Armitage restricted by conservative approach

Delon Armitage
12 April 2012

Delon Armitage believes his chronic loss of form during the RBS 6 Nations was partly due to the welter of safety-first instructions issued by Martin Johnson and the England management.

The London Irish full-back was left playing "like a robot", capable only of following pre-programmed instructions as England's one-dimensional style stifled his natural game.

"The Six Nations was very disappointing for me. I went away from how I like to play rugby. I became a bit of a robot," said Armitage, who recovered from shoulder surgery just before the championship.

"I just wasn't ready. The coaching staff backed me but I probably just wasn't ready to get back into Test rugby.

"I would be kicking the ball senselessly at times and in my head, I was getting back from the coaches: 'Don't get turned over in our half, don't do this'.

"In my head I just thought: 'I can't get turned over so I am going to kick this ball 60 metres down the field' whereas before I would have taken that risk.

"When I was flying and full of confidence, I would have had a go from anywhere.

"But I would see a couple of guys getting turned over in our half and the coaches were saying: 'We don't want to see that'."

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