'Clueless': The English media reaction to Ireland's 29-10 win at the Aviva

RED MIST: Andrew Porter of Ireland is tackled by Billy Vunipola of England, for which Vunipola was issued a yellow card and the incident refereed to the TMO bunker which subsequently upgraded it to red. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The English media’s reaction to Saturday’s 29-10 defeat to Ireland ranged from ‘godforsaken’ to ‘clueless’.

The defeat was compounded by the red card ultimately issued to Billy Vunipola which leaves Steve Borthwick’s side facing anxious waits over potential bans for two key players.

Captain Owen Farrell faces another disciplinary hearing this week after World Rugby appealed against the overturning of his red card against Wales.

Former Lions boss Ian McGeechan, writing in the Telegraph, said England won't get past a quarter-final if they continue in this vain.

"So, where do England go from here? They simply have to accelerate from Saturday if they are to stand a chance of getting out of their group. Continue in this vein, and I’m not sure they will get beyond a quarter-final. That being said, the situation is rectifiable - but it is going to require some serious graft with time running out."

McGeechan was one of several rugby writers to question the approach of England’s kicking game.

"England clearly want to use kicking as a building block of their attack; that is fine, in theory – France and Ireland kick more than anyone – but at the minute it requires more variation. It’s all too predictable."

Former England out-half Stuart Barnes, in the Sunday Times, branded England’s style as clueless as he too lamented their over-reliance on a kicking game.

“Ireland were rusty and made a multitude of handling mistakes. But England fed Hugo Keenan and company. If an opposition wanted to deliver time and space in which to give Ireland with the complete width of the pitch, England provided it.

“In the early minutes of the second half, twice Ford, Steward and Youngs could find no way to counter from kicks. They passed to one another in clueless confusion.” 

Writing in the same paper, Stephen Jones said, “(i)t is some feat by England but this was the worst of their three performances in what has become a godforsaken summer series.” 

While lamenting England’s indiscipline and poor kicking game, Jones also described England’s forwards as “powder puff”.

“And again, we have gone through a match without a sight of what has always been, for well over 100 years, England’s staple — forward power. What they revealed yesterday was more like forward powder puff.” 

It is all a far cry from 2003 when England powered their way to World Cup glory. Their head coach for that triumph Clive Woodward, writing in the Daily Mail, described Saturday’s performance as “dull and uninspiring” and said Borthwick’s men had failed to heed the lessons from Farrell’s red card.

“Billy Vunipola's red card against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday was almost identical to the one involving Farrell and Wales' Taine Basham at Twickenham.

“You couldn't make it up. It leaves England in big, big trouble. They are now likely to face Argentina in their World Cup opener without two of their most important players in Farrell and Vunipola.

“I sound like a broken record, but England just don't play with enough pace.

“Unfortunately, their performance against Ireland was pretty dull and uninspiring and another red card capped off another disappointing encounter.

“I'm really not sure where England go from here.”