LONDON - England's performance against minnows the United States in their opening Rugby World Cup game was lambasted by British newspapers today as "diabolical" and "appallingly poor."
Brian Ashton's side, who are attempting to defend the title they won in 2003, will not pose a significant threat to
South Africa when the sides meet in five days' time, the papers predicted.
The Mail on Sunday said that the good news from the game was that England won 28-10 and there were no significant injuries to players.
"Now the bad news -- and it is exceedingly bad news. The defending world champions were so appallingly poor that the South African team who watched the game from their team hotel could have cracked a few ribs, such would have been the extent of their laughter," the paper said.
Former England star Stuart Barnes wrote in the Sunday Times that the team was "as bad as England have been under Brian Ashton" and described them as "terminally ponderous."
"Ashton can talk all he likes about experience, but this squad has a tired 'yesterday's look' to it," Barnes wrote.
"What we saw from this squad of players was that they have no chance against a vibrant and confident South Africa."
Another writer in the same paper added: "England were diabolical. They played like a team in reverse rather than a team desperate to retain their world title."
The News of the World tabloid was barely more complementary, saying that the team was "off the pace all night."
It said that Olly Barkley's performance was "the lone bright spark" at least in the opening minutes of the game.
"For all bar a few minutes of the first half, it was hard to work out which team were the defending champions as England looked short of ideas and a shadow of the side of four years ago," it said.
"The Springboks will not be losing too much sleep over this one."
- AFP
