Rugby – Leaked reports paint picture of shambolic England

Nov 23 (Reuters) - Leaked reports into England’s rugby World Cup debacle paint a picture of a squad in meltdown and expose schisms and leadership failings greater than even their dismal performance had suggested.

A trio of reviews by the Rugby Football Union’s director of elite rugby Rob Andrew; the players’ union; and professional clubs, had not been intended to be seen by the public, but were obtained by the Times newspaper.

The London-based newspaper revealed the reports’ contents on Wednesday in a grim account of ill-discipline, greed, division and mismanagement.

The Professional Game Board (PGB), the RFU body heading the internal inquiry into the World Cup campaign, said on Wednesday it was disappointed the reports had been leaked when it had promised those involved that their views would remain private.

England’s campaign in New Zealand ended in abject failure with a 19-12 quarter-final loss to France last month, but more tellingly, it was characterised by poor discipline and poor decisions throughout, both on the pitch and off it.

Stalwart Mike Tindall was belatedly fined 25,000 pounds ($39,100) for his drunken behaviour during a night out in Queenstown, but the ramifications of that now-infamous evening sent shudders through the squad, with coach Martin Johnson criticised in the reports for failing to discipline players involved.

“I suppose we just wanted Johnno to have the (courage) to take action, especially after the Tindall night. He was too loyal and that was his downfall,” one player was quoted as saying in the leaked report.

The players’ report, compiled by the Rugby Players’ Association, was based on anonymous interviews with more than 90 percent 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 -- all centred 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.