Six Nations LIVE: England ace called out for Ireland comments as BBC issue on-air apology

Former England head coach Sir Clive Woodward has criticised Ben Earl after the flanker hit out at the media.

Earl claimed that his team-mates have been dubbed the ‘worst ever’ England side.

“I’m a bit emotional,” he said after England defeated Ireland. “Because obviously Jamie [George] lost his mum the other week and we spoke a lot about that this week.

“And then Danny’s 100th and some of the crap that’s been thrown at this team over the last week. Apparently, we’re the worst England team ever, we’ve done pretty well for that accolade.”

However, Woodward – who coached England to the 2003 World Cup triumph – has told Earl to do his taking on the pitch.

“I didn’t like seeing a number of them hit back at the media in post-match interview,” Woodward said.

“Ben Earl was one to criticise the coverage England received after their Scotland defeat. That’s not what champion teams or champion individuals do. They should ignore the media or just see criticism as positive feedback like I did.

“Earl’s comments that ‘apparently we are the worst England team ever’ and ‘we have done pretty well for that accolade’ were not needed and detracted from the team’s performance and his own, which was outstanding.

“I don’t think anyone in the press called England’s current crop the worst in the country’s history!

“England’s players have to accept that if they play poorly — as they did in Edinburgh — they will be criticised. It’s part of playing at the highest level. I also think England shouldn’t just take aim at the media as a collective.

“If a player or coach has a grievance with what a journalist has written, then name them directly! If that is me, then I’m absolutely fine with that!”