Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

The Kevin Sinfield verdict on his England defence shipping 50-plus

By PA
(Photo by Alex Davidson/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

New England defence coach Kevin Sinfield coach has spoken to the media for the first time since last Saturday’s record Guinness Six Nations loss to France. Steve Borthwick’s squad leaked seven tries in round four of the championship and must regroup quickly because Ireland in Dublin next Saturday will be England’s toughest assignment yet in 2023.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s been tough. Any time you get 50 stuck on your chin it’s not nice,” said Sinfield, who was appointed Borthwick’s England number two after Eddie Jones was sacked in December. “You probably get a fair bit less sleep because you are mulling things over trying to understand why, but we have worked incredibly hard over the last couple of days to try and fix some of the areas we fell short in – and there are quite a few.

“The players were hit pretty hard as you can expect from a result like that, but we have stuck together and we fight through it as a team, squad and staff to ensure that we continue to move forward. This was never going to be a straight line and it was never going to be straightforward.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

“When you ship 50 points and you are in charge of the defence, it doesn’t sit well with you. I certainly don’t put this at the players’ door. We are all in this together and we have got to work our way through it. For whatever reason, we didn’t turn up on Saturday. It’s our job to fix it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“It shouldn’t have happened on Saturday but what’s done is done, we learn the lessons, pick the bones out of it and ensure we are better this weekend.”

Related

England’s hopes of gatecrashing Ireland’s Grand Slam party in Dublin were hit on Tuesday by the loss of Ollie Chessum to an ankle problem. Chessum sustained the injury in training and while no timeframe was given for his return, he will definitely sit out the climax to the championship on St Patrick’s weekend.

The 22-year-old nine-cap international has overshadowed more established second row partner Maro Itoje throughout the tournament on account of his work rate and impact across the field. But his breakthrough Six Nations is over in a significant setback for England, who will now choose between David Ribbans, Nick Isiekwe, George Martin and Jonny Hill for his replacement at the Aviva Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Ollie will be a huge loss. He has been great for us. We have played him in the second row but he covers back row for us as well,” said Sinfield. Chessum is the second starter from Saturday’s record-breaking 53-10 defeat by France to miss out against the world’s number-one ranked team after centre Ollie Lawrence was struck down by hamstring damage.

Manu Tuilagi has completed a three-week suspension for dangerous play and offers a direct replacement for the hard-running Lawrence, but Borthwick may instead overhaul the midfield completely. For the first time in this Six Nations, Borthwick will approach Thursday’s team announcement with three fly-halves in contention after Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and George Ford were retained in a reduced 30-man squad.

The challenge facing Borthwick is deciding whether to give the starting XV who collapsed before France – minus the injured Chessum and Lawrence – another chance or to make changes.

“It’s about getting the balance right between giving those guys another shot but also making sure that the selection is right for the opposition we are playing against, which is what we have tried to do during the campaign,” Sinfield said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We have tried to pick a team that suits both how we want to play but also the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. We will stay along that same theme but the balance between the two will be crucial for us this weekend.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 1

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Men's Highlights

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Women's Highlights

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Kobelco Kobe Steelers vs Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

4 Comments
P
Piat 755 days ago

England played the quality of rugby required for about 5 minutes against France when they scored their solitary try. Now need to play like that for the other 75 minutes.

s
steve 758 days ago

All the forward back had no energy they looked laboured and played with no pride. They should be embarrassed to wear the red rose.

R
Robert 758 days ago

This notion you can tailor your side to the opposition is naive in the extreme. From the position England are we need a team operating to an understood and effective match-day strategy. Within which, consistent selection needs to be paramount. To do otherwise seems to indicate the coaches have no idea on the style of play they want, or the best players. Eddie Jones all over again. It's pathetic.

A
Arjayem 758 days ago

It will be less embarrassing all round if we just concede the game

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

K
Katy Martin 11 minutes ago
Duhan van der Merwe's Lions tour thrown into doubt

As a truck driver who spends long hours on the road, I understand the value of hard work. My job demands long shifts, constant focus, and time away from loved ones. To make extra income during my limited downtime, I started mining cryptocurrency. After months of dedication, I finally saved enough to buy BITCOIN through P2P on Binance. It felt like a major milestone. I was proud of what I had built, turning my effort into BITCOIN, an asset I believed in. That pride quickly turned into heartbreak. Someone I trusted scammed me out of $85,000 worth of BITCOIN in a single transaction. I was crushed. I had sacrificed sleep, missed out on time with friends and family, and worked relentlessly, only to have everything taken from me in seconds. The emotional and financial blow was devastating. Still, I was not ready to give up. I started researching ways to recover stolen BITCOIN and came across TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. I saw countless testimonials from people who had lost cryptocurrency and managed to recover it with their help. Desperate but hopeful, I reached out and shared my story. To my complete shock, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY managed to trace and recover my stolen BITCOIN within just 21 hours. The funds were safely returned to my wallet. I cannot describe the relief I felt. Months of hard work were not wasted after all. My belief in BITCOIN as a store of value had been shaken, but thanks to TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, I got a second chance. Even more incredible, their team helped law enforcement track down the scammer responsible. That person was arrested, and justice was served. I could finally breathe again, knowing that the person who took advantage of my trust was held accountable. If you have lost BITCOIN or other crypto to a scam, whether through fake investments, phishing schemes, or fraudulent platforms, do not lose hope. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY specializes in recovering stolen BITCOIN and other digital assets, even from apps like Binance, Cash App, or Coinbase. Their team is fast, trustworthy, and truly committed to helping victims like me. Losing BITCOIN you worked hard for is painful, but recovery is possible. Reach out to TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY today and take back control of your financial future. CONSUL THEM wa.me/15617263697

2 Go to comments
T
Tulijuanacutler 1 hour ago
Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

For the past three years, I've been involved in Forex trading, constantly learning new strategies and honing my skills. Along the way, I’ve come across many opportunities, but one particular online trading contest left me shaken and wiser. What appeared to be a legitimate contest with a grand prize turned out to be an elaborate scam. I’d like to share my experience to help others avoid a similar trap. It started with an online ad promoting a Forex contest. The hosting company seemed reputable, the prize was attractive, and the website looked professional. Eager to join, I paid a $1,000 registration fee. Soon after, I got an email saying I’d qualified for the next round but to proceed, I needed to cover $2,000 in shipping costs for the prize. Believing it was worth it, I paid. But after that, communication stopped. No prize. No response. Suspicious, I started researching and found out that many others had been caught in the same scheme. I had fallen victim to a professional scam and lost a total of $10,000. Feeling overwhelmed, I began looking for help. That’s when I found a digital recovery service specializing in online scams. I provided all my evidence, and they began working on my case. Thanks to their expertise, they were able to trace the transaction and recover my funds. This experience taught me the importance of verifying everything before making financial commitments online. I hope my story raises awareness about online trading scams and helps others avoid them. Be cautious if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.


Email: digitalresolutionservices @ myself. c o m


Stay vigilant,

Tulijuana Cutler

44 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Can Rugby Australia afford to go ‘all in’ on the Queensland Reds? Can Rugby Australia afford to go ‘all in’ on the Queensland Reds?
Search