Sir Clive Woodward
England World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward criticised the absence of “real footballers” in the Red Rose back division after their 31-28 loss to South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.
Woodward, who guided England to World Cup glory in 2003, saw current coach Stuart Lancaster’s side match the Springboks up front, but fail match them behind the scrum.
South Africa centre Jan Serfontein grabbed an intercept try in the first half and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, making his maiden Test start, scored his first Springbok try after flyhalf Pat Lambie’s brilliant chip ahead was regathered, at speed, by fullback Willie le Roux a minute after the break.
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It was England’s second agonising three-point loss in as many weeks following the 24-21 defeat by world champions New Zealand and their fifth in a row – albeit four were against the All Blacks – with this run their worst since they suffered seven straight reverses in 2006.
“The forward pack is doing really well,” said Woodward.
“The front five, the scrums, the line-out, all the traditional strengths of English rugby are going well.
“It’s outside of that I just don’t think we are quick enough and we’re certainly not playing enough real footballers in the backs division to take on Australia, South Africa and New Zealand – which has to be the goal,” added Woodward, who in his playing days starred as a free-running centre in England’s 1980 Grand Slam-winning side.
England scrumhalf Danny Care won his 50th cap on Saturday but it was his slow pass that led to Serfontein’s try.
“I know people will write us off now but I know the self-belief there is in this side,” Care said.
“We gave them a 10-point start and against the best teams in the world you suffer.
“We were a bit loose in the first half, coughed up the ball too much and gifted them seven points which was obviously my fault.”