Graham Henry, the former New Zealand and Wales coach, has described England as "the world champions of wasting talent" and has criticised them for playing "a game based on fear". Henry, whose All Black side lifted the Webb Ellis Cup last year, believes there will be no consistent improvement in England's results against the leading southern hemisphere teams without a widespread change in attitude.
According to Henry, England will also struggle to score tries against decent teams in the Six Nations and badly need to escape from the creative rut into which they have sunk. "England has top-drawer attacking players [but] they are seldom used," Henry said. "It sometimes seems that England are world champions at wasting talent.
"At national level and at club level English teams are far too worried about securing possession. They are obsessed with sealing off the ball carrier. They are paranoid that an opponent might steal the ball and so everyone jams on the brakes and seals off possession. It is fearful and often illegal. OK, so the opposition can't get at the ball, but there is no dynamic forward momentum and nobody is being shifted out of the defensive line. No wonder England had trouble scoring tries against the better teams at the World Cup."
In Henry's view, more trouble could well loom in the Calcutta Cup game against Scotland on Saturday if England's interim coach, Stuart Lancaster, fails to inject more positivity and dynamism into the squad. "England has a back line to get excited about but they will never fulfil their potential unless the team can win quick ball. This needs a total change of policy for the Six Nations. England must go to Murrayfield and stick it to the opposition. They have to smash the Scottish forwards past the ball instead of conservatively stopping at the tackled player in order to secure possession.
"A country with over a million players should be the best team in the world and England's potential in the backs is as good as it has ever been. Ben Foden's a good player, Chris Ashton is a handful and Delon Armitage has always impressed me. But how frustrated those players must get in a white shirt. England and the English clubs play a game based on fear and a generation of promising backs are dying on their feet. That has to change."
Henry's opinions are expressed on therugbysite.com, an online provider of rugby coaching videos dedicated to developing the skills of coaches and players . They will ruffle feathers in some quarters at Twickenham, Henry having previously questioned the Rugby Football Union's decision to dispense with Martin Johnson. "If a person is a quality coach I think they learn a lot from their experiences in the job and they get better at it. Too often unions sack people when they are going to get better at what they do."
He also expressed a desire to work with a leading English club but is now openly critical of the way most English sides play the game, not least Saracens who are set to supply the bulk of England's back line in Edinburgh. "Saracens are England's leading qualifiers in the Heineken Cup but few expect them to win the competition with a game that is as petrified as England's efforts at the World Cup. English conservatism around the tackle is an attitude that appears to be ingrained in most of the players."
Lancaster may well regard Henry's comments as helpfully timed. Having named a reshuffled squad he is determined to ensure England play with more ambition and has also confirmed he will apply to become the next permanent head coach. England are due to confirm their starting XV for Murrayfield on Thursday.
