Ben Earl has admitted that England have “laid it bare” with the squad confronting a few tough truths in the wake of their Six Nations defeat to Ireland as they search for a reaction against Italy this weekend.
England’s title hopes were all but ended by a second consecutive defeat as the visitors won 42-21 at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium last weekend. Steve Borthwick’s squad reassembled briefly last week to review the game and Earl revealed that a number of members of the squad admitted they had not reached the levels required against Scotland and Ireland.
“If we’re being honest, there’s been some challenge from within the playing group,” Earl stressed. “A few of us had a meeting last Wednesday and laid it bare. There are people in the squad who don’t feel they’ve pulled their weight or performed well enough. Once you get that out there, it’s about how you move forward.”
Earl will win his 50th cap on Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico six years on from making his international debut during the 2020 Six Nations. The back rower had to bide his time to earn a starting opportunity, waiting more than three years before the moment arrived ahead of the 2023 World Cup, but has since become a central figure at No 8.
“It’s crept up on me,” Earl admitted of the milestone. “It felt like yesterday I was playing against Argentina in Marseille in that World Cup game and blink and I’m here. It has been an amazing journey in terms of some unbelievable highs and some unbelievable lows but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
