England’s players have been urged to jettison the mental baggage of heavy recent club defeats and start afresh when the Six Nations kicks off next week. The majority of the squad have endured at least one disappointing result since Christmas but the management hope it will intensify their collective desire to transform England’s fortunes over the next seven weeks.
While Leicester’s 80-12 drubbing in Toulouse and Saracens’ unscheduled home loss to a second-string Castres side last weekend have cast an inevitable shadow over England’s warm weather training camp on the Costa Brava, it has at least awoken Steve Borthwick’s players and coaches to the urgent need to raise their level if they are to enjoy a more productive Six Nations campaign.
The former Great Britain rugby legend Kevin Sinfield also believes it could galvanise the squad and help them surprise people when they face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday week. “You think the best team on paper will win but it doesn’t always work out like that,” stressed Sinfield, England’s skills and kicking coach. “We all love the fact an underdog can come back and prove people wrong. Those who have a cause or who have had to face some adversity often come out swinging and do some remarkable things.
“If you look at the last three weeks the vast majority of our players have had a pretty hefty score put on them at some stage. It’s understandable that when you come in after a defeat like that you’re massively humbled. That’s the great thing about sport. You think you’re riding high and you suddenly get your legs taken from under you.
