RUGBY MUST LEARN FROM BAZBALL & THE LIONESSES
George: We need to take the fans with us like Stokes & Wiegman
JAMIE GEORGE surveyed the wreckage of another England defeat and admitted they need to take a lesson from Bazball and inspire the nation.
Billy Vunipola’s red card was another spoke in the wheel of Steve Borthwick’s side’s preparations for France 2023 and he and Owen Farrell could miss chunks of the tournament.
The five-try defeat to a below-par Irish side was England’s fourth loss in five, and they have not scored a try through their backs since March. In Dublin on Saturday night, visiting fans greeted the latest setback with a shrug, although social media was in meltdown, and George reckons his squad need to light the fire ahead of the World Cup.
Four years ago, England managed it when they made the final in Japan, under Eddie Jones, but even making the quarter-finals this time is not a given.
“I don’t love the word desperate, but we understand the importance of bringing the England fans on a journey with us,” said the hooker. “We also understand we haven’t been doing that for the last few years. 2019 was one the best times of my life because of the connection we had with the fans, all the messages we were getting from home, but that was because we were putting good stuff on the field.
“We need to start stringing stuff together to get people on their feet, behind us.
“The Ashes was amazing and the way the Lionesses went is unbelievable.
“The stuff that goes on behind the team, ultimately what the England cricket team did, what the Lionesses are doing, is providing excellent quality that was easy to get behind and that’s got to be our focus. My genuine belief is we have taken a step forward with regards to our performances.
“We are also aware we need to take bigger steps.”
Captain Owen Farrell sat out this shambles in the wake of a disrupted preparation because of his ongoing disciplinary circus.
England feel their leader has been hard done by with World Rugby appealing his downgraded yellow card and said last week they were going to do it in Ireland for the skipper.
That didn’t pan out as Ireland ran in five tries to one despite not hitting their straps and England were toothless in attack, poor with their kicking game and under the cosh at the set-piece.
George added: “Some of the motivation today was to make sure we did it for Owen because he has had a seriously tough week. We are gutted we couldn’t do that for him.”
England’s final warm-up game is against Fiji, at Twickenham on Saturday, before they head to a training base in northern France on August 31.
IRELAND: Tries: Aki, Ringrose, Lowe, Hansen, Earls; Cons: Byrne, Crowley
ENGLAND: Try: Sinckler; Con: Ford; Pen: Ford