Ian Ritchie uses some very strong language
One more try scored, one less try conceded, or if the exact opposite had happened for Ireland, over any of the five games played, England would be holding the Six Nations title. The margins really couldn’t have been smaller.
The ultimate outcome is, of course, important, and the momentum Ireland get going into the World Cup as the cream of Europe for two seasons in a row for a Northern Hemisphere tournament is something Joe Schmidt will cherish but England are hardly without crumbs of comfort.
Stung badly by injuries they managed to unearth some Test level talent, cemented George Ford in at 10 and proved they are easily one of the most difficult teams in the world to beat. Progress has, undoubtedly, been made.
But that cuts no ice with the man who runs English rugby, chief executive Ian Ritchie. Speaking to the press today he said this:
‘Four years as runners-up is not acceptable and we are not happy with how that came about,’ he said. ‘If you go back through history, bearing in mind a lot of things, we should be, as a country, winning more in terms of Grand Slams, Six Nations championships, other things.
‘We had opportunities. Let’s be clear – entirely in our control. The Irish deserved the win because of what they did over the five matches. We did not do enough over the five matches. There’s no point in bleating about it.
‘We simply didn’t take opportunities, didn’t do what we should have done, were not clever enough during parts of the game in order to deserve to win.’
We can understand the frustration at the RFU, but ‘not acceptable’ is very strong language considering what England’s record has been over the past few years.
Only Ireland, France, New Zealand and South Africa have beaten them these past two years and they remain second favourites for the upcoming World Cup on home soil.
We all knew before the tournament that England spied Six Nations success as a springboard to lifting the Webb Ellis trophy later in the year but with the manner of their missing that target being so fine, the language from the RFU surely has to be worrying to Stuart Lancaster’s ear.
Ritchie also added:
‘We’re developing, this is a development opportunity’ – I don’t take that. I don’t think we’re in a development phase. We should be going into every game, doing our utmost to win and to win well. We’ve got the resources, the talent, the ability. Saturday was a fantastic example of that.
‘We’ve got to make sure we come out for the World Cup and deliver.’
He may be contracted until 2020, but it sounds like nothing less than a World Cup win now is required from Lancaster.
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