People out to get England - Thompson

Steve Thompson: Trying times for England

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Steve Thompson believes there where people who were intent on "tearing" England apart during their disappointing World Cup campaign.

England's time in New Zealand was overshadowed by a number of off-field incidents that ensured that the team stayed in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Rugby Football Union have since announced that they will investigate whether any members of the squad contravened their code of conduct.

However, while admitting that mistakes were made, Thompson believes that there where forces working against the team.

"It felt like from the day we turned up in New Zealand certain people were intent on tearing us to shreds," he wrote in his ESPNScrum column.

"Obviously some things have happened off the field but it was interesting to see Wales coach Warren Gatland say that his side are not whiter than white the other day.

"We haven't performed as well as we should have and some players got things wrong and they got reprimanded for that. They have apologised and we moved on but sometimes these issues get dragged out in public rather than people focusing on the rugby."

Despite being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by a French team they were expected to beat, Thompson believes that the team did not play that badly.

"Some of the combinations may not have worked as planned but I still think we played some good rugby even in the defeat to France." he said.

"We threw the ball around and produced some of our best rugby only for a few dropped balls and a couple of missed tackles to cost us. The fact that France have now made the final just adds to the frustration but fair play to them, they got the result they needed against us and Wales."

At the age of 33, many would expect Thompson to be considering international retirement, but as he begins a new chapter with Wasps, this appears not to be the case.

"Looking ahead, there is no way I am going to retire from international rugby," asserted the hooker.

"People may be saying I'm too old but if I am playing well for Wasps then I want to be playing for England. I want to wear the England jersey again but we'll see what happens. I don't know what is going on coaching wise and there is all this talk about various inquiries, but the hunger is still there and I am convinced this squad can still do something special."