The former England and British and Irish Lions back row was not happy with the performance against Ireland on Saturday, labelling it ‘one of the most disappointing Twickenham has ever seen’
Rugby great Lawrence Dallaglio has admitted he is “devastated” and “angry” after England were hammered at home by Ireland.
Steve Borthwick’s men suffered a humiliating defeat against the Irish at Twickenham on Saturday – a second successive loss which leaves their hopes of challenging for a Six Nations title in tatters.
With France still to come, it’s likely that England will be scrapping to see where they finish in the bottom half, whereas they had hopes of winning the tournament just two weeks ago after they pummelled Wales in the English capital.
Former England captain Dallaglio said while the team has promised much over the past 12 months it has all been for nothing as a huge gulf in class was evident at Twickenham when Ireland ran in five tries and racked up 42 points.
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“Every single player was beaten and bettered by their opposite number,” Dallaglio wrote in his Times column.
Dallaglio, who was capped by England on 85 occasions, called Saturday’s performance “one of the most disappointing Twickenham has ever seen”.
He also questioned the side’s mental toughness, writing: “Every Test side loses games. I lost plenty. But there are minimum requirements when you pull on an England jersey: it’s about the mental approach to winning Test matches.
“You need to find your own motivation to play for your country. Man for man, England failed to do that.
“Their best player was Henry Pollock and he was on the field for only 70 minutes. To lack emotional intensity once, away from home, is forgivable. It happens. For it to happen twice in a row, and to do it here – at Twickenham? That is a long way past acceptable.”
Dallaglio did heap praise on a “magnificent” Ireland side, and said Andy Farrell’s men had proven they were not over the hill yet.
But, the former number eight said “you can’t put it all down to Ireland”, writing that England made basic mistakes time and again.
As for the short-term future of this England side under Borthwick, Dallaglio thinks they need to beat Italy and France to salvage something from the 2026 Six Nations campaign.
“After Murrayfield, I wondered if England’s performance was an aberration or the sign of something more deep-rooted,” he said.
“Having conceded the bonus-point try early in the first half on Saturday, I know what I think now. There is something serious that needs to be looked at.
“In the middle of the championship, the only people who can answer all of these questions are the players and coaches. And if they want to pull something respectable out of this disaster, they not only have to win in Rome, but in Paris too.”