Ring fence has made English rugby go soft

THE most positive aspect to come out of the opening round of the European Cup was that, despite six out of the eight English clubs losing, it can get better and relatively quickly.

- NICK CAIN

The biggest drawback with the Premiership clubs since Exeter won the 2020 Covid European Cup final in the echo chamber of an empty Ashton Gate, is that they lack the tungsten-tough edge that great domestic leagues breed.

If you look at the faces and body language of many of the players representing Premiership clubs after a defeat – whether in the league, or in Europe – the smiles, hugs, and shrugs tell part of the story. It matters, but not quite as much as it should in a professional sport, and it is a ready acceptance of defeat that has also showed signs of seeping into the England team.

The ring-fenced Premiership, within its own limited borders, trumpets that it has a strong competitive element, with players, coaches, and the Premiership communications department repeating the mantra, “that anyone can beat anyone”.

However, the big question that this begs, is how high is the standards bar set in the Premiership? Sure, we see plenty of cut-and-thrust, some of which is entertaining. The only hitch is that when too many of the tries start to resemble sevens, where a line break often leads directly to a touchdown, and defence has a whiff of being optional, it can soon become ho-hum.

Was the glut of tries England conceded during the autumn internationals merely a reflection that most Premiership clubs lack the defensive rigour and intensity essential for breeding those qualities in international players?