Freddie Steward has welcomed the introduction of the ‘Bunker’ review system after enlisting the help of a psychologist to move on from the controversial red card he received against Ireland in March.
England’s full-back was sent off at the Aviva Stadium for making a dangerous tackle on Hugo Keenan but a hugely contentious decision was subsequently overturned by a disciplinary hearing.
World Rugby has since trialled a procedure designed to help referees make the right call that will be in place throughout the Summer Nations Series, which will see England face Wales in Cardiff in their opening match on Saturday.
The Bunker enables a foul play official to review yellow cards at the request of the referee, with the scope to upgrade them to a red if warranted by the offence.
Any incident will be analysed while the match continues and the player is in the sin-bin, thereby preventing the type of lengthy delays witnessed when Jaco Peyper deliberated over Steward’s red card.
“It’s a good step forward. Games are significantly affected because when it’s 15 v 14 it’s a different game,” Steward said.
“If the right decision is made or the wrong decision is made, it gives an opportunity to correct that which is good for the game.
“Also when a decision like that takes about five or 10 minutes out of the game, it’s not good for the spectators or the players to have that break.
“It’s a really good initiative to keep the game flowing and ensure the right decision is made.”
Keenan was concussed during the incident that took place in the climax to the Six Nations won 29-16 by Ireland, but there was little Steward could do to avoid the collision.
The disciplinary hearing determined that Steward has been reckless only and that the offence should have been limited to a yellow card, but the saga still left its mark on the 22-year-old Leicester star.
“We actually played at the Aviva Stadium a couple weeks after it happened,” Steward said.
“I had done a bit of work with the psychologist David Priestley and he said to me before the game ‘go and stand where it happened, on that bit of turf, and just replay it and park it’.
“Ever since then that was the line in the sand and it’s not really something that I’ve thought about since.
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“It definitely helped. To be back in that same spot, it was so much easier to think ‘it happened, deal with it’. And that was that.”
Steward is one of five starters at the Principality Stadium who are assured of their places in England’s final World Cup squad named on Monday.
Another is Ellis Genge, the Bristol prop who leads England out in the first of four warm-up Tests fully aware of the need to ensure those on the fringe of selection focus on the match rather than making an impression on head coach Steve Borthwick.
In 2019 Genge was outstanding against Wales at Twickenham, leading to his inclusion in Eddie Jones’ squad for Japan.
“It would be naive not to address that. I was in that position four years ago,” Genge said.
“The squad hadn’t been announced yet and I went out and played well and then went on the plane. So I know it’s a huge game for some people.
“I was a different character back then. I just went in with all guns blazing and hit everything as hard as I could and it all looked after itself.
“Taking a step back from that now, I see how that could have worked against me. Luckily on that day it didn’t. So I’ll try and share some advice.”
Smith not pinning blame on Ford for England loss
Marcus Smith does not blame England's narrow defeat to New Zealand on Saturday on George Ford, despite his late missed kicks.
Ford replaced Smith, who had scored 17 points and set up England's only try in their 24-22 loss, hitting a potential match-winning penalty against the post before narrowly missing a drop goal.
England had held an eight-point advantage when Smith left the field, but Mark Tele'a's 76th-minute try before Damian McKenzie added five late points proved enough to get the All Blacks over the line.
The hosts' autumn series got off to a losing start as Ford struggled to find his clinical edge in the dying moments, but Smith does not lay any blame at his team-mate's feet.
"Sometimes that's the life of a kicker, we've all experienced that. It's part and parcel of the job," said Smith.
"I've learned so much off George. He's an unbelievable kicker, both off the tee and out of hand. It was one of those days.
"It's nothing to do with him why we didn't win the game. It's a team effort. Every kicker in the world has experienced that.
"We practise [drop-goals] as kickers every single day, but sometimes it doesn't go for you. We're all human and people miss."
Saturday marked a third consecutive narrow loss to New Zealand for England, with their last win an emphatic victory over Japan in June.
Despite that run, Smith remains confident that England can take lessons from these defeats to set themselves up for success in the future.
