RUINED BY EGOS SELFISH PLAYERS
Burgess blast after he’s criticised for 2015 World Cup exit: They cost great men jobs
SAM BURGESS has blamed “individual egos and selfish players” for England losing Andy Farrell to Ireland.
Farrell’s appointment to succeed Joe Schmidt has sparked a fierce debate as to how England allowed one of their own to now be blocking their path to Six Nations and World Cup glory.
The answer lies in the humiliation of the 2015 World Cup when England became the first host nation ever to be knocked out in the pool stages.
Rugby league import Burgess was cast as the villain of a failure which prompted the
Rugby Football
Union to replace head coach Stuart Lancaster with Eddie Jones – who then fired Farrell.
Three years on, both Farrell and Lancaster are enjoying such huge success in Ireland that one will take over as national team boss a year from now and the other, already coach of European champions Leinster, could well join him.
Sir Clive Woodward said he was “almost filled with despair” at the turn of events.
”I think you should be gutted,” Ireland star Rob Kearney agreed, on the EggChasers Podcast. “English rugby, what you guys have lost has been an enormous factor in the success of Irish rugby over the last few years.” When Kearney’s comment hit social media and Burgess was once again name-checked in the subsequent blame game, Slammin’ Sam let rip.
“I seem to be getting a few tweets regarding the Rugby WC in 2015 .... still,” Burgess posted on Twitter. “If people actually re-watched the games I participated in you will see I added to the team.
“What cost us an early exit was individual egos and selfish players not following our leader, which essentially cost the coach and other great men their jobs.
“Tournaments are not won by the coaching staff or one player. It takes a commitment from the full group. I guarantee you this, I was committed but others had their own agendas.”
Former RFU director of rugby Rob Andrew disagrees.
In his book, published last year, he branded Burgess a “rogue ingredient in the mix, both before the tournament and during it” and insisted his inclusion had a “negative” effect.
Premiership leaders Exeter revealed last night that Jack Nowell damaged a hamstring on England duty, which will sideline him for nine weeks.