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'There's none of that... there is nobody blaming anybody'
By Liam Heagney
Assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has explained how the togetherness of the England squad at meal times in recent weeks is firm evidence for him that they are coping well with their brutal run of adversity in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup. Suspensions, injuries and deflating losses have all affected Steve Borthwick’s side during this month’s Summer Nations Series.
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However, rookie Test-level rugby union coach Sinfield is refusing to believe that glory in the coming months in France is beyond England, the ex-rugby league star referencing experiences from his stellar Leeds Rhinos career as an example of how triumph can quickly materialise off the back of doom and gloom adversity.
After preparations were completed on Friday at Twickenham for Saturday’s clash with Fiji, England’s final outing in their underwhelming four-match Summer Nations Series, Sinfield explained why he retains full confidence that Steve Borthwick’s squad can progress with purpose through a World Cup campaign that begins versus Argentina in Marseille on September 9.
“The obvious thing is when things start to pull apart are the fractures and the groups that break off and the groups that go and spend time together and start sitting together and having separate meetings – there is none of that. They are very much together,” he insisted despite all the setbacks that England have had to shoulder.
“Meal time shows you a lot of that, where people sit, the time they spend together and the on-field, how hard they work. The discussions we have had over the last couple of weeks have been fantastic and really positive.
“Within that, performances have not been where they needed to be. There are constructive conversations, too. There is nobody blaming anybody. We are all working together and they have been the signs that let you know we have got a good group.”
Is there an example from Sinfield’s own playing career that he can cite where pain similar to what England are currently enduring quickly led to better days?
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“Certainly throughout my career, there were enough obstacles to contend with (like what is happening with England). I have been part of enough teams that have had similar obstacles and have got experience of seeing how that has been handled and worked through – and I see some similarities here.
“There are lots of them. You take your pick, which year? I don’t know if you want international or club but club we finished fifth twice and went on to win trophies through the playoff system.
“We have had times where we have lost a lot of players, good players through injury and suspension and been able to work through it. There are certainly a lot of similarities here. That is why when I was asked the question about what do you see, I see a team that are desperate to do well.”
As it stands heading into their final warm-up, England have skipper Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola serving suspensions.
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They have also lost original RWC squad picks Jack van Poortvliet and Anthony Watson to injury, and there has also been massive criticism of the team’s limp performances in a run where the flawed August 12 comeback win over Wales at Twickenham was sandwiched by damaging away defeats to the Welsh and Ireland in Cardiff and Dublin.
This adversity, though, is something Sinfield insisted England are taking in their stride. “We are a tight group already but how you handle those setbacks and those obstacles are really important to how the team moves forward and how the team functions.
Fijian football at the home of England rugby…
– Fiji got the round ball out for part of their captain's run at Twickenham on Friday just hours before the All Blacks took on the Springboks at English Rugby HQ. #FijiRugby #ENGvFIJ #SummerNationsSeries #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/4BBLl2pRBs
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 25, 2023
“Each one of those, you can call them blows. We have got back up and we have gone again and we will continue to do that. Like I said, it is already a tight group. These obstacles will continue to bring us closer together.
“In another group, a group that wasn’t as experienced or in a group that wasn’t hungry to do well, it might be really, really challenging for us but they are a really good group, they have taken it in their stride and hopefully that really comes out in the performance.
“I do believe everything happens for a reason so the journey we are on, we understand that when you are preparing for something like this [the World Cup], and especially in sport, getting better and improving is never a straight line.
“We probably didn’t envisage having to encounter as many (blows) as we have but again, it’s going to prepare us for what is to come, especially when we get to France.
“In many ways, the fact that we are dealing with some of this now, hopefully makes it a little bit easier for us when we get into France. But the group are pretty tight, as I said, and we will continue to fight and move forward and be better tomorrow [Saturday].
“It would be daft to think we are not aware of some of the heat from outside. That is another one of those obstacles that we have to understand, that we have to face and confront, but we understand that strength comes from within and within that inner sanctum we are very determined to get better and improve.”
Saturday’s match will be played in front of only a half-full Twickenham and there are fears that the diluted atmosphere this will generate could set England up for another August loss, especially as Fiji have played well in recent weeks in their warm-ups – including giving France a few headaches last Saturday in Nantes.
“They [Fiji] have got some real talent,” admitted Sinfield. “I have really enjoyed previewing them. They bring a different threat to the northern hemisphere that we have faced since I have been working with England, so really looking forward to it.
“Some guys we know a lot about and some guys we know less about but there is one thing for sure, they are a very talented nation and they are going to come and play. Certainly for me watching and previewing it has brought a deal of excitement to really test us and see how far we have come.”
I don’t believe that it’s a happy camp. Just look at their faces during half time last week. I think that the players are as fed up with Borthwick’s approach as the fans.
As an England coach, I'd be more concerned with how their pack is going to handle Fiji. And then Argentina! England is probably going to be on the receiving end of something like what we saw the ABs experience today from the Boks.
Utter drivel. Instead of using how players are having meals together to try and demonstrate how together they are, try getting them to stop leaking tries.
Very upbeat considering the standard of play shown so far in this series.