PLANET FOOTBALL, SPORT & MUSIC

Throb · Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:16 pm Remove England deadwood - Zinzan

From BBC SPORT

All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke says England should consider changing their coach and captain to get rid of the "cancer" that has crept into the team.

The positions of Andy Robinson and Martin Corry will be under review after Saturday's Test against South Africa.

"I have been a big supporter of Corry but I think there seems to be a bit of cancer in the team," Brooke said.

"I think you could keep Corry in there but if you change the coach you should change the captain at the same time."

Rugby Football Union elite director Rob Andrew said last week before the victory over the Springboks that the process of "finding a World Cup captain was on-going".
Brooke advocated the leadership skills of Phil Vickery as a possible alternative for the Six Nations, even if he believes the Wasps prop could do without the extra responsibility at the moment.

"I don't think it is the right time really," he told BBC Sport. "He hasn't got enough game time yet since his comeback. You don't want to run him into the ground now.

With only 10 more Tests after Saturday before next year's World Cup, Brooke believes England are in "total disarray".

"I just can't believe the state English rugby is in at the moment," he added.

"I am just about at the point where I don't really care any more. The games they are playing are just rubbish.

"There is the whole debate still going on over whether Robinson should go, or should he have gone before? What are they going to do now if he wins this game on Saturday?

"Is he going to keep his position until the World Cup? Or are they going to turn around and sack him anyway?

"That seems to be the talking point, but then who replaces him? And who is going to be the captain?

"It is hardly ideal 10 months out from the World Cup, but England shouldn't be thinking about the World Cup.

"They should just be thinking about the next game, against South Africa, and then addressing things for the Six Nations.

"Josh Lewsey probably single-handedly saved England from disaster last week. The only positive thing was the impact the likes of Vickery and Chris Jones made in the second half.

"The bench probably turned the game but from the point of view of their general play, it was rubbish."

dayoff · Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:42 pm

its shocking, its only one win and everyone is like yeah we are back, no we are not, NO WAY. it is embarrassing to be an english fan in rugby at the moment, to think we are the holders. what a joke.
i know we lost our captain and a few players but do they make that much of a difference or did we not stop to consider that when they do stop playin for england who are we gonna have replace them.

i would of thought it was obviuos, you dont just stick to your best starting lineup all the time, you gotta bring in the youngsters gradually even if they are not as good yet, because they are the ones that keep the team going in the end.

sorry to go on but i think they deserve everything thet have got so far.

Peter Parka · Sat Nov 25, 2006 8:32 pm

Well, we're in more trouble after todays result. :(

Throb · Sun Nov 26, 2006 8:05 pm

Martin Cory is no captain or leader of men anf the coach is not that good, none of the coaches are, Englands play is to pedestrian and un inventive, they cannot pass and make to many unforced errors, the pack is a lumbering mess as well, they are not mobile enough

dayoff · Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:06 pm

well i hear there calling for him to quit or they are gonna sack him,
why give him the choice they should get rid of him no matter what, and the captaincy.

start a fresh with everything.

the whole team should be ashamed of thereselves. what a complete joke.

it really pisses me off. i cant watch them no more there that bad cause i know it just winds me up and pisses me off.

Throb · Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:42 am

The All Blacks were good to watch Saturday and credit to Wales, they really did have a go, just that the All Blacks are on a different level.

dayoff · Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:58 pm

wales got destroyed, like throb says they didnt even play bad, if they played any other team on that day they would have won it comfortably.

did anyone see the tackle when that welsh bloke run into a brick wall and looked in serius pain, prob a few cracked ribs from that.

Throb · Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:39 pm

Yeah saw that, it was like being hit by a freight train, that poor Welsh lad did'nt look right after that tackle.

Agree with Dayoff, any other side, Wales would have beat with a performance like that, also showed great character the Welsh side, they never seemed to drop thier heads or give up, they really got stuck into NZ at the start of the 2nd half, however the All Blacks were just too good and they have not peaked yet.