MAILBOX: England woes continues

As England fans wind down from yet another loss to the French in their World Cup warm-up at the weekend, it seems many of yuo are still wound up over the men in white's (or is that men in red?) performance...

The most depressing thing about England's performance on Saturday was not the total absence of a cutting edge - they didn't even look like threatening the line once - but the blindness of the senior players and coaches to this failing. Even the English media have now clocked that a big pack, a new coach and Jonny Wilkinson does not a World Cup victory make. But after the match, various players and coaches banged on about cutting out errors (Wilkinson), putting in more effort (Dallaglio) and needing more training (Ashton). None of these comments acknowledge the central fault line. Until the team themselves realise the urgent need for a cutting edge, nothing will improve and England will continue to drift gently down the world rankings.

- Thomas (Perth)

They were playing in Welsh colours. No wonder they did not know whether

they were coming or going.

- Lambert Lambeth

England conceded 10 points when down to 14 men during a warm up game with a highly fancied French team in France. Also according to Ashton they have still not fielded their first 15. I stick with Australia's John Connolly On England being one most teams would want to avoid. With England I believe a surprise package and dark horse is more likely than a World Cup fizz.

- Olaf The Barbarian

I can't see England getting past the quarters at best. They don't have any speed or flair, and that's a much bigger issue than their age which isn't an impediment at all. Final will be SA vs NZ or France.

- Jerry (New Zealand)

Disappointing to watch, they should have the combination of player's right at this late stage, it will be difficult to get results coming off the back of some fairly decisive losses. We can only hope that they come right on the day!

- Max (Cape Town)

According to you, England's defence was stout and manful yet again according to you let one try in and would have let two more were it not for French errors... hmmm, guess you're acknowledging England at their best are simply not very good?

- Dave Smith

Second in Pool A, lose to Australia in quarters.

- Tim Sheehan

I was unable to watch the game but followed the live report. I think the game is summed up by the fact that Robinson was mentioned twice, Hipkiss once, Lewsey not at all and Cohen about twice.

Add to the fact that Farrell was hardly mentioned after the first few minutes and it becomes obvious that the game plan was 10 man.

10 man rugby is all well and good but it must also have some width at times or a stereotype game becomes too easy to read and defend against. It does not seem that England mounted 1 single credible attack in the whole game and lack creativity. At least in the last encounter it was a basic lack of finishing and poor handling that prevented a score. England now seem to have moved a step backwards and instead of improving basics have decided eliminate errors by removing the options. South Africa must be rubbing their hands with glee after watching this as must the other teams in the group with the possible exception of the USA!

- Unknown

If I was Brian Ashton I would be worrying about worse things than a hooker. England are dreadful, only a week group is going to save them and bring some level of respectability.

No doubt we will still be hearing about the last World Cup in 40 years time. Some things never change.

- Richard (Dublin)

Things are not as bad as they are being portrayed if you analyse Saturday the pack were definitely under strength so there was no platform to play off

The positives are:

1) Rees returned after over two months without a game so was a bit rusty, but is the missing link .

2) Sheridan was not playing and is a major part of England's Scrum

3) Vickery was off for 50% of the game and he has improved in every game and getting back to something like his old form .

4) Ben Kay played much better against France last week so would start before Borthwick .

5) Moody is an option at 6 or off the bench and is a big game player .

6) Perry is improving in every game and Hipkiss can only get better given another run-out.

7) We conceded the only try when we were down to 14 men and France only really created one more clear cut chance when Harry Ordinary didn't release the ball wide, in the ground which is an accepted fortress of theirs we didn't get stuffed .

My biggest concern is Wilkinson is looking below par his kicking out of hand and distribution were not great and his understanding with Farrell just doesn't seem to be there my preference would be to go with Catt or even Barkley at inside centre .

We have one more game to play our full strength team against the USA and get the combinations right and score some tries in the backs I'd rather play USA than Samoa first up and SA have had no meaningful games of their full strength team for what in effect will be two months which is not great preparation either .So its not all doom and gloom .

- Alan

Well it looks like England will need to do a lot of work from now until the RW, even then I am not sure they have what it takes to do it at all. This was a performance that was hard to watch unless you were a Frenchman... and all credit to them!

France were ready, England was not. Ashton and Johnny Wilkinson say the mistakes cost them? No lads, it was the French defence, their flankers were everywhere and totally outplayed the England backrow. Cueto was terrible, Robinson and Lewsey were invisible, Borthwick, Chuter, Hipkiss were average at best, and then the subs were worse... just carried on a sad lethargic performance.

Of course England had the usual suspects play a decent game - Corry, Perry, Shaw (too bad on the sin bin as he was the best England player on the field, but it was a deserved card), Rees (out of shape for 80 minutes), etc etc etc...

Good luck in three weeks lads... enjoy the French hospitality as that is the best it is going to get for you... your WC group gives you the chance to move on but once you get to the big boys ENG are in trouble... start preparing for 2011...or 2015...or...or...or...or...

- Nino (Canada)

I watched the game again in order to spot what Ashton thought was a try scoring opportunity in those opening minutes, couldn't find anything. Wilkinson was poor, Hipkiss was a boy against men, the rest of the mid-field, including the back row, have no pace or expertise, absolutely nothing from full back, so try scoring in the whole 80 minutes looked a faraway dream.

- David James (Kettering)

England were rubbish but the chant has to go up "The referee's a Frenchman! The referees a Frenchman!".

