Another black day for England rugby, why football referees have no chance, Ben is hero of the week

England rugby union coach Eddie Jones doesn't really have a lot to smile about.England rugby union coach Eddie Jones doesn't really have a lot to smile about.
England rugby union coach Eddie Jones doesn't really have a lot to smile about.
Are England now so bad at rugby union a narrow home defeat is treated as a success?

England were desperate to play New Zealand at home this time last year as they fancied taking over as world number one.

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One dismal Six Nations campaign later and they are now desperate for anything that suggests a second shocking successive World Cup campaign can be avoided.

New Zealand were there for the taking last Saturday. The rain helped England against a tired team at the end of their natural season and they led 15-0.

England cricket hero Ben Foakes.England cricket hero Ben Foakes.
England cricket hero Ben Foakes.

That England lost from that position is far more damaging than a late disallowed try. Aussie coach Eddie Jones has been rumbled and sadly it’s too late to change him and thicko co-captain Owen Farrell.

REFEREES HAVE NO CHANCE 1

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Sometimes sympathy for football officials is required. The assistant referee in the Liverpool/Fulham match last weekend made a brilliant decision to deny the underdogs a goal just before Mo Salah scored.

And yet the hapless commentators preferred to describe his decision as ‘guesswork’ or ‘luck’.

If we are to keep criticising in this pre-VAR world the media and managers should also praise when it’s due.

REFEREES HAVE NO CHANCE 2

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A journalist at Bromley v Posh last weekend was so unhappy with a red card he said: ‘there’s nothing in the laws that states an elbow in the face is an automatic red card.’ Sometimes I just despair at the level of ignorance of non-refereeing football folk.

HERO OF THE WEEK

What a Test match debut for Ben Foakes, a man not even selected in the original touring party to Sri Lanka. A century to get England out of the predictable mess caused by a dodgy top order followed by some silky wicket-keeping skills which Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler can’t hope to ever match.