. If England limp out of the Six Nations with one out of five then SB surviving would be almost unthinkable. Where I agree even more strongly is that Rome is different.


What’s alarming isn’t that England suddenly lack talent, it’s that they’ve drifted away from the fundamentals that actually suit them.


Rome is the line in the sand. If England still look flat there, then it’s no longer a slump, it’s a direction problem.

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