Rugby legend Jason Robinson says England’s World Cup flops stand accused of letting both manager Martin Johnson and the nation down with their juvenile antics on and off the field in New Zealand.
The England players and management jetted back home yesterday with the recriminations and fall-out from a deeply flawed campaign already in overdrive.
That England’s flight home was preceded by yet another scandal to follow on from dwarfgate, ballgate and sordid revelations involving a trio of players and a female hotel worker, when Manu Tuilagi was formally warned by police and fined £3,000 after jumping from a ferry as it was about to dock in Auckland somehow summed up England’s fall from grace.
Like the rest of the nation, former England captain Robinson has looked on in dismay at some of England’s antics in New Zealand and the cross-code legend was withering in his assessment of their 2011 campaign which saw them exit at the quarter-final stage after Saturday’s 19-12 loss to France.
“I think some of what has gone has been a disgrace and has put the country in a bad light,” blasted Robinson, who achieved legendary status in both Union and League with Sale and Wigan.
“It’s been bad enough not delivering on the field without all the rubbish that has followed off it. A few of the players have come out and said they are disappointed with what’s been reported in the media.
“But what these guys have got to realise is that the same media who are talking them down at the moment were the very people who talked them up in the first place, giving them great exposure and sponsorship deals.
“You can’t have one without the other and I think they have been a bit naive. A whole nation’s hopes and expectations rested on their shoulders, whether they like it or not and the reality is that England haven’t been good enough.
“The World Cup is unique and as a player, nothing quite prepares you for the media spotlight that it produces. You sneeze and the whole world knows you have sneezed but these guys know that.
“They have been naive and it’s very disappointing. Look at what happened with Manu Tuilagi – he was probably England’s stand-out player from the tournament but all he is going to be remembered for now is jumping off a ferry.
“Now, jumping off a ferry is not a massive deal in itself but was just another unnecessary talking point, another silly incident that the players and the management didn’t need.
“There is a line you don’t cross and a small minority have crossed it too many times.”
As it stands, its team manager Martin Johnson and his backroom staff rather than the players who are in the direct firing line, with RFU operations director Rob Andrew launching a full scale review of England’s sorry 2011 campaign.
For his part, Robinson has warned against a knee-jerk reaction saying that all the myriad questions arising from the last five weeks need to be answered before blame is apportioned.
However, in giving his players so much rope off the field, Robinson says fairly or unfairly, Johnson could be the one left hung out to dry.
“Johnno will carry the can as the manager and if the players have not delivered, ultimately it’s your responsibility. He will have to answer why England didn’t perform and why there was so much ill discipline on and off the field,” said Robinson who was a team-mate of Johnson’s both for England and the British Lions..
“Someone needs to have the answers but I don’t think a decision should come out in the next couple of days. Hopefully the review will shed light on just why things went so wrong and how best for England go forward and who should lead that. But because Martin has backed his players to the hilt, this is not just about on the field matters now.
“If this had just been down to what happened on the field then I think he would have been given a little bit more breathing space, but this is about players about whom you have to ask: ‘Is there real control over them?
“How come it has got to the stage where there have been so many things going on? From the first incident should Martin have said ‘Look, from now on nobody goes out – simple as that.’
“Look at Wales they have imposed a drinking ban and gone on to be really successful which only highlights the contrast with England.
“I’m surprised as though Johnno is a nice guy, he’s certainly no softie and is not a man to shirk responsibility.
Mentality
“So the question is why on earth have the players done one thing after another off the field? In fairness to him, he’s backed his players but unfortunately some of the players have not done the same.
“There will be a lot of flak for Martin over the coming weeks but those players, if they are honest will know they really under-performed.
“It’s not as if players before were lily-white as players have always gone out and had a beer.
“But I’m not sure if this new breed have the same mentality. I don’t know if we are going in the right direction as there have been too many things going on. Martin’s backed them, they not delivered and he may pay the penalty, time will tell.
“The really sad thing though is from an England point of view, we will all remember the 2011 World Cup for all the wrong reasons.”
Jason Robinson is a Worldwide Ambassador for Proskins Ltd and the JR Clothing Range (jasonrobinson. co.uk). Proskins are also available from Tesco and DW Sports.
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