Matt Dawson column: Reputations of England players on the line after record-breaking loss to France

I was skipper of an England broadside that had immoderate of the worst results distant from location connected the 'Tour of Hell' to the confederate hemisphere successful 1998.

A grounds location decision volition hurt, and those England players volition not person slept past night.

But it's important for them to realise if they bounce backmost and amusement their existent characteristics connected the rugby tract implicit the adjacent week, past Steve Borthwick is going to spot thing successful those players which volition marque him prime them for the World Cup successful September.

The overwhelming consciousness of disappointment is not needfully that a batch of players didn't play well. It's more, we are conscionable not bully enough. I don't attraction who you enactment successful the side, we are not bully capable and that is rather deflating.

• Big spread betwixt England and apical teams - Borthwick
• Rugby Union Daily: France tally riot astatine Twickenham

'Van Poortvliet is not a threat'

Eight, 9 and 10 person not been capable to displacement the mode England play for a precise agelong time. They are determination due to the fact that of their strategy and however they tally the crippled but England conscionable did not tally the crippled well.

Alex Dombrandt was each implicit the spot and what I saw from Jack van Poortvliet is not however helium plays rugby. That is not however helium has got himself to beryllium the England fig nine. He is not making immoderate breaks astir the fringes and is not a threat.

It is incredibly dilatory and laboured whereas Antoine Dupont is playing a antithetic game. It is similar watching Roger Federer successful his pomp. He had implicit control, adjacent erstwhile helium was successful a spot of traffic.

I can't ideate determination volition beryllium galore much years earlier radical commencement saying helium is the top scrum-half ever. I'm the top Gareth Edwards instrumentality successful the satellite but this Dupont, successful this environment, tin support getting better.

England's gameplan is excessively predictable and determination is precise small adaptation, which inhibits Marcus Smith's options.

Having that mindset of a Finn Russell is each precise good, but unless the squad astir you recognize what you are up to and however you are trying to manipulate the absorption you go precise isolated arsenic a fly-half.

Smith gets tackled truthful galore times successful planetary rugby whereas astatine nine level helium whitethorn marque a line-break and look brilliant.

He whitethorn inactive somewhat interruption the enactment but he's tackled and goes to the bottommost of the ruck and erstwhile you bash not person a 2nd distributor, things go disjointed and it is precise casual to defend.

The Scottish squad has understood what Russell is trying to bash and helium has backed disconnected from being truthful maverick and has recovered a saccharine spot.

Part of France's tactics would person been to let Smith to deliberation helium tin interruption the line, swallow him up and marque a tackle, and past stifle the onslaught from 2nd phase.

Alex Mitchell did marque a quality erstwhile helium came connected astatine nine. He wasn't doing thing Van Poortvliet can't do, but it's making the determination to get connected with it and that is easier to bash erstwhile you are 24 points down and person thing to lose.

'None of the England players are satellite people astatine the moment'

There has been plentifulness discussed implicit the past fewer years astir however galore world-class players we person and however we are going to situation for the World Cup. But viewing France and Ireland, England are simply not astatine the races successful presumption of top-tier internationals.

Maro Itoje has been satellite people but is not now. Jamie George has been satellite people but is not now. If you spell done the team, determination is no-one. Freddie Steward is astir apt England's champion subordinate astatine the infinitesimal but I cannot accidental helium is satellite class.

Hugo Keenan and Thomas Ramos are world-class full-backs. Unfortunately, you cannot accidental immoderate of the England players are satellite people astatine the moment.

That doesn't mean to accidental they can't be; they bash person the imaginable and immoderate of them person been and volition get backmost to that level.

England person beaten Italy and Wales but France had the mentality they were going into a World Cup semi-final oregon last and, having made a fewer mistakes successful the decision by Ireland, they were determined not to bash the aforesaid thing.

They were expecting it to beryllium arsenic pugnacious an brushwood arsenic the Ireland game, whereas England looked similar they were going to advancement from the triumph successful Wales by doing it their way, opposed to reacting to however France are going to play.

'Reputations are connected the line'

There is simply a accidental England tin bushed Ireland adjacent week. As overmuch arsenic it's precise slim, I person been successful plentifulness of scenarios wherever we person been overwhelming favourites going into the past circular of matches and been turned over.

There volition beryllium immense amounts of unit connected Ireland. England volition beryllium underdogs, they'll beryllium written disconnected and it volition beryllium a miserable week. Reputations are connected the line.

There volition beryllium immoderate harsh words from individuals successful the radical and they volition realise this is the past accidental nether the Borthwick authorities to spell to a World Cup. That brings a antithetic position to a player.

There volition beryllium consequences for English rugby arsenic a full if they suffer - from the medication to the coaching.

If England decorativeness the Six Nations with 2 wins determination is thing fundamentally incorrect with the strategy and determination is perchance a broader effect to the effect adjacent week.

Hopefully, England volition clasp that and springiness a showing that tin propulsion Ireland.