‘You just can’t miss tackles’: Defence coach Sinfield says England will learn from Calcutta calamity

England defence coach Kevin Sinfield has told his players they cannot afford to keep missing tackles after Saturday’s humbling by Scotland.

Giant winger Duhan van der Merwe broke 10 tackles during the Calcutta Cup and scored two of Scotland’s four tries.

England’s loss exposed flaws in the new-look defensive system and Sinfield highlighted the need to cut out individual errors against Italy.

‘I’m not happy with all four tries, to be honest,’ he said. ‘I know the players are disappointed to have conceded four tries. 

‘We’ve attacked that and some great learning has come from it. It’s highlighted some areas that we can really push and improve in a short space of time. 

Giant winger Duhan van der Merwe broke 10 tackles and scored two of Scotland’s four tries

‘Some of it is as simple and straightforward as saying, “You can’t miss tackles, guys”. You just can’t.

‘And if you miss tackles you’d expect someone in our team to clear it up and we didn’t. Is it system error? Possibly on some of them. You get that when you’re making that many players play together from different clubs in such a short space of time in such an intense environment.

‘They’ve been used to playing a certain way under the previous regime as well. But you can’t miss tackles at this level and expect to get away with it.’

England have strengthened their defensive resolve by recalling flanker Jack Willis for Sunday’s Test at Twickenham.

And skipper Owen Farrell admitted the side must work on their defensive cohesion to compensate for any individual lapses in round two.

‘There are going to be errors,’ said Farrell. ‘The thing we have to make sure is that we look at how we fix them. How we can cover each other’s backs and make sure that if someone makes an error next to you, then his mate is there to cover for him. We will fight to do that going forward.’

Defence coach Kevin Sinfield has told his players they cannot afford to keep missing tackles