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'Painful lesson': The Steve Borthwick verdict on wounding England loss
England boss Steve Borthwick has described Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations defeat to Scotland as “a painful lesson”. The Scottish Gas Murrayfield visitors flew out of the blocks in Edinburgh, storming into a 10-0 lead just 15 minutes into the round three fixture.
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However, they then defensively wilted, enabling Duhan van der Merwe to grab the try hat-trick that allowed the Scots to close out a well-deserved 21-30 win that will leave England fans fearing the worst when their team hosts Ireland, the defending champions, at Twickenham on March 9.
Multiple handling errors and a lack of cohesion in the 10/12/13 channel manned by George Ford, Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade left England vulnerable to the beating they sustained in Scotland and it put into grave context the supposed steps forward in their recent respective three- and two-point wins over Italy and Wales.
“It’s very clear that when you make that many handling errors at this level, it’s very difficult to win,” accepted Borthwick when asked to explain what had badly gone wrong against a Scottish team that has now won five and drawn one of the last seven Calcutta Cup encounters.
“Especially against a team of Scotland’s quality. We have got to make sure we respect what a good team Scotland are and the chances they took.
“Ultimately we made it too easy for them to score in terms of the chances they took but they were very clinical. Huge lesson for our team as we develop. The number of turnovers makes it very difficult to win.”
Was he frustrated by the mess that England became after such a promising start in which George Furbank, who surprisingly took the full-back spot that had belonged to Freddie Steward, pounced with a lead-taking fifth-minute try? “We’d all love progression to be a nice linear path. Ultimately it’s not, especially when you are trying to do it at this level.
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“What you saw at this level is a team that is trying to develop, trying to add layers to the game and made errors today and got punished. Sometimes you get away with it and sometimes you don’t. Against a team like Scotland, you don’t. It’s a big learning experience, it’s a painful lesson.
“As you start to look at it against a Scotland team that has been together a long time, their 10/12/13 [Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones] has started a dozen Tests together. I think that is the first time our 10/12/13 have started together and it looked like that. It looked like a lack of cohesion in what they did and too many fundamental errors.
“After a defeat, you are always disappointed. After a performance where you don’t think you have maximized your potential, it’s always disappointing.
“It doesn’t matter the result, the scoreboard, in that sense. If you don’t maximise your potential, it’s disappointment and I don’t think the team maximized their potential today.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Good summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
1 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
5 Go to comments