The scoreline against Ireland was bad enough. The wider problem for England is that even after a review, there still seems to be a cloud over what Steve Borthwick’s side actually are.
That is why Ronan O'Gara's reaction carried so much weight. The La Rochelle boss said the England-Ireland game left him “completely lost” as to where England are, and the 42-21 defeat clearly stayed with him. In his view, it was not just a loss, but a demolition that went on for 80 minutes.
A bruising Six Nations lingers
England’s Six Nations was described as their worst-ever for a reason. They managed just one win from five, lost to Ireland by 42-21 and, most strikingly, lost to Italy for the first time ever. When a campaign goes that badly, the issue is not one result. It is the accumulation of them.
The RFU responded after the tournament with a comprehensive review of the performance and the coaching team, but took no action. That leaves England in a familiar place: under scrutiny, but still searching for a clearer identity.
O'Gara’s criticism was not only about the Ireland match itself. He questioned whether England are pushing their ceiling high enough, suggesting they sometimes revert to box kicks rather than trusting themselves to play what is in front of them. In his words, it looks more prescribed than instinctive.
The next step is still unclear
That matters because Test rugby rarely gives teams much time to hide. O'Gara pointed out that the final 10 minutes decide plenty of matches at this level, and said that in Test rugby most are decided there. England, he argued, will be tested again this month in a setting where defence is far tighter than what players see in the PREM.
There was also a broader note of caution in his comments. Historically, England have been good at performing at Rugby World Cups, and O'Gara said you can always count on the mentality of their forwards. But that is not the same as saying the side is currently functioning at its highest level.
That is the tension for Borthwick now. England have shown they can beat Argentina and Fiji in the Nations Championship after losing to South Africa, but the Six Nations still hangs over them. Until they prove they can unlock international defences more consistently, the questions around their attack will remain.
O'Gara did not offer a simple verdict on England’s future. He offered something more uncomfortable: a sense that after 80 minutes against Ireland, their direction is still hard to read.
