Era of entitlement ruined England

IN THE END, perhaps the only way to rid the English rugby team of the arrogance and self-righteousness that has pervaded their squad since 2003 was with a stick of dynamite planted firmly in the centre of the Twickenham pitch.

Yesterday’s leaked report into the putrid stench that was England’s World Cup campaign should act as a catalyst; it is necessary to lay bare the ills, the infighting, the treachery and the despair that turned a capable group of players into a drunken, squalid mess.

The views expressed in the report were brutal, yet they were so damning because they came from the players themselves. Speaking to what they thought was a confidential RPA (Rugby Players’ Association) review, the majority of the 30-man squad ensured that Martin Johnson’s reputation was to die the death of a thousand cuts.