Ellis Genge has vowed England will “turn up and fight” against Ireland in Dublin this weekend as they look to recover from their dismantling by France.
Genge captained the side in the record 53-10 home defeat by the French at Twickenham.
The Bristol prop admits England didn’t “fight and work hard for each other” throughout the France game, but says it will be different at the Aviva Stadium.
“You will see a reaction,” said Genge.
“As a team we want to see us fight for each other until the last minute – and I think we will get that.”
Talking to BBC Sport, Genge added: “I don’t think there is a massive difference in skill level and player calibre between the majority of the teams in the world.
“It is just people working hard on the day, and effort, the things that you can control.
“Talent is another question, but I don’t think we lack that. It was just being on the same page and fighting until the bitter end and we didn’t do that on Saturday.
“[The reasons we lost] are all underpinned by one thing and that is fighting and working hard for each other, and I don’t think we did that for the whole game, which is unusual for us.
“I can assure you this group won’t be the same on Saturday.”
Genge has urged patience as England look to rebuild under new coach Steve Borthwick and has cited parallels with Borthwick’s Leicester Tigers side, who hit rock bottom in 2020 before recovering to win the Premiership title in 2022.
“It was just something that grew,” added Genge.
“To change the whole mindset within six or seven weeks will be difficult. Off the back of a seven-year tenure of someone else it is a tough ask.
“But it is a challenge we are welcoming with open arms.”
Saturday promises to be a special day for Irish rugby, with Andy Farrell’s Ireland side heavy favourites to seal the Six Nations Grand Slam in front of a home crowd for the first time.
“What an occasion,” Genge continued.
“It would be amazing to be Irish and have England come over and have a Grand Slam opportunity when they [England] have lost by 50 points on the weekend, on St Patrick’s day. A day that is literally made for them.
“So we are going to turn up. And we are going to fight.”
Source – BBC Sport
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