Whilst I cannot warm to the personality of Jones, nor the micromanagement of the game by him and his team, I do not see Borthwick as a significant improvement in matters.
I'm torn on the whole scenario overall. The lack of openness around why they feel like they're struggling for form is extremely frustrating. They don't need to give the keys to the Kingdom tactically, but at least demonstrate that for the 80,000 people and sponsors putting not insignificant sums into the game that you're aware you've underperformed and how/why.
Genge almost seemed surprised on last weeks The Good, The Bad and The Rugby Pod that the England win rate in 2022 was 42%. I'm not quite sure what he thought it would be?
Eddie says the results are his fault, Ellis says it's the players letting Eddie down and that they operate in a player-led environment. He speaks about Eddie giving them several different ways to play depending on the opposition and that the playing group are able to use those on the pitch to change the game.
But, for 2022, watching the games it's been the same boring, predictable one-out type rugby or heavy kick-chase other than the last 10 mins or so of the first test vs Australia (when Oz were down to 14 and then 13 men) or the last 10 mins against NZ (who had a man in the bin during that period) and when both games were largely out of sight and England had nothing to lose.
Are the differences so nuanced that pundits and fans would struggle to notice? Or are they just not being used?
Genge is a forthright, hardworking old-fashioned honest bloke but weirdly seemed to suggest that their form had actually been pretty good - 'world beaters' for scoring 20 points in 9 minutes against the All Blacks was something he referenced. He spoke about hating losing; but there was nothing to suggest the playing group recognised the uninspiring, predictable way that they're playing despite the talent available.
Always a Wasp