Picking Sam Burgess upset England morale blasts Gareth Chilcott

England‘s obsession with Sam Burgess should cost Stuart Lancaster his job, says former Red Rose prop Gareth Chilcott, who insists the Rugby League man should not have been anywhere near the World Cup squad.
Chilcott describes the fast-tracking of Burgess ahead of tested campaigners such as Luther Burrell as a “grievous mistake” that undermined morale and muddied selection for critical games against Wales and Australia.
Chilcott told The Rugby Paper: “Sam’s an outstanding athlete and magnificent Rugby League player, but he should have been nowhere near the 31. It takes time to play Union and there’s been a smack of fast-tracking.
“There was certainly too much hype and when you talk about the England situation, he hadn’t done enough, especially when people like Burrell and Eastmond were well liked and tested.
“The coaches, especially Andy Farrell, doubtless had this obsession with him making a big defensive difference in the midfield, but they just got it wrong and it was bound to create animosity among squad members with good players left out.”
Chilcott believes Bath were affected, too, after paying £500,000 to South Syndey Rabbitohs for his services: “There’s no doubt that with somebody coming in with a big name, selectors want to make a spot for him.
“But you’ve got to earn the right to be selected and, let’s get something straight, players know who should be picked.
“If somebody’s being picked when they shouldn’t be it undermines morale and effort – and I think that’s happened with Sam.
“He was brought into Bath and it upset their back-row; he was brought into England and it upset the squad.
“He needed time but for whatever reason, whether it was the big money or behind closed doors deals, he’s been rushed at the expense of others.”
Chilcott believes Lancaster’s job is untenable, saying: “You have to go for change. There have been selection problems throughout and it’s pretty obvious that through the World Cup he didn’t know his best team having had four years to pick it.
“There is a slight over-interest in Rugby League players and they took a gamble on Sam that didn’t work and I think that affected morale.
“With these big decisions, I don’t think there’s a place for Stuart or his coaches to be kept on.
“People say Clive Woodward was kept on in 1999 and went on to win it, but there have been too many grievous mistakes for Stuart to keep his job.
“England have got to take stock now and go out and get the best man possible to do it.”
NEALE HARVEY