England rugby legend Matt Dawson has given his verdict on the country’s Six Nations campaign
Matt Dawson believes the current England squad do not deserve to be labelled the country’s worst-ever team after a dismal Six Nations campaign. Steve Borthwick’s side lost four of their five matches for the first time in history as the team finished fifth, only above Wales in the table.
After an opening victory over Wales, England slumped to defeats against Scotland, Ireland and Italy. There were a few encouraging signs in the country’s dramatic clash with eventual champions France at the weekend, despite ending up on the wrong side of the 48-46 scoreline.
A last-gasp Thomas Ramos penalty denied England the win in Paris and sealed a record fourth loss. However, World Cup winner Dawson has argued that the ‘worst-ever’ tag is undeserved.
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“One victory makes it statistically England’s worst Six Nations campaign in history but that is an unfair reflection of where this team actually are,” Dawson wrote in his BBC Sport column. “Statistics only tell part of the story. In some ways, they have almost held England back, particularly when you look at how the team have been set up at times.
“It does not feel right to simply label this as ‘the worst England team ever’ because the numbers say so. At the top level there is only so much you can read into statistics. If England had picked up two or three more wins in slightly scrappy fashion, the numbers would look a lot healthier.
“But what we have also seen are two genuinely high-level performances against Wales and France that showed just how high the ceiling of this side can be. And it is worth remembering that this group also put together a 12-game winning run not that long ago.”
England did head into the competition in promising form, though it proved unhelpful. The country last won the Six Nations in 2020.
The England boss will come under scrutiny after overseeing four defeats in five games but he remains determined to stay in the job. “I believe I am the right man to lead this team forward regardless,” Borthwick said. “The team has been going through a tough spell but it has a lot of growth in it.“
There have been concerns raised over team selection and the squad’s disciplinary record throughout the tournament. However, Dawson believes that the defiant display against France shows the levels that England are capable of reaching.
He added: “England had been through a sticky spell and this performance gives them something real to build on heading into the summer. When this squad meet up again for the tour to South Africa, there should be a real sense of belief.
“They have shown they can challenge the very best teams in the world. Now it is about learning how to close out those pressure moments when they come.
“If England revert to the kind of approach they showed against Italy when they face South Africa, head coach Borthwick will rightly face criticism.
“But the management now have a clearer picture of how this England team should play. Understanding the flow of games – when to control things and when to attack – is incredibly valuable. Now it is about the players taking ownership – like in Paris – and carrying it forward.”
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