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'Soul-destroying': Former England player takes to social media to blast current team

27 Nov 2022

Owen Farrell (Photo by Alex Davidson - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Former World Cup-winning England centre Will Greenwood has shared an honest, emotional message on social media with regard to the state of the current national side.

England slumped to a 27-13 loss to South Africa at Twickenham to end their Autumn campaign which Greenwood called the most ‘soul-destroying’ game he has attended at the home of England Rugby.

The 55-Test international didn’t hold back in his assessment of how England played, claiming they were ‘scared of their shadows’ in a performance that many have labelled an abject failure.

“That was one of the most soul-destroying, demoralising, games of rugby I think I’ve ever been to at Twickenham,” Greenwood said in video published online.

“The side look completely devoid and shot of ideas. Scared of it’s own shadow, beaten up, out-played, out-muscled, out-thought.

“This year, played 13 and won five. Scotland win the Calcutta Cup every time they play us.”

As head coach Eddie Jones continued to look for the positives out of the loss, claiming England are heading in the right direction, Greenwood wasn’t buying the rhetoric.

The former centre knows what it takes to build into a successful World Cup campaign, having been an integral part of England’s 2003 World Cup win.

After hitting rock bottom in 1998 on a Southern Hemisphere tour where they were smashed 76-0 by Australia, by 2000 they were Six Nations champions and repeated in 2001.

In 2003 they captured a Grand Slam before going on to win the Rugby World Cup later that year. The signs of improvement were visible after the 1999 World Cup quarter-final exit.

“You can get caught up in the ‘building World Cup, building World Cup’ evolution and development. If that was happening, and we were playing and getting beaten 47-45 you’d sort of go, ‘yeah well done’,” Greenwood explained.

“But all I know right now is it is tough, tough to defend.”

Greenwood’s sentiment was shared by former players and pundits alike, with Jeremy Guscott calling for a ‘serious reboot’ after the dismal Autumn campaign.

Can’t remember the last time I felt so frustrated after watching an Eng rugby team play. Serious reboot of some kind needs to happen for the players to rediscover their brilliance.
— Jeremy Guscott (@JeremyGuscott) November 26, 2022

A bad day at Twickenham..unless you are South African. They had a good tour. Performance levels extremely high. Development of their game good….unlike England
— Stuart Barnes (@SBarnesRugby) November 27, 2022

The RFU announced a review will be undertaken with a ‘series of meetings’ but that wasn’t enough to appease rugby writer Stephen Jones who called the action ‘pathetic’.

Breaking: great news for suffering England fans. The RFU announce this morning that they are to talk about their team's abject failure in committee meetings! A review panel (which wants to remain anonymous) "will hold a series of meetings." Pathetic. You could not make it up
— Stephen Jones (@stephenjones9) November 27, 2022

“They (England) finished 2022 fifth in the world and Jones is once again on course to miss a performance target set out by the RFU of winning 80 per cent of Tests in a season having done so in 2021-22 too.” @willgkelleher @TimesSport
— chris jones (@chrisjonespress) November 27, 2022

Comments

3 Comments

Michael 840 days ago

England have beaten the Boks on the last 3 meetings at Twickenham.

England came up short against the Boks, just like they did in RWC19 - why?

Its relatively simple - when they beat the Boks, they have not played the ABs beforehand.

Last week England fans and press were lauding the "comeback of the century" against the ABs! England were the real deal, they had turned the corner after Argentina.

As an AB fan we are still in a black cloud having again lost a sizeable lead - the 5th time in 9 games - despite Fosters denial that there is a problem.

