Wilkinson: Players are to blame

Jonny Wilkinson feels Brian Ashton is not at fault for England's display against Italy.

Jonny Wilkinson feels England's players, and not coach Brian Ashton, are to blame for the disappointing display against Italy.

Ashton said after the scrappy 20-7 RBS Six Nations win at Twickenham that he had got the balance of the team wrong.

However, writing in his column for the The Times newspaper, Wilkinson stated how it was down to the leaders on the field, including himself, to put things right during the match.

The fly-half scored 15 of England's points in the match as he became the leading scorer in the tournament's history.

"It is great that he is prepared to put his own head on the block and take responsibility," he wrote in The Times. 

"That is one of the reasons why players enjoy playing for him.

"However, the team's fortunes don't begin and end with the tactical direction he gives us before the game.

"There are leaders on the pitch, of whom I am one, and we must have the ability to assess and reassess our approach and our tactics as the game goes on.

"That is what we did not do particularly well on Saturday and, as far as accountability goes, I would put my name high up on that list, not Brian's."

England's next match in the Six Nations is a trip to Croke Park to take on Ireland on February 24.