So, RWC2011 continues without England. In the end, they were an ordinary team that did not look like wanting to win.
Was it poor team selection? Off pitch shenanigans? Lack of team spirit?
I don't know really what it was, only to say that England should have come out against France and annihilated the team that Tonga beat. But, with players clearly out of position, England looked like a beaten team even before they got a point on the board.
16-0 at half time in France's favour was embarrassing! 2 tries had also been scored, which was twice as many as England had conceded all tournament. The defence didn't turn up.
I'm sad because I've loved and supported English rugby since I started playing the game in 1990. Now, following 2003's amazing victory and 2007's rather surprising final, the national team is a mess. As is the management structure.
Come the six nations, I will still turn on the TV to watch my team. I'll still hope that the Welsh and the Scottish lose to everyone. Will Ireland and France be their good versions, or their not so good versions? And why are Italy still in the tournament?
But I'll be wondering, will England ever hold the Webb Ellis trophy again?
Clive Woodward took his time, but developed a system that, at the time, was revolutionary. We need a revolution in English rugby. Someone that will turn it on its head. A system that isn't controlled by people who want power, but people who truly want 6 Nations and World Cup glory... every year.
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