|
|
|
Wasps coach Shaun Edwards says critics who have blamed Andy Farrell for England's 43-13 defeat by Ireland on Saturday are "just plain wrong".
Former England centres Will Carling and Jeremy Guscott said Farrell should be axed for the France game on 11 March.
But Edwards insisted: "(Farrell) is too easy a target for the old brigade.
"To single him out, as some commentators have done, is just plain wrong. He was virtually error-free and was one of our better performers."
Edwards, who played alongside Farrell in rugby league for both Wigan and Great Britain, told The Guardian: "Farrell may be newish to the game and still learning, but take a good look at the video.
"England did badly because they did badly in too many core areas of rugby union.
"Instead of (their) expected dominance of the scrum and hoped-for parity in the lineout, Ireland edged the first and commanded the second."
Yet Carling says Farrell's lack of pace fatally undermined England.
"You can't play international rugby at centre without pace," Carling told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek.
"I wouldn't select Farrell. We need to pose a threat in one centre position and Ashton will have to look at changing the midfield against France.
"You might well have fast runners in Jason Robinson, Josh Lewsey and David Strettle on the outside, but that makes it too easy to defend if there is no threat on the inside.
"The line-up of Jonny Wilkinson, Farrell and Mike Tindall does not pose the threat it needs to for England."
And speaking after the match, BBC Sport pundit Guscott said: "I am not heaping everything on Farrell but it might be time to put him on the bench, or in the Saxons side, and bring someone else in like Mike Catt who has also got a voice."
|
Source: BBC Sport |
|
|
|
Other great sites
Search
|
