Rugby World Cup: English players in Twitter spat

NZ Herald

15 Oct, 2015 06:49 PM2 mins to read

Tom Wood, right, in action for England during the Rugby World Cup clash against Wales. Photo / AP

It just keeps getting more embarrassing for England's rugby team.

There is almost a revelation per day about why the wheels have fallen off England's chariot at this Rugby World Cup. The latest to emerge overnight is a Twitter spat between two players.

Northampton loose forward Tom Wood was drawn into a Twitter spat with Harlequins club hooker Dave Ward and accused him of attempting to undermine current English captain Chris Robshaw.

Wood, who has played for North Otago earlier in his career, was quoted in an article in London Daily Mail as saying that he would "cross that bridge if we come to it" when asked whether he would like to replace Robshaw, adding "if I was asked to do it for the benefit of the team, I'd consider it very carefully and probably front up. I haven't been asked and I don't resent that."

Robshaw's Quins team-mate Ward, who used to play for Northampton, was angered and tweeted: "Reading @tomwood678 article in the Mail, with friends like that who needs enemies. How about the 47 pens you gave against Wales..."

Wood was quick to respond: "What exactly has upset u? You seem to have acquired a stronger voice since our last chat?"

But that merely provoked another response from Ward. "Voice always been strong just know when 2 use it. I can teach u sometime if u want, kicking a man when he's down is never the 1."

Wood then attempted to draw a line under the incident by asking Ward to phone him, although that was quickly rebuffed as Ward posted a clip of him taking the ball off Wood in a match with the caption: "Lesson No1 how to turn the ball over."