“England are well and truly slipping down the world rankings”

November 11, 2006

Last weekend Simon Barnes of the Times asked, "Has any side in any sport ever worn the robe of champions with such lack of distinction, such plain straightforward embarrassment?"

And James Lawton of the Independent asked, "Have world champions in any sport, in any circumstances, ever fallen quite so far quite so quickly?"

The final whistle just blew... and the answer to both questions is a resounding NO!

The world champions just lost their 7th test match in a row.

Final: ARGENTINA 25 - ENGLAND 18.

As you might imagine, Twickenham fans were not cheering.

BBC match report here.

Rugby Planet report here.

BBC announcer Ian Robertson says it is the worst England performance he has seen in six or seven years, and says a mob of 3-to-4,000 fans outside the stadium got in front of the offices at the west stand and continued the booing. Robertson says he hasn't seen that in 35 years of covering England rugby. Coach Andy Robinson must be a worried man right now.