Dan Biggar, former Wales fly-half, suggests that the controversy surrounding comments made by England player Ellis Genge in a post-match huddle following their defeat to South Africa is a distraction from the team's more fundamental issues.
In the aftermath of England's 45-21 loss to South Africa in the Nations Championship, a video released by the RFU showed Genge stating, "For about 60 minutes of that game, they (South Africa) didn’t have any answers. We were all over them." This statement has drawn criticism on social media, with some labeling England's players as delusional and accepting of mediocrity.
Biggar acknowledged that the RFU's decision to release the video was ill-advised, exacerbating the criticism England was already facing. However, he argued that senior players like Genge have a duty to attempt to inject positivity into their teammates, especially in a squad that has experienced a losing streak.
"In international rugby environments, what you say internally is often very different to the messaging you put out externally," Biggar explained. He compared the situation to internal team discussions, suggesting that Genge's comments, while perhaps not fully reflective of the match outcome, were intended to bolster team morale. Biggar highlighted his own experience playing under Warren Gatland with Wales, where the coach's outwardly confident statements, even if not always based on firm conviction, instilled belief in the players.
According to Biggar, the real concern for England lies in their apparent lack of a clear tactical identity. He noted that during their 12-game unbeaten run, England had a distinct identity and game plan, characterized by a physical approach and a kick-to-reclaim strategy. While acknowledging the success of that approach, Biggar stated that international rugby has evolved, requiring teams to also possess strong attacking capabilities.
"England are trying to do that and it is the right way for them to go, but I don’t think they have yet fully committed to this new approach," Biggar observed. He believes England is caught between their old habits and a new attacking philosophy, hindering their progress. Biggar expressed approval of the England squad selected to face Fiji, citing the potential impact of debutants Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori from the bench.
He suggested that England's strong pack should provide a platform against Fiji, allowing outside center Henry Slade and wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to exploit space. Biggar also drew a parallel to Wales' recent victory over Fiji, where they utilized their forwards effectively. "Mauling and scrumming will be enough to beat Fiji. But it won’t be against better teams, so I’d like to see England use their expected dominance in these areas to lay the platform for their wide players to cause havoc," he stated.
Biggar also commented on Wales' recent performance, expressing pride in their victory over Fiji. He noted that this win, following a victory against Italy, is crucial for building momentum and belief in a team that has become accustomed to losing. "If you count the non-capped game with the Barbarians, it’s three wins in a row," he added.
He praised coach Steve Tandy for the team's improvement, acknowledging that while Wales may not be World Cup contenders, they are on an upward trajectory. Biggar expressed surprise at the omission of Louis Rees-Zammit from the Welsh squad to face Argentina, despite acknowledging that it demonstrates Tandy's willingness to make difficult decisions. "Argentina were poor against Scotland, but they’d only just assembled and have more players back for Wales. They will be favourites, especially at home, but Wales have a chance. A victory would be Tandy’s best yet since taking over."
Reflecting on the new Nations Championship, Biggar found the opening round of matches to be excellent, reinforcing the health of international rugby. He believes the competition has continued the trend of exciting, running rugby with more tries seen in the Six Nations earlier in the year. "I don’t think supporters who watched the six games would have been left short changed. Hopefully, that trend continues for the next fortnight!"