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Schalk Burger highlights the 'deeper' issue in English rugby
By Josh Raisey
After victories against Italy and Wales in the opening two rounds of the Guinness Six Nations, England's progress, or possibly lack thereof, was brought into question on Saturday with a 30-21 loss to Scotland at Murrayfield.
In the wake of the defeat, many have been scrambling to work out just what is going wrong with England- whether these are the growing pains of a side in transition or whether there are chronic issues, chiefly their lacklustre attack, that are not being resolved.
Hanyani Shimange recently questioned whether England currently have the right players at their disposal on RPTV's Boks Office, and whether head coach Steve Borthwick is under pressure after the Eddie Jones era.
Former World Cup winner Schalk Burger joined Shimange on the podcast, and added that England do have a hangover from the Jones era, but said that their issues lie deeper than that.
The former Saracens flanker said that the current state of the Gallagher Premiership is a greater concern for English rugby, suggesting that it affects the squad depth that the national team will have.
"I think the problem runs deeper than [the Jones hangover]," the 2007 World Cup winner said.
"If you look at where the Premiership sits at the moment, that for me is a big issue. A lot of big senior players will have to make big steps now to move to France. You see a guy like Owen Farrell going away from Saracens. If the league suffers, your squad depth suffers as well.
"So the RFU will have to have a look at the structuring around their competition. When I was there five years ago, there was a big call to make it closed - twelve teams, let's make it closed and grow this thing together instead of promotion and relegation.
"Unfortunately that did not happen and they lost big names within them- London Irish, Wasps, Worcester Warriors.
"I think it's going to be hard for them to rejig the system. I do think there are good enough players, but it's about them finding an identity that works for them."
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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