RFU dishonesty is concerning

Whether or not Eddie Jones is replaced as England’s head coach – and I fear that we are, for better or for worse, stuck with him until after the World Cup next year – the RFU statement issued on Sunday that it was “encouraged by England’s solid progress” during the Six Nations was, frankly, one of the most absurd comments that I have ever read.

Perhaps whoever was responsible for the statement (which was attributable only to an “RFU spokesperson”) was taking a leaf out of the UK Government’s playbook in this thinly veiled attempt to mislead or ‘gaslight’ the English rugby public. 

As pretty much any English rugby fan will know, however, two meagre victories this Six Nations - over last-placed Italy and a poor Welsh team – constitutes no kind of progress whatsoever from last season’s pathetic fifth place finish.

Ugo Monye called it absolutely correctly by labelling the RFU statement as “dishonest” while former Welsh skipper Sam Warburton got it spot on by simply calling the statement “a lie”.

No doubt England’s Six Nations performance will, once again, be subject to another “brutally honest” internal review by person or persons unknown at the RFU which will achieve absolutely nothing. ”Carry on Eddie” will undoubtedly be the outcome – but the fact that the outcome has already been pre-empted by the RFU’s ludicrous statement on Sunday should be a cause for concern. 

It’s about time that someone was accountable for this mess – aside from the odd dropped player or jettisoned assistant coach here or there. 

The debate needs to be had – but I won’t be holding my breath.

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was