England settle for ‘brave losers vibe’ as Ireland defeat raises doubts

In England’s national sporting psyche there is a special place reserved for the gallant loser. At times it can feel a little schmaltzy, a touch indulgent. To be beaten but unbowed is a romantic notion though one that can also suggest a certain nobility when the cold, hard facts point to a definitive defeat.

Leaving a frazzled Twickenham late on Saturday night you could not help but wonder whether the heroic nature of such a defeat was overblown or if the plaudits heading England’s way were justified after resisting Ireland for so long with 14 men, before two late tries broke their spirit. Maybe Ellis Genge summed it up best when writing on social media: “Not a fan of the old brave losers vibe but I think circumstances probably warrant that.”

Part of the problem is that this was supposed to be a defining match for Eddie Jones’s New England project. Victory would have kept them in the hunt for the Six Nations title, defeat would put them out of contention and clamours for Jones to go would resurface. It is one of the vagaries of sport that England suffered their heaviest ever Twickenham loss under Jones and their biggest margin of defeat by Ireland at home, yet emerge from it in considerable credit.

Much of that credit is warranted, but England did not show us a great deal we did not already know. They displayed character, resilience and heart by the bucketload but should they not be prerequisites at this level? Maro Itoje and Genge stiffened the sinews and summoned up the blood, but the former would walk into any Test side in the world and the latter has slowly but surely been developing into one of England’s most consistent players this season. Clearly there is a togetherness about this side but that has been evident for