Well, that turned out to be even more entertaining than we could have hoped – or even more worrying if you happen to be an England fan.
Eddie Jones insists that the idea was trying to play ‘on the front foot’ and that his rather unfamiliar-looking team weren’t good enough to deliver the game plan. Plenty of people would wholeheartedly welcome a more expansive approach from England as they build for next year’s World Cup. But the way panic, and then demoralisation, seemed to set in does not bode well. Jones does have time to turn things around, but it needs to happen quickly, starting with the summer tour to Australia. Legitimate questions were being asked after another poor Six Nations campaign: those questions will only grow louder after such a shambolic display.
But finally, well done to the Barbarians on a fine performance – and congratulations to George Kruis on a tremendous career.
Thanks for reading and emailing and see you next time.
Updated
Whatever Eddie Jones had in mind for this fixture, watching George Kruis, the former England lock, backheeling a conversion through the posts in the final few minutes of an emphatic victory for the invitational side was probably not it.
