Why anger can be good

It's hard to know who was angrier on Saturday afternoon, Steve Meehan (pictured) or Martin Johnson.

Certainly both coaches had good cause for rising blood pressure.

England's RBS 6 Nations loss at Croke Park saw them slide to eighth in the world union rankings, while Bath's defeat against Gloucester saw them drop out of the play-off zone in the Guinness Premiership, although they do have at least one game in hand over their principal rivals.

England boss Johnson performed a terrifyingly accurate impersonation of the Incredible Hulk after another afternoon of asinine ill-discipline, typified by Danny Care moronic shoulder charge on Marcus Horan. Clearly, it was – yet again – England's soaring penalty-count that got under Johnson's skin.

And while Bath conceded more than their share of penalties too, the causes of Meehan's anger following the game at Kingsholm were more complex.

First there were the individual errors; then some refereeing decisions that, to be polite, were plain wrong; and then, ultimately, there was the fact that – after a titanic, enthralling game – Bath emerged not a single point better off in the Premiership.

Meehan's frustration was manifested through some terse responses in the post-match press conference – but who could blame him? Bath, having played with such heart, deserved at least a crumb of comfort.

But if you want to find real anger among coaches in the England game this week, then pop along to Bath Spa station and catch a train to Watford.

There, Saracens boss Eddie Jones has had to cope with the sight of 19 stone hulks weeping on the training ground after the South African consortium that owns the club announced it would be culling 15 of the squad's 38 senior players.

While evidently furious at the bluntness of the foreign owners' behaviour, Jones, who last month announced he would be leaving the club come the end of the current campaign, has managed to maintain a statesman-like dignity, too.

"I'm 100 per cent disappointed," Jones told the BBC. "I wanted to build a strong club, the best in Europe.

"I've never seen anything like it. Some of the guys have been in tears all week. But I've told the players I am fighting their corner, and my job is to leave the club in the best shape I can. I guarantee I will."

Jones is a man who's been known to drop a few wisecracks in press conferences. He is a man of humour, as well as being a first-class coach.

But there is no wisecracking here. You can hear the desperation and the anger, and you can hear the almost father-like defensiveness towards his players.

Anger, when controlled and directed into the right channels, can be a useful emotion in rugby. Anyone who's been in a pep talk ahead of a match against a bogey team knows that.

Now more than ever is the time for Jones and the Sarries players to channel their anger in the right way.

The senior players who have been told they are not wanted must remain positive and seek to vent their anger in the gym and in competitive play, so they make themselves attractive to other clubs.

But what about Bath? Surely they are, to a man, angry at having picked up just two points from there last two games.

And the best way to relieve that anger is to serve up a bonus-try drubbing of Bristol at The Rec this weekend.

For more of Tom's thoughts, click here