Lawes: No quick fix for England
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Former England forward Courtney Lawes believes there is a “long hard road” ahead for Steve Borthwick’s side as they prepare to face France in the Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday.
England started their campaign with a 27-22 loss at holders Ireland last weekend, an eighth defeat from their last 13 games.
Lawes, who turns 36 later this month, retired after the 2023 World Cup on 105 England caps along with a host of experienced players.
“I think England at the minute, due to a number of factors potentially, but one of which is certainly being their experience, are really struggling to adapt to games and shifts in intensity in the game,” Lawes told AFP.
“A lot of that is just due to not having players that have been in these kind of scenarios enough to bond to that.
“It’s a long hard road and I don’t think it’s going to be an easy fix. But I think we do have the quality of player in the English team.”
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After ending his Test career Lawes, who can play loose forward and lock, helped the Northampton Saints to an English Premiership title before joining French second-tier Brive this season.
The 1996-97 European champions, located in the central French town best known for its links to former presidents Francois Hollande and Jacques Chirac, are eyeing promotion back to the financially lucrative Top 14.
“I think Japan would have been pretty cool. It’s a really good place to live,” Lawes said. “But the quality of rugby is just not the same over there.
“I’ve still got quite a bit to give, I hope, anyway.
“I came to a club that is ambitious and wants to do bigger things and get into a better league.
“So I came with a job to do and I fully intend to do my best to get there,” England’s fifth most capped men’s player added.
Lawes has moved to Brive with his family and is making the most of the gastronomic opportunities as the chef of the household but admitted to avoiding frogs’ legs and snails, for now.
“The quality of food in this country is fantastic,” Lawes said. “There’s three nights in the week where we don’t have kids clubs and we can all sit down as a family and have a nice meal together, which is brilliant,” he added.
This year marks a decade on from one of Lawes’ most memorable moments in the white shirt – his spectacular tackle on France flyhalf Jules Plisson.
In December Lawes played Plisson once again, in the ProD2 with the playmaker’s Provence coming out on top.
“I think he’s recovered by now, it was a long time ago,” Lawes jokingly said. “He seems like a really good guy and it’s good to see him still playing and doing well.”
Before Saturday’s match Lawes’ focus is on returning from injury to host Soyaux-Angouleme and his former England teammate Jonny May.
Lawes and May are members of a large diaspora of former England players who have made the French second-tier their home alongside the likes of centre Jonathan Joseph and loose forward Teimana Harrison.
“We all talk and a lot of it is just talking about how different it is,” Lawes said. “Some of the stuff you do that you’d just probably consider a bit rogue every now and again.
“You know, you just laugh about it and what not and it’s all good fun,” he added.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
© Agence France-Presse
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