Would you want to work for this man?

I think the trouble with the English team today now stems from the man in charge and his team around him. Lets face it, would you want him as your boss? He is the original grumpy bastard. Now that's all very well when he is on your team, as he frightens the hell out of the opposition, but not your ideal motivator either.

To make matters worse, he has surrounded himself with a hair shirt team of Leicester old boys...John Wells, Graham Rowntree, Brian Smith, all of whom made the Tigers a force to be reckoned with in the 90s - but were never exactly known for their running rugby or for entertaining anyone outside of Welford Road.

And this is my point, within that Tigers side of the 90s, everybody knew how to get the ball up their jersey, get a lead and close out the game. I don't see that same ability in the England squad. So you have a Management team totally at odds with the playing personnel. Never a good thing.

Why can't the England team think for themselves, why can't they close out a a tight game? I blame the acadamy system. You can call me old fashioned, but that Leiester team of the 90s in the most part did not arrive at the club straight from school and into the gym. They played from 18-23 in junior rugby and cut their teeth in that environment and stood out so that the Tigers showed an interest and invited them along.

Now you might not have learnt a lot about physical conditioning or protein shakes in Notts/Lincs/Leics league 1 - but you would have learned about the dark arts of front row play; when to throw a punch and get away with it; and, if you are a half back, how to control a game. Also wingers learn that they need to score with almost every chance they get, or the props will give them a hard time in the bar and call him a "girl" - are you listening Ugo Monye.

I look at this current England team, and I see a joyless collection of players who dont really believe their coaches, who are not having fun, and are a long way from reaching their potential. No wonder Cipriani didn't fit in. This lot of coaches would take one look at Barry John and question his ability or commitment because he isn't that strong in the tackle!

In selection, I did think the coaches were getting it right. The team for Italy was spot on, which made that performance all the more disappointing. But now, they are making mistakes. Foden should be starting, Lawes should have replaced Shaw, Jonny dropped (there, I have said it!), and how can you not pick a genuine 7 to start against Scotland? No doubt the plan this evening will be to kick, kick, and control the line out. It may win the day, but this group of players can do better and should be winning by more than 20 points againt the Sweaties.

And one final point - Jon Callard, how much are they paying you to coach kicking? Why can our top punter only manage a paltry 25-30 metres up the touchline, while Carter and the rest are often clearing 50 metres? Explain yourself please. The fans know and are not impressed. Time to go I think.

In fact, its time to get rid of the lot of them, from Andrew down. This is not a bad group of England players and they and their fans deserve better coaches...

What was Good and Bad in the Six Nations

Although I loathed the cynical nature of a different shirt for the gullible to buy, it was great to see England running out without a brand name sullying the pure white of each player's chest. OK, so the shirts were a cream flannel colour, but they weren't buggered about, and looked all the better for it. So how about that for next season - no sponsor on the shirt? After all, if its OK for the Frogs and All Blacks, why not the richest Union in the world. Or is it just ALL about the money nowadays at Headquarters?

Also, whisper this among the protein shakes and extra weights sessions, but centre play is making a comeback. A well-timed pass here, arcing run there, and a lot less of the biff and bash of recent years. Lord knows even that French pick-up truck Bastard managed a lovely little feint to go over for his second try. Mind you, that is a good dummy to buy! Anything which gets you out of tackling him has to be a good idea. Best backs at Twickenham - Tait and Hook, quick and soft hands both. Not sure what happened in Dublin, where O'Driscoll and Darcy were both out of sorts and failed to join the party.

The Bad is easier to find. Alun Wynn Jones has had more than enough stick from Gats and Sean the Dragon to last a lifetime so I will not join in by commenting what a complete and utter pillock he was. And Scotland looked again like they could play for 3 days against France and still not score a try. Their scrum capitulating was a shock too. Its really strange because Glasgow have scored tries for fun this season, but pull on that blue jersey and the backs seem to forget everything. Yes they make line breaks, but then seem drawn to run into the cover. All very odd. And as for Euan Murray choosing not to play on Sundays due to his religious beliefs - has he been watching Chariots of Fire? Isn't he a professional under contract with the SRU? Does his contract say anything about not having to play on Sundays? The concept of choice went out the window when you got paid to play laddie. Your country desperately needed you. They couldn't scrum for shite.

Oh and Heaslip - bright yellow boots? For God's sake man grow up. I can see the French front 5 sharpening their studs now in anticipation of stamping on your ankles next week. Leave the coloured boots to the girls in the backs...

This is why gouging is unnacceptable....

Please click on the link below or post it into your browser to see a harrowing report on an incident only two weeks ago....

http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/rugby-eye-gouge-bbc-news-report/1905663430

The poor guy.

A message to David Attoub, Schalk Burger and all others who have put their fingers in someone's eyes:

"How did you know that this would NOT be the result?"

What is an acceptable level of Violence?

There has been a lot written recently about the recent bans for gouging handed out to Julien Dupuy and David Attoub of Stade Francais. Only six months earlier, Schalk Burger permanently ruined his reputation in the 2nd Lions Test by attacking the eyes of Luke FitzGerald in the first minute of the match.

The view of this column on the matter are absolute. Not less than a 2 year ban for anybody gouging on the pitch.

To those who never played adult rugby in the forwards, this can be a confusing issue. What level of violence is acceptable (albeit illegal) and what is beyond the pale?

I would helpfully volunteer that pretty much anything goes, with the notable exception of deliberate boots to the head; attacking the groin; and eye gouging. All of which are totally unacceptable to all right minded rugby players and should carry lengthy (2 years minimum) if not lifetime bans.

However I would also remind anyone so minded to dish it, that you must expect the same coming back at you and be able to take it without complaint. Also, the rugby pitch does not operate outside of the law, and if you deliver a forearm smash to an opponent as his head sticks out of the ruck, and you break his jaw, don't be surprised if he presses a charge of Grevious Bodily Harm against you. And quite right too.

Rugby has always been a cheats' charter, with the skill of "playing to the referee" or "seeing how much cheating you can get away with" being an important part of the game at ALL levels - from Test rugby down to the Extra B XV. The fact that the poor old ref cannot see everything, means that often, players will feel the need to right the wrongs of the opposition, and this is usually where the violence comes in. By and large, players have nothing against this sort of retaliation, they all recognise the need to be able to self-police the game, its just a question of appropriate levels of violence.

However, and I think this is really the key point, all players recognise that rugby is a high speed contact game, that's why we love it after all, and as such, you are only one misplaced tackle away from a nasty concussion. This is a risk we accept when we play. But no-one can accept a risk of permanent damage to Brain or Sight or Wedding Tackle through foul play when they pull on their jersey. Or should they? It would be interesting to hear what David Attoub or Schalk Burger have to add to this subject.