GENGE ORDERS FLOPS TO FRONT UP

ELLIS GENGE has told team-mates that England’s scrum calamity against South Africa has to be on them and not the referee.

Eddie Jones’ pack conceded five penalties and a free kick as the Springboks obliterated their set-piece at Twickenham on Saturday.

Jones (inset) said: “There is one thing about rugby that has not changed – if you can’t win the scrum, you can’t win the game.”

But the England boss also said he had “grave concerns about how the scrum was refereed”. Jones changed his entire front row at half-time, bringing on a new trio that included Genge (left), named at loosehead prop in World Rugby’s dream team of the year.

The Bristol star admitted to frustration at the way England’s game unravelled in the face of Springbok brute force.

He said: “I’m not going to stand here and say, ‘The ref screwed us’.

“We’ve got to be twice as good. We’ve got to raise the bar and take it to a new level. “You’ve seen it with Saracens for years in the Prem and with Leicester last year. You get the 50/50s because you’re so dominant.

“It’s human nature. I’m not going to argue with it, I’d probably be the same.”

While England’s scrum this year ranked worst of the top 10 nations, the world champion Springboks continue to set the standard. “South Africa are renowned for being the best scrum so if the scrum goes down they’re probably going to get the call,” added Genge.

“But are the odd 50/50s going their way? Of course they are. And rightly so because they’re so good in that area.

“It’s about keeping calm, collected, being real about it and everyone holding their hands up.”

The RFU have given themselves a fortnight to come to a judgement on England’s one-win-from-four autumn performance.