Memo to Ellis Jenge: You can't offend England fans

Jenge teased England fans on social media as the team departed for France. Photo: RFU/Steve Bardens

The question to be addressed is: «What would be an acceptable return for England for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France?»

Before answering this question, it's worth mentioning that one of, if not the most experienced England team ever left these shores with Ellis Genge's farewell social media comments: «Write us off now, all the best and “To all the English rugby fans *support* us, we know we are not where we want to be right now. We'll get there, stay with us in the dark, thanks for the love, we appreciate it.»

This comes not only from the international but also from the England vice-captain, and sarcastic taunts, knowingly or unwittingly, are as unwelcome as they are inappropriate. England fans might well object that it wasn't their «performance» that led England's «offensive» to record just five attempts in four World Cup warm-up games. And it wasn't their «protection» that missed 12 tries in those games.

England fans could go on to say that their «support» will be shown by thousands of those who go to France, now in hope rather than expectation, and who will confirm this support by paying around ten thousand if they stay in France for a while. all pool games. They can also specify that this support will be given to up-and-coming players who will «earn» about three times the national average annual salary from these games, regardless of whether they are eligible for the playoffs.

Back to the first question: Expectations are so low that England fans might be okay with just getting out of the pool. Whatever the England players may think, their fans want a lot more with the most favorable group and a much easier half of the draw when it comes to the play-offs.

Think about it: to qualify for the play-offs, England can afford to lose to Argentina if they beat the three teams below them in the world rugby standings — Japan (14th), who are a shadow of their best team of 2015 and 2019, Samoa. (12th) and Chile (22nd). To reach the semi-finals, they will need to beat a team ranked no higher than seventh (Fiji), with Australia and Wales below them. Would this really be an acceptable income? Right now, many England fans are ready to bite your hand off for reaching the semi-finals, but you have to wonder if this will be real progress under Steve Borthwick or if it will be an accidental patching up of cracks.

To take it step by step and not get out of the pool would have been as disastrous as 2015, a campaign that effectively ended the England coaching team and its captain, Chris Robshaw. Then you have to make a very difficult decision. Will the Rugby Union consider one year enough to try Borthwick, or will they give him the entire next World Cup cycle until 2027?

This decision will not be easy. On the one hand, the time for a realistic judgment would be limited. On the other hand, withdrawing from the tournament is unlikely to show any progress compared to the Six Nations Tournament and the almost 12-week prep camp that included four international warm-up tournaments. If that happens, on what basis would you keep the current managerial and coaching structure, especially if one more mistake could derail another World Cup campaign?

Let's hope that the England team will put aside the childish notion that the fans wish them harm. Let them refrain from the sclerotic and inefficient kicking pressure build-up game that has done next to nothing in the past nine games. May the wishes of the fans be granted and all players with more than 50 caps start playing to their old standards and we will be shown exactly what England have been working towards for the past three months. If, as George Ford emphasized, England are not far from successful, fans need – and they have a right to demand – that ambition replace process, and if not, then that team systems at least make them winners, if not artists. .

At the risk of repeating myself, every England fan and every former player wants the team to succeed. If the English camp wants to believe otherwise in order to create an illusory bunker mentality, then so be it — provided it works. Otherwise, indirectly insulting your fans before the start of the tournament may not be the smartest advice.