Antonia 840 days ago

Has anyone considered that they have gameplans for the world cup that they are keeping under wraps until the world cup so no one can develop ways of stopping them?
Maybe Jones, captain of mind games, wants England to appear as less of a threat than they are. It's worth anything for the trophy he's come so close to but never won.
That being said, there are areas (discipline, set piece) that aren't up to scratch and they need to be sorted.
On Saturday we had struggles with injury and some uncharacteristicly poor performances, maybe in part due to the intensity of the opposition.
I think England have learned far more this autumn than if they had battled through like last year. Let's look at the long term here. They're already building towards a world cup, just maybe only on the training field.
I'd recommend squidge rugby's video to anyone interested (particularly SCW and other columnists)

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Comments on RugbyPass

ZamaZama 8 minutes ago

Easterby hits back at France's conduct in the wake of Dupont injury

Once again the whining schoolboy wants to tell everyone how to behave. What a 💩

17 Go to comments

RedWarriors 26 minutes ago

Easterby hits back at France's conduct in the wake of Dupont injury

He publicly demanded that the Irish players should be cited and declared their actions reprehensible. The obvious implication is that the referee has made grave errors and that the ‘culprits’ and ‘butchers’ of Dupont were not reprimanded. Of course he publicly stated that he didn’t blame the referee. Ofcourse his meaning was clear and the evidence is collective rage by the French public against the referee. This is dishonest and cowardice by Galthie. The two Irish players he attacked then received threats to their safety by French ‘supporters’.

We know that France have more suspensions for dangerous tackles than all other six nations combined under Galthie.

We know that he publicly lied about the ‘injustice’ of the Ntamack v Ringrose bans. He knew the difference, he acknowledged it in his evidence for Ntamack and he knew that French players had benefitted more than any others over both cases in previous years.

The last thing rugby needs is trial by media by mini Trumps who are only interested in cheating for their own country and disguising their own short comings.

17 Go to comments

MichaelT4 36 minutes ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

I definitely watched the game - England did stun them by winning, no one expected that. Not Englands fault that France dropped the ball - figuratively and literally - and it was England who then outscored them and out scrummed them and battered their big forwards back several times. England arent given enough credit for that win. Game of the tournament. Ireland v France wasnt a game by the second half, it was one-way.

For the Scotland game they were lucky Russell missed his kicks, but Scotland should have had a red card for the head contact from the winger on Chessum. No arms, jumped up and first contact was with the head. Evens out on the luck front.

Not sure England deserve an A that this article gives them, should be reserved for the winner, but they won their games by scoring more points. If another team had the same tournament as England, they would be lauded for their character and grit.

2 Go to comments

JB 52 minutes ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

Re England … “they stunned France …”

Really? Were we watching the same game? France left at least 3 tries begging, none of which were due to England’s defense - they should have been out of sight by half time.

For me, it was more France losing the game than England winning it.

France were stunned, yes, but by themselves

2 Go to comments

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Crusaders rookie earns 'other than Dupont' praise from All Blacks star

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8 Go to comments

TI 1 hour ago

Lions selection: 3 winners and losers from each country

Hugo Keenan played well in games where Ireland didn’t. I think he should be listed as a winner instead of Beirne, or Sheehan, who were always going to go.

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Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

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36 Go to comments

fl 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

It will be interesting to see how developmental the summer squad is. Given how much consistency of selection there was throughout 2024 and the early part of 2025, I wonder if Borthwick’s suddenly erratic teamsheets were an attempt to build enough depth to play almost solely first team players against Argentina.

E.g. if Freeman and Furbank both go to Australia (which I think would be unlikely) England could still field a back three of Marcus Smith, Roebuck, and Feyi-Waboso, with Steward, Daly, Sleightholme, and Murley also in the squad. Similarly if both Curry brothers and Ben Earl all go (which I think would be similarly unlikely) England could still select Tom Willis, Underhill, and Cunningham-South in the back row. Hardly a developmental lineup! There would have to be newer and less experienced players brought in in the second row and at centre, but even here there could be starting partnerships of Martin & Coles and Dingwall & Daly.

I think there’s a good chance England’s progress will be built on directly in Argentina.

36 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

The big concern for me is that our 13 forwards are at a big disadvantage against their 15.

36 Go to comments

Otagoman II 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

They had an average game against a Hurricanes side that was marginally better. They were poor protecting their ball and blew many promising attacking raids. Tangitau did his best to win the game by himself with a 85 metre intercept try and a a quick tap kick ahead that resulted in another. Highlanders scored no phase play tries. Joseph said that their attack was basically too conservative playing one out and that the support should of been better. They will need to do better with their attack this saturday as the Reds have plenty of points in them with quick ball.

36 Go to comments

fl 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?