Letter: Crackers, Jack

Sir: I was dismayed to read Jack Rowell's criticism of England's defeat by South Africa. What does it achieve? On the day England were beaten by a better side whose tactics paid off. On another day they may not have. To criticise England for not having a strategy assumes that if they had a different one they would have won. Mr Rowell seems to have forgotten that times, and situations, move on.

In addition, to concede five drop goals to a specialist kicker may well be unfortunate or even careless, but it is far more palatable than conceding one to a No 8 forward from 40 odd metres in open play even though he was Zinzan Brooke.

C ADAM-REYNOLDS,

Maidstone, Kent