England captain Chris Robshaw accepted responsibility for the decision to go for points rather than the corner late on against South Africa.
"All those decisions comes down to me," said Robshaw.
"I thought we had the time to get the points and get back down there. We always look back at decisions. It was one of those where if we had won it would have been the right decision. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the result today. We will go back and look at the video and analyse it."
Robshaw received criticism after last week's loss to Australia for opting to go for the corner rather than take the points on offer, except this time round England were booed by the crowd for going for goal rather than attacking the try line with time running out.
"We discussed it and I have to make those calls at the end of the day, that is on me and I thought we still had time to get the points, get back down there with the re-start and put ourselves potentially in drop goal or penalty range," added Robshaw.
"I am the one who makes that call. It is on me. People have to make their own decisions. You have to read the game the way it's going, how you feel you can get the best out of it."
England replacement fly-half Owen Farrell appeared to initially disagree with Robshaw's decision, before converting the penalty that brought England within one point of South Africa giving them hope of a victory.
"It wasn't my decision. Not that it was completely on his shoulders. We were always going to back his decision because he is the captain and makes the calls," said Farrell
"We still thought we would win the game. We have played very well today, I thought. I thought we played a lot of good stuff.
"We thought we controlled most of the game. We were unlucky because their try was a freak, you don't see many scored like that.
"The heart the boys showed, the will to win, the will to put their bodies on the line - when it is time to get stuck in, it is time to get stuck in and I think we did that unbelievably well today."
Comments
ramm83 says...
You can't really blame Robshaw for the call. I think it was the right one. Perhaps, if we hadn't lost 7 line outs during the game he would have called the corner. Perhaps, if England hadn't continually knocked on we would have been well clear. The main thing that let England down on Saturday was there lack of basic skills and an awful lineout.
Posted 13:24 26th November 2012
APV1 says...
@ lawynd - I agree. Unfortunately we aren't learning. We lost against Oz because we cocked-up the decision-making. Did we learn? Did we heck!
Posted 11:34 26th November 2012
benski says...
Given the way the line out was dis-functioning for England and the amount of stick he got lastweek when he went for the corner, can you really blame Robshaw for calling for the posts?
In hindsight of course it was the wrong call but hey, get off his back I say. Rather look at the sluggish and uninspiring play from the backs for this loss. Ashton was simply awful coughing up the ball every time he got hold of it and then not having the gumption to back his pace when he was finally given the chance. Brad Barrit as usual useless. Bring in Billy Twelvetrees and a decent winger and move Brown to 15.
Posted 09:49 26th November 2012
PREEST says...
The game was really exciting, until Robshaw made that call. Once he made that call I knew it was over. He effectively handed the game to SA. SA was on the back foot in those final minutes, England had to go for the corner and test the SA defense, which would have been desperate. Poor decision making by Robshaw, and I can't help but think he made that decision on the back of pressure he had received during the week about his decision making.
Posted 06:38 26th November 2012
Timofporirua says...
Robshaw is wrong in saying that his decision would have been right if they had come back and scored after the penalty. The decision would still have been wrong but England would have been incredibly lucky. England unfortunately play such a dour game that they need luck to win games like that, whereas they should rely on skill.
Nevertheless, the biggest mistake that day was the awarding of the SA try. Firstly England should have got advantage from the original knock on by the Bok coming round the lineout, and then Alberts should have been penalised for being in front of his last team mate to touch the ball and not retiring.
Posted 03:29 26th November 2012
Kneegrow says...
Ya, what's up with "Saracens" ? That whole damn team seems to be South African players. Should call them "Safricans." I think England have a lack of creativity, but South Africa has even less creativity under our current coach. Defend; defend; then kick possession away. I don't suggest English fans watch the New Zealand game. They don't lack anything in terms of creativity, & have highlighted that their defense needs to improve. WTF ?
Posted 01:38 26th November 2012
simojukes says...
got to agree with benny. the lineout was shaking, and the conditions didnt help. to add to that, the stats show it too. england have not scored from a rolling maul off a lineout since 2007. I know there has to be a time to break that, but if Botha had left the restart morgan would have caught it in touch and there would have been a scrum on half way.
in my opinion england should have kicked to the corner on the VERY first pentaly they got. they had charged Ruan down and the Boks must have been a bit shaken, that was the prime time to have a go, in minute 1.
England are struggling for a group of leaders. the only 2 premiership captains who make the england team are Robshaw and Hartley (the latter being injured). Back in the old days the leadership group consisted of guys like Johnson, Dallaglio, Hill, Dawson, Robinson, Greenwood, Catt, Wilko. Not all captains of their side, but those that werent had great brains for the game.
With Hartley, Croft and Foden injured, Dowson not making the 23, and Ben Youngs not quite on song, england's leadership group that lancaster made is looking pretty shot, with only robshaw calling the shots.
