Chariots have reached a new low

It is often said that rugby is a thugs game played by gentlemen and football a gentlemen’s game played by thugs. And yet over the years it has oft been the footballers who have had the most scandalous of stories sprayed across the red tops. But oh how the mighty have fallen. Almost five years since winning the Rugby World Cup, and with four members of their squad being investigated for an alleged sexual assault on tour, the England team has reached a new low.

In New Zealand, a country where the rugby stars are followed and reported on as if they were Premiership footballers, a group of English players have landed themselves rightly in the mire. The line between professional rugby players and professional footballers could officially be muddied.

With their team not playing to anywhere near their potential, their new management not yet in place (I don’t pity Martin Johnson), this ship is truly rudderless. Clive Woodward ran a tight ship, but equally his players were given much responsibility and they reciprocated with respect for the manager, fellow players and most importantly the team. The shenanigans in New Zealand would not have happened under Woodward.

When Brian Ashton was not replaced following last year’s World Cup, it caused a number of difficulties for the team. Many of the senior players distancing themselves from the manager in the aftermath and it did not allow the team the opportunity to turn a new leaf. So the team made it through the Six Nations without any real conviction, despite finishing second.

The RFU have a lot to answer for. They hummed and hawed about Ashton’s position rather than simply ending his contract after the World Cup and starting anew. And so Director of Rugby, Rob Andrew, took charge of the tour to New Zealand.

For the players, the tour (as it was for all the home nations, probably two games too many at the end of a very long season) was probably not seen as a chance to impress the new management, but more a means to and end – finishing the season.

The team failed to impress during either test against the All Blacks but without proper leadership off the pitch, and not enough leaders on it (not like 2003), what more was to be expected. And so after the first test, instead of relaxing a few of the players decided to blow off a bit of steam, naively unaware of the hype that would surround their midnight escapades.

Johnson now has a job on his hands to re-build the team, re-build the public’s confidence in the team and re-build respect for his team in the international rugby arena.

The former England captain must now hope for two things. Firstly, that this is as low as they can go. And secondly, there are more gentlemen than thugs in the squad.