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English rugby was in uproar after leaked reports into the country’s World Cup campaign painted a damning portrait of an ill-disciplined, divided squad obsessed with making money.
England’s campaign was dominated by off-field scandals and on-field failings, before the team made an ignominious exit in a quarter-final defeat by France, ultimately leading to manager Martin Johnson’s resignation last week.
The reports, from the Rugby Football Union’s director of elite rugby Rob Andrew, the players’ union and the professional clubs and were not intended to be seen by the public but appeared in The Times newspaper.
The Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) report was based on anonymous interviews with more than 90 per cent of the players, The Times reported, and it highlighted a divide between the senior members and the rest of the squad.
It made a series of recommendations on discipline – including more accountability, a stricter regime and a clear alcohol policy.
“We had meetings where ‘values’ were discussed but they felt like empty words,” one player said in the report, while another added: “If it’s the senior players leading drinking games or drinking until they can’t remember anything, what example are the younger players set?”
It concluded: “This report is not setting out to absolve the players from making mistakes, as they surely did both on and off the field.
“In a culture of honesty and success … players need to accept their shortcomings in what has to be seen as a golden opportunity gone begging.”
The entire coaching set-up came under fire in the players’ report, except for scrum coach Graham Rowntree, who was praised.
“They’d had four years to develop a plan for the World Cup and it felt like they were doing it off-the-cuff in New Zealand,” one player said.
The three reports paint a picture of broken team spirit and of some individuals more interested in making money than representing England.
One player reported hearing another, after the quarter-final loss, saying: “There’s 35,000… down the toilet.”
The player said: “That made me sick. Money shouldn’t even come into a player’s mind.”
The Times quoted Rob Andrew’s report as saying: “It is very disappointing that a senior group, led by the captain Lewis Moody, disputed the level of payment for the World Cup squad which led to meetings with RFU executives.
“I believe this led to a further unsettling of the squad just before departure which included a threat by the squad not to attend the World Cup send-off dinner, at Twickenham. It suggested that some of the senior players were more focused on money than getting the rugby right.”
The reports were never intended to be published. The Professional Game Board, which runs elite rugby in England, are due to make recommendations based on the reports’ conclusions to the RFU board on November 30.
England skipper Moody, who retired from international rugby following the World Cup, voiced dismay that players’ comments had been leaked.
“Once again it is deeply disappointing to see players’ feedback aimed at improving England rugby, and which we were promised would remain confidential and anonymous, being put in the public domain for political purposes,” he said.
Moody insisted he had only acted in the interests of the players in negotiations with the RFU.
“Where I had to be involved in commercial conversations with the RFU it was as captain, working with the RPA, representing the best interests of the players, not for any personal gain,” he said.
“I do not think anyone who knows me would think differently.
RPA chief Damian Hopley was appalled that the players input to the reports had been leaked.
“I am absolutely devastated that our RPA members’ trust has been so publicly betrayed,” Hopley said.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.