I am worried by Farrell's open argument with Robshaw, what the captain says goes. He then should have left the toys in the pram and not taken 45 seconds to kick the ball. Robshaw asking to change the call is a worrying sign too, he needs to stick to his guns.
England lacked creativity, and the few times they were creative they either made a mistake or were shut down by the Boks. The try was a fortunate one, but thats how things go in rugby, as De Villiers said, its 5 points, the Boks wont complain.
All in all there are worrying signs for england. they need more leaders around robshaw to help him out.
I am looking forward to Lawes' return, i think we should have Launchbury or Lawes starting with Parling, the other on the bench.
Posted 00:26 26th November 2012
melkdave says...
I for one dont blame Robshaws call,our lineout wasnt really funtionong,all matchand anyone who thnks pushing.mauling a bokke pack over the try line is going to happen .Just isnt thinking,they would have pulled a maul down asap,thats if they didnt nick the lineout.
Posted 22:59 25th November 2012
Spartacus says...
Blame Farrell for bitching and moaning rather than getting on with the kick. Robshaw made a decision, and in this game it was probably the correct one.
The big issue here is that it has been shown in sharp focus just how much time is wasted on kicks and restarts. Fans pay to watch rugby?
Posted 22:53 25th November 2012
Spartacus says...
Blame Farrell for bitching and moaning rather than getting on with the kick. Robshaw made a decision, and in this game it was probably the correct one.
The big issue here is that it has been shown in sharp focus just how much time is wasted on kicks and restarts. Fans pay to watch rugby?
Posted 22:53 25th November 2012
Cass402 says...
Ramage, what the hell do the crowd (of which i was one) have to do with how England play, or dont play...believe me, i wish i'd have took my boots with me but they dont permit the crowd to play on match days. By all means slam the team for a lack of creativity but why include the supporters.
Posted 22:10 25th November 2012
Benny says...
Probably won't be a popular opinion but I can see where he was coming from.
How many line outs did England lose? 7
How many tries did they score a try? 0
Therefore, was there a higher chance of them securing the line out and scoring a try or securing the restart and kicking a droppie or penalty?
I'm leaning towards the latter
Posted 20:52 25th November 2012
ABlack says...
Robshaw is an overrated player, another English one.....
Posted 20:46 25th November 2012
callmeoldfash says...
How is this imbecile captain..? Simple, honest question...
Posted 18:28 25th November 2012
Ramage says...
Lets face it it is easy to blame this decision but as lardon says England lacked the creativity to put the Boks away. In the last 10 minur=tes maybe more the Boks were atrocious and looked like they wanted to give the game to England but through good defence and English ineptness just could not create the ability to score. Maybe just maybe they need to look at the way they play the game. It may please all the people sitting at Twickers moronically singing their dirge but it doesnt win them games or help them score tries.
Posted 14:17 25th November 2012
NHsaints says...
Hmm, not sure really what to make of the game...had flood had his boots on we would have won, had that freak try not occured we would have won, if Ashton had hung onto that ball in the 22 we would have won. Again so many chances, so much dominance wasted. We need someone to step into our backs who scores, or someone who can create every time they get the ball. Yes Foden can do that but we can't rely on him alone. We need someone like twelvetrees to come in and step it up in the backs...
Posted 12:27 25th November 2012
Chubbylugs says...
England suck so much that they lose to the 2nd and 3rd best sides in the world by a point and four points. That doesn't suggest they are that bad to be honest, just very frustrating to watch
I think lawes and Hartley will make a massive difference to the side, we just need to sort out 12 and please drop Ashton. Wood was immense yesterday
Posted 11:48 25th November 2012
lawynd says...
I don't care who's fault it is, who did or said what. All I expect is for the players, and the coaches, to learn from these games and not repeat the same mistakes.
Posted 11:08 25th November 2012
lardon says...
Personally I dont blame Robshaw, I blame Englands general lack of creativity. They had 77 minutes to outscore the boks and couldn't do it before Robshaw made that decision. As England hadn't managed to score a try the most logical thing is take the points from the penalty and go all out for a try in the remaining three minutes. Look at the stats on how often a team has decided to go for a try and actually managed to get one within 5 phases. The odds are slim at best.
Had Flood got his kicks in the first half it might have been a different story.
@Kneegrow, Many English fans don't think Botha or Barrett should even be in the England side. Not because of heritage, but because of skill. Barrett is a one dimensional player and Botha is not a international level player.. Both have only made the England squad simply because they play for Saracens and are mates with the boring and uncreative Owen Farrell..
Posted 09:39 25th November 2012
Bothhands says...
Couldn't understand his decision at the time, reading his words he seems delusional or concussed .....
Posted 09:09 25th November 2012