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Fitzpatrick: 'Toughen up'

December 03 2008

Former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick says England and Wales need to "toughen-up" if they are to sustain a challenge to the southern hemisphere sides.

New Zealand's 32-6 victory over England gave the All Blacks only their third 'Grand Slam' of the four teams from Britain and Ireland on an autumn tour.

The All Blacks did not concede a try in its four games and even a victory over Australia by Wales, the reigning Six Nations champions, could not disguise the gulf in class between the two hemispheres.

England coach Martin Johnson insists he has a big task on his hands to rejuvenate the side but his decision to try out younger players this autumn backfired spectacularly.

Now Fitzpatrick believes Wales need to become much fitter and England's new boys have to get mentally tougher if they are going to make any impact on the southern hemisphere teams.

"Wales need to get fitter," said Fitzpatrick.

"That was one thing that came out of the autumn internationals. The intensity of the games got to Wales late on, whereas the southern hemisphere teams scored two or three tries in the last 20 minutes.

"I feel for the young England guys. They are inexperienced and have never been involved in such an environment. Mentally they were knackered.

"The All Blacks in 1992 went through a similar stage. We had great provincial and club players but as soon as they put an All Black's jersey on, we got nervous and had a fear of failure. Mentally we were not tough enough.

"England are going through a really important stage. Martin went into the job with his eyes open. He realised he could lose three out of the four games in the autumn but he took the job on - he is in for the long haul."

Fitzpatrick believes New Zealand finally have a side capable of lifting the World Cup in 2011 on home soil, just as they did when the competition was first staged in 1987.

"Hopefully they will develop a team over the next three years that will be mentally tough and that is something they maybe they have lacked," said Fitzpatrick.

" We have lost one game very four years but it has happened to be a crucial one.

"The rotation policy has gone out of the window and we are playing our best team every week. That has shown its benefit already in the five weeks they have been on tour.

"They are now starting to grow in confidence and are winning games against teams they would have lost to."