Robinson still a happy captain

England captain Jason Robinson insists that he is still happy in the job ahead of his team's Six Nations clash with Ireland. [more]

Lions Australia Tour 2013

England captain Jason Robinson insists that he is still happy in the job ahead of his team’s Six Nations clash with Ireland.

Questions have been asked by some critics about the wisdom of captaining the side from full-back with England having been beaten by both Wales and France.

But the British & Irish Lion, who took on the role when Jonny Wilkinson was ruled out injured, remains upbeat ahead of Sunday’s clash with Ireland in Dublin.

The Sale Sharks back said: "I am still enjoying it. It is a massive challenge and you do learn a lot of things when you are losing, about your team, about yourself, about your character, more than if you are winning the games all the time.

"From the back I see a lot more than most people do. In defence I am quite far away from the guys but we have defensive captains in there so if anything needs to be said they will say it. I have no problems with that.

"I captain my club from full-back. You lose games and there will always be people looking for reasons, whether it is my captaincy or whatever.

"The main reason is that as a team we have not played as well as we could have done. We have lost one game by two points and one by one and in those two games we have only conceded one try.

"Our defence, I think, has been excellent. It is just at times we have not been able to shut the games down, our discipline has not been as good as it should have been and we have paid the price."

There have been suggestions that England should bring in some experienced guidance behind the scenes in the shape of a former captain such as Martin Johnson or Lawrence Dallaglio but Robinson believes the squad is strong enough.

The former Wigan winger said: "It is not a case of doing it my own way.

‘I have always said that as captain I am learning but I feel that I have got players in this team who can help me – Martin Corry, Ben Kay, Graham Rowntree, guys that have been around a long time with a lot of experience – so I feel if there are things I don’t know or I need to learn I can draw from them. I have not had to speak to Johnno or anyone else."

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