‘Getting it right in France’: England duo urge fans to ‘stick with us’

Jamie George and Danny Care have urged fans to “stick with us” as England set their sights on next month’s Rugby World Cup clash with Argentina in Marseille.

England are eighth on World Rugby’s rankings after losing three of their four Tests in the Summer Nations Series, including an historic defeat to Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

Fiji overcame a slow start to record a first-ever win over England in seven meetings. It’s a result that will echo throughout history for the Flying Fijians.

Wins have proved hard to come by under coach Steve Borthwick this year. England have only won three of nine matches since Borthwick replaced former boss Eddie Jones in December.

With Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola currently available due to suspension, too, England face a tough task at the World Cup against Pool D rivals Argentina, Japan, Samoa and Chile.

For fans who are still haunted by the horrors and disappointments of the 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign on home soil, there appears to be genuine cause for concern.

But the playing group want to take fans “on a journey with us” in France as they look to hit their stride when it counts.

“I think it has added importance of us as a team wanting to connect with the fans and also being able to take them on a journey with us,” hooker Jamie George said on O2 Inside the Line: This Rose episode 10.

“We had Gareth Southgate in a few weeks ago who mentioned the importance of that in the England Football journey.

“We’ve seen it a little bit with England Cricket as well in terms of what Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have done.

“We understand the importance of that. We are urging you guys to try and stick with us because we are working incredibly hard and ultimately what we need to be absolutely right for is Argentina in a World Cup, the first game of a World Cup.

“We absolutely understand how frustrating it is, but at the same time feeling and hearing your support, whether you’re in France or whether you’re back home, it means just so much to us.”

England defeated rivals Wales 19-17 at Twickenham earlier this month, but that victory was quickly swept under the rug following two big losses.

Andy Farrell’s Ireland put on an attacking clinic in front of their home fans at the Aviva Stadium as they ran away with a comfortable 29-10 victory. Then, of course, there was the Fiji game a week later.

“I’ve always thought rugby, someone described it as an emotional rollercoaster. You’re up and you’re down the whole time, it’s never plain sailing,” halfback Danny Care added.

“When it’s great, it’s amazing. When it’s bad, you can find yourself in some pretty dark space.

“Believe in what you’re all about, back yourself. You take all sorts of criticism, you take a lot of praise when it’s good but you take an awful lot of criticism when it isn’t quite what’s expected.

“Over the past few weeks, we know that we haven’t hit the straps that we would like to have, but we just know and hope that you guys know that we’re working so hard to try and get it right.

“When I mean get it right, it’s getting it right in France.”