Vesty Questions England Rugby's Lost Identity

Northampton head coach Sam Vesty has openly questioned whether the England rugby team has lost its distinct playing identity under the current leadership of Steve Borthwick. This comes at a time when the Rugby Football Union (RFU) is undertaking a critical review of England's performance during the recent Six Nations championship. The team's performance was notably poor, resulting in four losses, an occurrence not seen in the championship since 1976.

Beyond the unsatisfactory results, the team's style of play has also drawn significant criticism. It has been described as overly reliant on kicking and generally conservative, prompting Vesty to question its defining characteristics. While Borthwick has spoken of the 'weight of the jersey' being restrictive, Vesty dismisses this as a 'red herring,' arguing that external pressure is a common factor for all major rugby nations.

Vesty highlighted how other teams maintain a clear identity. He noted that Scotland and Italy, for instance, are easily identifiable by their distinct styles of play. He expressed uncertainty that the current England team possesses such a clearly definable identity, suggesting a deeper issue than just performance metrics.