Damian Hopley: Don’t rush England's Rugby World Cup review - things are still very raw

Over and out: England try to come to terms with their exit in 2011 but the full horror of their campaign came to light after a leaked review
(David Rogers/Getty Images)
Chris Jones8 October 2015

The RFU must not rush the review into England’s World Cup nightmare if they are to avoid repeating the mistakes of the investigation into their exit from the 2011 tournament, says Damian Hopley.

Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the RFU, announced on Sunday a “360 degree review” after England became the first hosts to fail to qualify for the knock-out stages following their 33-13 defeat to Australia 24 hours earlier.

Hopley, the Rugby Players’ Association chief executive, had to deal with the fall-out four years ago when he said the squad’s trust was “betrayed” after an RFU mole leaked their confidential verdicts on the campaign. Hopley remains dismayed that an RFU investigation into who made them public was “kicked into the long grass.”

While members of Stuart Lancaster’s squad are keenly aware of the way the 2011 confidential reports found their way into the public domain, Hopley is convinced Ritchie’s tenure, which began in 2012, has fundamentally changed the Union’s reliability. The players’ views were used by factions fighting for control of the RFU in 2011 and that warfare disfigured the sport.

The squad will again be consulted by the RFU through the RPA and Hopley accepts a totally different culture is in place which may help regain faith in the confidential process.

Ritchie has already said there is a need for “calm, rational reflection” and Hopley hopes the review is given as much time as needed.

He said: “They say a fish rots from the head down and that certainly was the case in 2011 when someone in the Union leaked confidential information provided in good faith by our members and their trust was betrayed.

“At the moment we haven’t discussed what form the review will take and it is important that everyone takes a deep breath and allows everything to settle down. In 2011, the players were giving their reactions to what had happened just a week after they got back and things were still very raw.

“What needs to happen this time is that the players are able to go back to their clubs and then when things have calmed down, they can give their views on the Cup. You do not want to try and collect reactions when brick-bats are flying around.

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“Everyone was upset when England lost to Australia but it is important to bring some perspective to things by taking time to put in place whatever kind of review the RFU decide to instigate.”

The failure in 2011 in New Zealand — when England were knocked out of the quarter-finals — was caused, according to leaked reports, by “players more interested in cash than caps” and coaches who were a laughing stock. No one, apart from scrum coach Graham Rowntree, came out of the accounts with any credit.

Three official and confidential reports, leaked to The Times, were compiled by the RFU. The RPA report, which allowed England’s players to give their views on the squad’s failings anonymously, was scathing and head coach Martin Johnson quit enabling the RFU to install Lancaster later that year and he was then confirmed as head coach after a trial period.

Hopley believes the culture that Lancaster has created for the England players makes this review very different to 2011 when off-the-field problems dominated the headlines.

The 2015 campaign has managed to largely avoided any fall-out in public, although the RFU confirmed yesterday skills coach Mike Catt and fly-half Danny Cipriani had a row during training before the squad was cut down.

Billy Vunipola denied saying at a corporate event that players had been unhappy at the arrival of league star Sam Burgess and also denied saying backs coach Andy Farrell had too much influence in selection.

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