Honesty sessions? That’s surely a Furst

ENGLAND have attempted to unload any mental baggage from the World Cup by nominating sports psychologist Dr Andrea Furst to lead the review of their final defeat by South Africa.

Furst previously worked with Great Britain’s hockey team and she introduced the squad to ‘honesty sessions’.

Eddie Jones has kept the bulk of his World Cup squad together for the Six Nations and Dr Furst has been in consultation with players since they returned home in November.

Dr Furst has encouraged players to express themselves in meetings but she has also taught individual techniques including visualisation, meditation and breathing exercises.

‘We will work with Andrea to unpack anything that might be there,’ said flanker Sam Underhill. ‘Ultimately the aim is to be better and make sure it is not an issue moving forward. Andrea did pre-World Cup work with us, a bit in Japan and kept in touch with a few of the lads.

‘She has been helping us navigate the World Cup. Boys might call it mental skills, feeling. Obviously there will be a sense of disappointment and regret around the final, but equally what made it easier was that we felt we had done everything we could.

‘It’s all about what you are aiming to do. I think the aim ultimately is to learn from it and be at peace with it. There has got to be an end point.’

Lock Joe Launchbury has been ruled out of the France game with a knee injury, but is expected to be fit for Scotland.