Andy Goode has it \u201con good authority\u201d that it is an unhappy England camp under Steve Borthwick following their latest defeat.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Englishmen were hammered 45-21 by the Springboks at the weekend in what was their fifth Test defeat in a row.<\/p>\n
Before that, they succumbed to four successive losses in the Six Nations, which included a first-ever reversal at the hands of Italy, as they finished in fifth position.<\/p>\n
Borthwick<\/a> kept his job and was backed until the Rugby World Cup after an improved performance in the clash against France, but there were familiar failings in their Nations Championship opener.<\/p>\n Goode slams Steve Borthwick<\/p>\n And Goode did not hold back on England<\/a> or their head coach when asked for his thoughts on The Rugby Pod.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were obviously listening to Steve before they came out, sent the boys to sleep didn\u2019t he, and they were were asleep for 10 minutes,\u201d the former Test fly-half said.<\/p>\n \u201cNot unmotivated but I 100 per cent know that Steve Borthwick isn\u2019t a motivator to that team and I know a lot of the guys don\u2019t enjoy the environment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a big statement to make but I have it on good authority. It\u2019s a sterile environment where he\u2019s a control freak.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve heard what Felix Jones has said around how he couldn\u2019t talk to other players and that it was \u2018stay in your lane Felix, you can\u2019t do this\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cSteve Borthwick isn\u2019t an inspiring character as a head coach and England play in a manner that looks like Steve Borthwick.\u201d<\/p>\n England did hit back after going 17-0 down early on, touching down twice to reduce the arrears at the interval, but the Springboks ran away with the game in the second period.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to credit South Africa, England fought back well and there were some good parts to it, but you look at this England team and as an England fan, which I am, I\u2019ve said it over and over and over again, you look at that team, there\u2019s no clear identity on how we play,\u201d Goode said.<\/p>\n \u201cScared is quite a strong word to say but some of the lads don\u2019t look confident playing in an England jersey in the manner they\u2019re asked to play.<\/p>\n \u201cRassie [Erasmus] said it before the game with Steve being a coach that coaches by trends and numbers, and that sort of stuff, and it\u2019s uninspiring for an England fan.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a bit of grit and George Martin scores a try before half-time and we showed a bit of \u2018see you next Tuesday\u2019, but not enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Sir Steve Hansen pinpoints what England are \u2018missing\u2019 as it is \u2018no coincidence\u2019 that they have \u2018gone backwards\u2019<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n No identity<\/p>\n Northampton Saints won the PREM title in June and have a number of players in the 23, but England have certainly not replicated their expansive style.<\/p>\n The Red Rose also have a highly regarded attack coach in the form of Lee Blackett, but Goode does not believe that he has been given a license to implement his ideas.<\/p>\n \u201cYou look at the players and the talent we\u2019ve got and you put them in the team, and sometimes they\u2019ve got a straightjacket on. That sits on the coach\u2019s shoulder,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI look at Lee Blackett as a coach and I\u2019ve said it loads of times, Lee Blackett isn\u2019t a coach that wants his team to play in the manner that England play.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy have you got him there in the job? Because he\u2019s the best at the time in the job. Are you allowing him to do his job? No you\u2019re not.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t look like a team with an identity and it\u2019s getting frustrating with the talent we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n While there was some spirit shown by England in Johannesburg, Goode felt that they were fortunate to keep the margin of victory down to 24.<\/p>\n \u201cI think South Africa could have won that game by more and we were lucky not to take 50 at the end. I think it\u2019s a team that lacks an identity in how to attack and the game has moved on and England have not moved with it,\u201d he added.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhen I say that, I mean Steve and his vision of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been five Test defeats on the spin where it\u2019s been dour. There was a bit of a spike against France when there was nothing on the line but it\u2019s been poor and you can\u2019t get away from that.\u201d<\/p>\n