Portugal Colonial - Genge bewildered by 'out of touch' England critics after Six Nations wins

Steve Borthwick's men conceded three tries and scored just one in a 16-15 win against Scotland last weekend, drawing audible boos from the crowd and some tough words from the pundits.

That followed a nail-biting 26-25 win against France earlier in February which ended a run of seven straight defeats against major nations, including a 27-22 loss in their Six Nations opener in Ireland.

England are third in the table after three matches, one point behind France and four adrift of unbeaten leaders Ireland.

Vice-captain Genge, 30, said Friday he had been bewildered by the negative reaction.

"It's like you're damned if you do, damned if you don't," he said. "In the last 18 months, every time we've lost by a point, we've been slandered, and on the weekend we win by a point and it's the same old story.

"It is difficult as a player to digest the fact that people were disappointed that we just won the Calcutta Cup back (beating Scotland) after five years. We won the game and people are still upset about it. It blew my mind to be honest.

"There is a feeling there, let's not be naive. You can feel it that people were booing when we were playing. I love the fans, I think they're brilliant, I go round clapping them after every game.

"But post-game the ex-players, recently retired and long retired, and people from years and years ago... I just can't believe how out of touch they are. The spiel that I'm reading from people saying how off it we are. We won two games on the bounce and you're upset about it, I don't get it."

Genge was speaking at a training camp in the northern city of York as England prepare to host Italy on March 9 in their penultimate game of the Six Nations.

The Bristol prop warned the Italians would be tough opponents despite their 73-24 hammering by France in Rome.

"They beat Wales in Wales, they took a few scalps, so I don't think they're a team that people think is a guaranteed win anymore," he said.

"From the outside it might be but we're definitely not preparing like that."

Nogueira--PC