RFU chief Bill Sweeney says England rank among the world's best when they keep 15 on the field, and wants the card problem fixed before the Nations Championship.
With the Springboks and other southern hemisphere powers set to feature in the new Nations Championship, England know they can't afford to hand elite opponents a numerical advantage. Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney has made that point bluntly.
Sweeney's argument is simple. In his view, England are the second-best team on the planet when they stay at full strength. The problem is that too many yellow and red cards have kept them from showing it, leaving them short-handed at key moments.
The message is aimed squarely at the players and coaching staff: discipline has to improve. Against the physical, ruthless sides of the southern hemisphere, even ten minutes with a man down can swing a Test. Top opponents punish any lapse in tackle height, rucks or restarts.
The Nations Championship promises regular, high-stakes clashes between the north and south, so England will be tested against the best. Sweeney's belief in the squad's ceiling is clear. The question is whether England can turn that talent into a clean, controlled 80 minutes.
