O’Shea : Don’t write off Robshaw for England captain

Harlequins Director of Rugby Conor O’Shea says that new England head coach Eddie Jones should think carefully before naming a new England captain.

Newly-appointed Jones will officially start his position on Tuesday this week and he has said that he will meet with 29-year-old Robshaw to discuss the captaincy.

Former England coach Stuart Lancaster was a staunch defender of Robshaw and frequently had to list Robshaw’s playing stats in his defence.

Robshaw has captained England on 42 occasions and has been heavily criticised for his penalty decisions against South Africa (2012) and against Wales in the World Cup. He was also criticised for his performance against Australia in the World Cup.

Speaking after Harlequins were beaten 26-25 by Exeter Chiefs on the weekend O’Shea said, “Chris Robshaw was outstanding.”

“I hope people take a long, hard look before they start writing him off.”

O’Shea praised Robshaw’s performance against Exeter after Harlequins secured losing bonus points from the loss and could have snatched the victory with a late penalty.

“He has been one of the outstanding back-row forwards in this country for many a year,” O’Shea told the BBC.

“I don’t normally single out players but he made yards today when you didn’t think he could make yards.

“He was turning the ball over, he was tackling, he was working. I am gutted for us as a team, but I am incredibly proud of the performance.”

England begin their Six Nations campaign on 6 February at Murrayfield against Scotland who reached the Rugby World Cup quarter finals but picked up the wooden spoon in the 2015 Six nations.

In Robshaw’s 42 matches as captain England won 25 and lost 17. Sixteen of those wins were in the Six Nations although England have finished second in their last four campaigns.