England won’t play the blame game after loss
ENGLAND will decamp from a chastening Six Nations amid a call from Eddie Jones to guard against “whispering in corridors”.
The title had already been ceded before Saturday’s 24-15 defeat at Twickenham that confirmed Ireland as Grand Slam winners, but a third successive loss also completed their worst tournament performance since 1987.
England have been plunged into crisis 18 months out from the World Cup as the first blemish of the Jones era on home soil confirmed the trend of a team that has entered reverse with a three-Test tour of South Africa looming.
An inquest will follow and Jones has indicated that some players will be discarded, but Richard Wigglesworth has revealed that steps have already been taken to prevent rifts emerging in response to the slump.
“We’ve been very pre-emptive on that (blame culture) which has been great,” the Saracens scrum-half said.
“There are fine margins in winning and losing in sport, but the difference in how you’re perceived can distract you and you end up thinking and talking about the wrong things.
“Everyone has been proactive in managing it. Straight away Eddie was on it, saying we don’t want any whispering in corridors. He wants an open and honest environment and that’s what he’s got.”
Ireland were out of sight by halftime after tries from Garry Ringrose, CJ Stander and Jacob Stockdale swept them into a 21-5 lead to help condemn England to a first Six Nations defeat at Twickenham since 2012.
Discipline and leadership are the biggest areas of concern ahead of the June series against the Springboks, but alarm has also been sounded over the attack and overall purpose of the team.
Wigglesworth, who was making his first international start for three years, insists the path taken by his club Saracens in reaching the pinnacle of English and European rugby offers a lessons worth heeding.
“Everyone sees the last couple of years at Saracens and thinks it’s been plain sailing, but we’ve had unbelievable disappointments along the way,” Wigglesworth said.
“There were times a few years ago when we were getting called bottlers and all sorts of things, but then all of a sudden the accolades came our way.
“Every team has dips in form, highs and lows. I’m sure I’ll go through that again before the end of my career.
“This is a dip, but similar to Saracens there is no blame culture. It’s about what can we do to get better, what do we need to do.
“It’s because of that experience I’m confident this England will come out of the other side a better team and give themselves a better chance in the future.