The recent behaviour of the England rugby union team at the Rugby World Cup has left me for one feeling more than a little embarrased, and that was just their performances on the pitch.
Here are a group of elite athletes at the top of their game who are brought together to give their all for their country. Instead of giving their all, however, they proceed to make the papers for all the wrongs reasons whilst their manager appears to say "Well, boys will be boys".
The behaviour of Messrs Tindall, Ashton, Haskell et al has been disgraceful at times. Personally, if they want to jump off a bridge, with a cord around their legs, so be it, but how is it acceptable to behave as they have done? Here is a group of men who should be so proud to represent England, and should be willing to give their all. Instead we see a group of petulant boys who are on a school trip. Sadly, this school trip is in full view of the world's media.
I'm not saying that Martin Johnson should resign. In fact, I think he probably deserves to stay in the job, at least for another 18 months. However, there are some players who need to leave stage left now and never darken the England shirt again.
I think I'd be slightly more forgiving if the performances on the pitch had been half decent. However, there was so much that was bad, it was almost laughable. The team never seemed to get out of first gear, with tactics which seemed to be nearly 10 years out of date. It's time for a change, and that needs to include the senior management of the RFU (yes, and you Mr Andrew) who have mismanaged the farce which is England rugby for so long. No fuss, no recriminations, just go.
