sport news SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I watched England as a fan on Sunday and it was an AWFUL ... trends now
I was sitting in the stands as a fan on Sunday for the first time in a long while and it was a totally underwhelming and frankly awful experience.
It was England’s first game since two of our biggest clubs have fallen into administration, something that never should have happened.
While I hoped as always for inspiration, I left with an overwhelming sadness and confusion at where the game is heading in England. It was more than bad day at the office and I had the feeling that few really cared.
Eddie Jones' England were humbled by Argentina at Twickenham on Sunday, losing 29-30
Argentina stunned the 80,000-strong Twickenham crowd with a deserved victory overall
The RFU kept playing naff music throughout the match and I spent half the afternoon standing up because people were back and forth buying beers. The atmosphere felt artificial and contrived and, to top it off, England’s performance was so bad. Everyone was bored out of their brains.
Losing is part of the game. You are not always going to play brilliantly but there was not a single memorable moment from an England player, nor any sign of innovation, creativity or boldness — it was really poor.
England were too slow. Eddie Jones is picking and coaching a team that just can’t play fast enough and there is no-one at the RFU who is remotely qualified to hold him to account. Argentina brought the intensity and credit to them on a historic victory.
England have now lost five of their last nine Tests in a wildly fluctuating year for Eddie Jones
England slowed the game down at every possible opportunity. They win a penalty, have a nice long chat about it and then walk over for a lineout. Get on with it and play! Tap penalties, snap drop goals and throwing in lineouts to yourself are all simple ways to dictate tempo but seem to be long forgotten.
Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler win a penalty at the scrum and the entire back division run over to give them high fives and pats on the back. What on earth is all that about?
Why aren’t the backs getting into position and keeping the option alive to take it quickly. At every opportunity England slowed the game down. You cannot win doing this and, more importantly, the game is unwatchable.
Argentina secured their second away victory over England following on from a 2006 success
At every ruck, Ben Youngs was taking too long to pass the ball away. Those fractions of a second all add up. No team will win a World Cup at that pace. I watched New Zealand on Saturday and they played with so much more tempo. They would have
