England 12 France 19: Defeated England need to rapidly regroup

From the minute the numbers started peeling off those black shirts in the first game against Argentina, the omens were pointed toward a tough month for this disparate bunch.

Incoherent on the pitch, there were schisms off it, with Mark Cueto blasting the media for writing the negative front-page headlines that haunted them and then Toby Flood countering by condemning his team-mates for not acting responsibly.

England lacked leadership and direction on and off the field of play.

Their only equals for negative press and disappointing performances were the French, but even they had it within themselves to rise above all the nonsense and deliver when it mattered most.

So what now for England? Where do they go from here?

There have many downs in the three-year tenure of Martin Johnson, troughs on a scale that far outweigh the peaks of twin victories over Australia last year and a Six Nations triumph this Spring.

The indiscipline that blighted England in the 2008 autumn internationals returned with a vengeance in New Zealand.

The shortcomings in desperately poor performances against the Tri-Nations superpowers that dominated the last three autumns were laid bare, even with the World Cup draw sparing England from meeting either New Zealand, Australia or South Africa in Dunedin and Auckland.

Johnson’s win percentage may be better than predecessors Andy Robinson and Brian Ashton, but the latter was removed from office after reaching a World Cup final. Johnson ended up two rungs shy on that defining ladder.

The concensus of the observers in Auckland following Saturday’s surrender to the French was that the internal review to be conducted by the Rugby Football Union over the coming weeks is more likely to result in a reshuffle of the backroom staff rather than a removal of the recognisable figurehead.

Though on the evidence of the last month it is clear that the head of that particular snake has not yet acquired the ability to lead a group of players, coaches and hangers-on to victory in the goldfish bowl environment of a World Cup.

It is a critical review for the RFU to conduct with the next gathering of the great and good of world rugby right here in England in four years.

If they stick with Johnson then he should have the full backing of the board from now until 2015. None of this changing of the guard if he has a couple of poor Six Nations’ tournaments.

What might work in Johnson’s favour is the lack of English coaches queueing up to succeed him. Richard Cockerill has done well at Leicester but there are better credentialled non-English candidates like Brendan Venter or Steve Meehan.

The broom that may sweep through the England backroom will take with it a number of players, meaning that by the time of the next World Cup there is unlikely to be anyone left from the glorious autumn of 2003.

We have seen the last of Jonny Wilkinson in an England shirt, a legend for this country no matter how indifferent his performances in this tournament.

Steve Thompson, Lewis Moody and Otley-born Mike Tindall may not have the stomach for another four-year cycle.

There have been plus points over the last few weeks such as the maturity of Flood, the impact of Ben Foden and Manu Tuilagi. They will be wiser for this exacting experience and, bolstered by a new wave of young men, will reach for world domination in four years.

Before then England have to regroup. The Six Nations is less than four months away. England may be the defending champions, but their aura has been eroded by the impact Ireland and particularly Wales have had on the World Cup, and by the fact that they were second best in all departments to France.

Marc Lievremont’s side, seemingly in disarray last week after their defeat to Tonga, surged into a 16-0 lead with first-half tries from Vincent Clerc and Maxime Medard. Foden responded with a touchdown in a better second half but Les Bleus edged further ahead with a drop-goal from Francois Trinh-Duc. Although Mark Cueto wrestled his way over for a second England try in the closing minutes, the die had already been cast.

England: Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi, Flood, Cueto, Wilkinson (Wilkinson 65), Youngs (Banahan 65); Stevens (Corbisiero 49), Thompson (Hartley 56), Cole, Deacon (Shaw 49), Palmer, Croft (Lawes 46), Moody (Haskell 63), Easter. Hartley for Thompson (56), Shaw for Deacon (49), Lawes for Croft (46), Haskell for Moody (63).

France: Medard, Clerc, Rougerie (Marty 68), Mermoz, Palisson, Parra, Yachvili (Trinh-Duc 53); Poux (Barcella 56), Servat (Szarzewski 56), Mas, Pape (Pierre 65), Nallet, Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Harinordoquy (Picamoles 72). Unused replacements: Heymans.

Referee: S Walsh (Australia).