There is no way Shaw should have gone to the bin for an accidental high tackle that Pelous milked like an overpaid Italian soccer star.

- Neil Whithear (New Zealand)

A well deserved victory for the French. France had more imagination, more attacking guile and, tellingly, more muscle than a pedestrian and one-dimensional England side.

Did anybody else think that, in World Cup year, we saw another well below par refereeing performance? It didn't affect the result ultimately, but Rolland made almost as many unnecessary errors as England.

- Stuart Flack (Jersey)

Well, it would appear England have once again won the psychological battle (without even realising it!); everyone is trying to attain or at least compare to England '03. Fair enough, I can understand why: They won. However, I have never seen a team succeed by achieving the outcomes of the previous winner. Have you? Surely if it were that simple at least one team would have made a good fist of defending the title. They haven't. I am firmly of the opinion that this World Cup is wide, wide open. As a rugby fan I am truly looking forward to it. I hope it delivers. I hope the best team wins. But if they don't I hope England do! I have booked a ticket for the quarters in Marseille; any further down the line than that would be presumptuous and rude. Have fun, and remember it's only a very intense, physical and important game. Take care.

- Jonny Jarv

Plenty of bravery but little else. Ashton I thought was suppose to have an attacking influence on the side nothing evident of that tonight.

Summed it up for me 5 minutes to go Billy Whizz gets the ball kicked to him in the past under Woodward would have taken them off on this occasion just kicked it out.

England much as I love them and felt like shedding tears after tonight's performance will struggle to beat Samoa to qualify for the semis unless they start to believe in themselves once more.

Andy Farrell defended like a man who would die for the shirt but we need game breakers who can turn a game.

We simply do not have them at presnt.If we do then they are being stifled by Ashton's current tactics.

On a plus note Rees was outstanding please lets get away from picking Dallaglio he is no longer up to it any more and leaving Haskell out for him was madness.

Despite my disappointment I will be cheering the lads on England till I die.

- Proccie in Scunnie

England will never again be world champions. I say that as a sad English supporter not as many who comment here who are full of anti-English bile. The reason why they will fail? Because the clubs are more interested in profits, too many foreign mercenaries, not enough class players to choose from. If it is club rugby that is your only interest then carry on, but if there is any sense of national pride left then voice it to all, clubs, fans, RFU etc, and that applies to all the home sides, Scotland is learning slowly when will the rest wake up?

- Disappointed fan

England have nothing to offer. Ponderous, defence minded, no gifted attackers, ready to kick the ball at any opportunity.

- Paul Donegan

What have we learnt so far?

Wales' borderline forwards aren't as good as England's more or less top squad of forwards - but Wales' main crew can put the frighteners on one of the best packs in world rugby.

England still believe their own hype, so, sadly do the majority of the Welsh public. Given the number of commentators calling it Wales' third team did anyone really expect a result against a team that was basically wall to wall England's world cup squad players? Being proudly Welsh I'd have loved a win, and the margin of loss was dispiriting, but losing wasn't a surprise, and in rugby I have memories of being on both sides of thumping - small margins of desire and skill across the park can lead to huge margins on the score sheet.

Laporte and Jenkins have similar choices to make at 10... the fizzing, exciting, but more error-prone 10, or the solid, dependable one. I'd make opposite choices - Hook in, Michalak out. Hook still leads his team and looks present when things aren't going well. Michalak doesn't, and although France will boss a lot of teams, for the big matches, sorry Freddy.

Miracles might happen and England beat South Africa if the Boks suddenly forget how to play. More interesting will be the England Tonga match... will England win? If it was (say) France, England, Argentina rather than France, Ireland, Argentina, would you put money on England getting out of the group after the last two week's performance?

France are as predictable as ever... not at all. Whoever they meet in the quarters and semis might get stuffed, might hammer them out of sight.

Scotland and Ireland's next matches will be fascinating, but the Bokke and the ABs won't be worried by anything they've seen I think. Australia just might - Wales' scrummage looked good against Argentina, Australia's scrummage has not looked good for years..

- Lewis

And how can we forget Wales v Argentina, who provided the weekend with some heart-stopping action...

This was a real thriller of a game -- it reminded one of the France vs Argentina game last fall when the Pumas failed to score in the last few moments from a line-out on the French line. It was definitely a tale of two halves which set up the exciting finish.

For the Pumas, they have to put a bit more length on their clearing kicks from their own 22 -- the first half saw 2 tries to Wales that were a result of field position. Pichot also has to communicate a little better as he was too slow and sometimes clueless when he got the winning ball from the ruck. The Pumas also have to start learning to think ahead and anticipate cover men weather in attack or defense.

For Chris White, he did well and was fair in the big picture; however, partial refeering against lesser nations is still a big issue: a couple of intricate line-out penalties against Argentina that no one else saw, a 90 degree scrum called against Argentina yet never one called against Wales, and a scrum awarded to Wales from a dead ball at the breakdown where Wales were traveling 20 meters backward. Also, someone please explain knock-on laws - when it is ripped out of a ball-carriers hands, but regardless, ball goes to straight to ground (not forward) and the Puma player regathers and grounds? Try in my books.

For Wales, don't even think about beating Australia because it won't happen. The dynamics in every element of the game (but perhaps scrums) will hugely favour the much faster-paced and skilled Wallabies. Overall, it was a good game to watch and I bid good luck to both teams.

- The Balls (Ottawa)