England manager Martin Johnson has been accused of lacking the “bollocks” to deal with the fall-out from Mike Tindall’s infamous night out in Queenstown at the Rugby World Cup.
The deep divisions within the English camp have been made public after three confidential reports were leaked to The Times with allegations that some players were more interested in money than the rugby.
Under the condition of anonymity in a players union report, one took aim at the revered Johnson who captained England to their only World Cup triumph in 2003.
“We just wanted Johno to have the bollocks to take action, especially after the Tindall night,” one player said.
“He was too loyal and that was his downfall.”
Tindall, who is married to the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, was fined STG25,000 ($A40,000) and had his international career effectively terminated for his drunken night out.
He was photographed drunk alongside a former girlfriend and lied to management about his movements.
In the wake of the scandals and quarter-final exit, Johnson resigned as England manager last week and English rugby chiefs are in the process of looking for a replacement.
Another England player accused his teammates of being more focused on money than representing the nation at the sport’s showpiece event.
After being knocked out by France in the quarter-finals, one player reported another saying: “There’s 35,000 … down the toilet.”
The player said: “That made me sick. Money shouldn’t even come into a players mind.”
The Times reported a stand-off with English players threatening to boycott a pre-World Cup dinner in London over money.
“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 (Rugby Football Union) executives,” reported Rob Andrew, the RFU’s director of elite rugby.
“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.”
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