England's record-breaking 45-22 victory over Australia, their highest points tally ever against the Wallabies, came after a week dominated by claims of squad unrest, and former World Cup winner Ben Kay believes such reports can actually bring players closer together.
The build-up to Sunday's Nations Championship clash at Allianz Stadium was overshadowed by a report in The Times stating that senior players had demanded talks with coach Steve Borthwick and senior figures at the RFU. Vice-captain Jamie George questioned the contents of the report and its timing, while England responded emphatically on the pitch.
Kay draws on England experience
For Kay, the idea of a completely harmonious changing room where everyone is satisfied is naïve. He highlighted his own experience with an all-conquering England side, but feels any frustrations can be eased by the magnitude of this opening success.
"From my experience, not everyone is always happy in a team environment," said Kay. "There's a difference between things being catastrophically wrong and someone simply having a bit of a grumble because they'd prefer things to be done differently."
He cited the most successful team he played in, coached by Clive Woodward, noting that not every player would have felt Woodward was doing a good job at any given time.
Winning eases frustrations
Kay said such situations can galvanise players and bring them together, as they have all heard about the reports and some may feel they are part of the reason they appeared in the media. He added that players desperate for team success would not deliberately sacrifice performance to make a point in the media.
"I think it's also amazing what winning does for you. When you win together, that shared sense of achievement makes you forget the things you were moaning about a few weeks earlier," he said.
While England players have rejected the contents of the report, which followed the country's worst-ever Guinness Men's Six Nations campaign, they acknowledged some forthright conversations with the coaching staff. The 80 minutes against Australia, during which England ran in seven tries, indicated the bond within the team.
No witch hunt expected
Kay does not believe the report was entirely unfounded, but does not expect a witch hunt to find the source of leaks. He noted that rumours often start indirectly, through agents or club contacts, rather than players directly contacting journalists.
"As I said, when you see something written down in black and white, it looks catastrophic. But it's very rare that everyone in a team is always thinking, 'This is the best it's ever been. Everything is great,'" he added.
