“It was tough to watch,”

England scrumhalf Danny Care has admitted it was very tough to watch old rivals Ireland lift the Six Nations trophy in Twickenham of all places.

The Harlequins nine, who started on the bench for England on Saturday, says they put everything they had into retaining the trophy they had won for the last two consecutive years.

Care says when they got back into the dressing room both captain Dylan Hartley and head coach Eddie Jones said how they respond to their recent poor run of form, will be the “true test” of their character.

“It was tough to watch, you know. To see a rival team, in your stadium with all their fans still there, lift a trophy that we’d put everything in to win again.” Care told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast

“We all walked back in, sat back down. Dylan [Hartley, the England captain] stood up and said that the true test of our character is now how we respond to this.

“We’ve had it great for the last few years and everything has gone for us – everyone has said how great we are – and now it’s completely turned. Everyone is saying how bad we are and it’s up to us to stick together. This was the exact message that Dylan first said; and then Eddie [Jones, the England head coach] said.

“Eddie said it was now all about how we react now, when we go back to our clubs and how hard we are going to work to be better players in all departments.”

Next up for England is a three-Test tour of South Africa, now under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber. No easy task.