England
Chris Robshaw 'battered emotionally' by Rugby World Cup - Ugo Monye
ESPN Staff
December 4, 2015
© David Rogers/Getty Images

England captain Chris Robshaw was left "battered emotionally and physically" by the Rugby World Cup, according to his former teammate Ugo Monye.

Robshaw was the team leader as the home nation made a pool-stage exit and many have predicted he will lose the armband -- and possibly his place in the team -- after Eddie Jones replaced Stuart Lancaster as head coach.

England became the first host country to miss out on the quarterfinals, but having met with his former Harlequins colleague, Monye is confident Robshaw is now ready to try to prove his critics wrong.

"The one thing that came out of the conversations we've had is that he's more determined than ever," Monye said on BBC 5 Live.

"After the World Cup he took a bit of time out, he was clearly pretty battered emotionally as well as physically and you've got to question yourself: 'Am I good enough? Can I do it? Can I lead the team?'

"And the answer to all of those he's come up with is yeah."

Monye suggested England's failure had hit Robshaw so hard because he gave so much to the cause.

The former England wing, who retired from the game at the end of last season, added: "He only got to that low place because he gave so much, he sacrificed so much and he cared so much.

"I look at how he's responded to that for Harlequins the last few weeks and he's been brilliant."

Were Jones to look beyond Robshaw for England's captaincy, Wasps lock Joe Launchbury has emerged as a leading candidate to replace him.

Launchbury's club boss Dai Young has backed the 24-year-old and former England scrum-half Matt Dawson claimed he would be good in the role.

"I know it sounds Martin Johnson-like but Launchbury could have that bit of X factor," Dawson said.

© ESPN Staff

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices