Former England winger Chris Ashton has labelled James Lowe 'too big, too heavy, too slow' after Ireland's defeat to England at Twickenham last Saturday.
Ashton believes the Kiwi winger, earning just his second cap after qualifying for Ireland through the residency rule, was at fault for a Jonny May try during the game.
The 28-year-old is expected to be a key man for Ireland in the coming years, but the Sale Sharks star reckons that he'll need to get faster and lighter to cut it at international test level.
"If I was a winger on the opposite side of the pitch from Jonny (May); Say I was James Lowe on the Ireland team… when Jonny shanks that kick across the pitch my job is to go across the pitch and get the ball.
“Where was James Lowe? He’s dragging a dresser back there. He’s too big. He’s dragging a tractor, mate, turning. I watched him during the game. He is too big, too heavy, too slow.”
The 44-times capped England winger was also heavily critical of Andy Farrell's tactics in the Autumn Nations Cup clash.
“From Ireland’s point of view, they spoke before the game about what they needed to do. Matching England’s physicality," he added.
“Watching the game, apart from a couple of intelligent kicks which I thought they did a lot of, they just played into England’s hands.
“Easy reading attack, running straight into people… if you’re going to run straight into (Sam) Underhill, Tom Curry, Mako (Vunipola) you’re just going to get banged.
“That’s exactly what happened.
“The whole England thing now is based on what Saracens have done over the past five, 10 years. They’re in the middle of all of this and they love it.
“They don’t want the ball. England don’t want the ball, they just want to smash you backwards.”