"International rugby is very different to the Premiership and the experiences we're experiencing now are very painful, but we'll be better for them," Smith added.
"Keep the faith. We've fallen again on the wrong side of the result, but we'll learn from it 100%.
"These experiences will tighten us as a group, and it will be worth it in the long run. We will be better for it."
England 'banging on the door' of rugby's elite, says proud Borthwick
Steve Borthwick reckons England are "banging on the door" of the elite nations after their close loss to New Zealand.
England went down 24-22 to the All Blacks in Saturday's Test match at Twickenham.
Mark Tele'a scored the decisive try for New Zealand, who beat England twice in July, in the 76th minute.
England missed the chance to win it late on when George Ford missed a drop-goal attempt, after he had struck the post with a penalty.
But coach Borthwick, who was immensely proud of his team, feels England showed they are capable of mixing it with the best teams in the world, despite losing four of their last five Tests.
"It is a mixture of immense pride at the performance against a very tough New Zealand team and one of incredible disappointment," Borthwick told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"They are the emotions we balance and will work through over the next few days.
"When we started two years ago we wanted to get England right to the top of world rugby again. You can see the team banging on the door."
With the pre-match build-up having been dominated by Joe Marler's jibe at New Zealand's pre-match haka routine, tries from Tele'a and Will Jordan put New Zealand in control.
Marcus Smith's penalties kept England in contention, though, and he set up the hosts' only try when he intercepted a loose pass and teed up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Yet England ultimately failed to hold on to an eight-point advantage, with Ford having to be consoled by his team-mates after the match.
Next up for England are Australia, with fixtures against South Africa and Japan also in store.
"We really have to find a way of winning these close ones," said captain Jamie George. "We put ourselves in a really good position after 60 minutes.
"Eight points is a lot in Test match rugby but we probably went chasing the game a bit and gave away too many penalties. We have to be smarter in that respect."
England walked up to the halfway line to face the haka, something George explained was planned prior to Marler's comments.
"That was always our plan before Joe's comments but we did it in a respectful way," said George. "I saw a smile on Scott Barrett’s face, I was smiling, and it was done in good spirits."
England aiming to be one of 'world's best' teams, says Earl
England have aspirations of greatness, asserted Ben Earl as he prepares to face New Zealand in a friendly at Twickenham.
The 26-year-old was optimistic about the progress England had made under Steve Borthwick despite registering two losses at the hands of the All Blacks in July.
England will be seeking revenge after losing the second match of the test in a devastatingly close 16-15 defeat. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso had scored a try to put England ahead after scores had been tied 10-10 at half-time, but two penalty kicks from Damian McKenzie ended their hopes.
Earl, however, believes the heartbreak has given his country an opportunity to develop.
“I think it’s an experience all the big teams go through, you have to go through some heartache to get over the line,” he told TNT Sports.
“It just feels like it’s the evolution of all the top teams, and we are a team that wants to be known as a great team, some of the world’s best.
“So we know the heartache is good for a while, but it’s time to go and do it at the right time. We got a glimpse of it against Ireland last year, and we feel we are due one, and we have learnt some really hard lessons over the summer, so we feel we are in a better place for it.
“We have always said you don’t win easily against us and that’s something we have developed over the last 18 months with Steve’s mindset and the boys getting hold of it, and now I feel it’s time to get over the line in one of these big games.”
New Zealand have won their last three matches, having defeated Japan and secured a double over Australia. They struggled against reigning world champions South Africa, however, as they failed to exact revenge on the Springboks in late summer tests falling to defeat twice.
Undoubtedly, the All Blacks still represent some of the best talent in the world, with Earl expected to line up opposite New Zealand’s superstar Wallace Sititi.
“There’s stardust littered all over the pitch isn’t there? There’s some pretty cool match-ups; it just feels like a game that isn’t going to disappoint,” he said.
England won’t be overawed, though. Instead, they aim to make their west London home a fortress for visiting sides to travel to.
“[Twickenham is] a place where we want to be really, really hard to beat. And we’ve always said in the camp, if you want to beat us at Twickenham you are going to have to be over and above the norm,” Earl said.
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