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Length of Premiership season and Lions tour behind England woes claims Moody
England’s surprisingly sub-standard performances at the Six Nations could be due to player burnout, says 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody.
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After back-to-back titles, the first of which resulted in a Grand Slam, England surrendered the championship to Ireland with successive defeats against Scotland and France.
Moody, speaking on behalf of Land Rover, the long-standing supporter of rugby at all levels; from grassroots to the elite, believes the central contracts offered by Wales, Scotland and Ireland help protect against the long-term fatigue that Eddie Jones’ squad may well be suffering from.
He told Omnisport: “I’m massively surprised. I have to admit that the level of England’s performance in this tournament has not been what we would have expected going on previous form.
“What they’ve put out in recent games and recent years has been something very different. Whether it’s a hangover from a long season and a Lions tour and those involvements, I don’t know.
“Obviously, the Scottish, the Welsh and the Irish are centrally contracted and don’t play as many games. I’m not looking for an excuse and whether that’s an issue, I don’t know. But certainly the quality of the play has been significantly less.
“Invariably when your teams and your players are confident on the back of good club form that shows its head in international jerseys as well.”
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Congratulations @IrishRugby ?
See you next week at Twickenham… pic.twitter.com/61ZAJbSSpG
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 10, 2018
Moody pointed to a lengthy Premiership season and the fact 15 England internationals were included in Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions squad for last year’s tour to New Zealand as potential factors.
“You have to look at workload and the number of games that players are playing and those long seasons and a Lions tour, which is just an enormously pressurised, full-on in every aspect tour,” he said.
“That takes a lot out of the players. And with the English Premiership season being significantly longer and the boys not being centrally contracted, they play anywhere up to 36 to 38 games. That’s a lot of rugby. And then there’s the summer tour.
“I certainly wouldn’t say it’s the only reason. I imagine it’s had an impact but I don’t think anyone would have thought that England would perform the way they have.
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“But I think you have to take your hat off to the other nations, who’ve found an area to exploit and, on England’s own ball, an inability to get players there quickly enough to secure possession has been a prominent feature of the last two or three matches.”
Lewis Moody is a Land Rover ambassador. Land Rover is celebrating its Testimonial Season, with 10 years supporting grassroots rugby in the UK. Follow @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal
Comments on RugbyPass
Blues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
2 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
15 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
2 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
2 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
15 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
15 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to commentsLove it when we overlap! Promise it was not forethought.
19 Go to commentsjfc can this guy plz stay out of the news for one week
2 Go to commentsIf stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
47 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
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