'England must not rush their young players'

Andy Robinson was today advised by France's experienced rugby supremo Jo Maso not to be too impatient with young players like Mathew Tait.

The England coach dropped the 19-year-old centre this week after his disappointing first cap against Wales.

But Maso, a brilliant centre in his playing days who is now France's team manager, said the two teams were rebuilding for the 2007 World Cup. He claimed young players needed time to bed down at international level.

Asked about the weak displays of Tait and partner Jamie Noon in Cardiff, Maso said: "It's normal with new young players. You have to give them time.

"You can't have both maturity and enthusiasm as a young player. Will Greenwood and Mike Tindall are world champions and they are hard to replace, just like Jonny Wilkinson is a world-class player who is not easy to replace.

"The experience will have been interesting for them despite the defeat."

Newcastle's Tait, hailed as the greatest talent to emerge in English rugby since Wilkinson, has not even made the bench against France.