Sir Clive Woodward has blamed Eddie Jones for leading English rugby into "big, big trouble" as Steve Borthwick's issues were laid bare in the crushing defeat to France.
England suffered the ignominy of their worst ever defeat at Twickenham as they were destroyed 53-10 by a rampant French side in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Ruthless France ran in seven tries and a sorry England were booed off by the exasperated home supporters who had remained in the stadium, as the gulf in class was brutally exposed just months out from a World Cup.
And former Web Ellis trophy-winning coach Woodward has taken his latest swipe at ex-boss Jones, rather than piling the pressure on incumbent Borthwick, in the wake of the humiliation.
Woodward - perhaps Jones' fiercest critics before he was replaced by Borthwick in December - believes the new Australia head coach is responsible for the dire state of the national game.
"It would be easy to put the boot into Steve Borthwick now," the 67-year-old opined in his Daily Mail column. "But this France humiliation is not the fault of the new England head coach.
"The result merely shows that the Eddie Jones regime led English rugby into big, big trouble in the last three years, with a few one-off wins papering over the cracks.
"The only good thing about yesterday’s result is that it’s shown England the level they need to get to if they are to have any hope of being successful and win a World Cup.
"Borthwick will now need to learn and act quickly. Ireland are up next on the final weekend and that is a daunting prospect. Both Ireland and France have a brilliant attacking game that England are miles away from right now."
Woodward had high praise for France, who claimed their first victory in south-west London since 2005 in the most emphatic style.
Les Blues retained hope of winning the Six Nations title with the landmark win, but rely on irrepressible Ireland slipping up against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday, or falling to the most unlikely of defeats to the Red Rose in Dublin next weekend.
And Woodward lamented a "sobering" day for Borthwick, who now knows just how wide the chasm is between his side and the teams battling for the Six Nations crown.
He added: "The hammering by France was a sobering reality check of where English rugby is right now. We knew we were far behind Ireland and France, but not this far.
"To ship a half century on home soil makes this England’s worst ever defeat. That is inescapable because statistically it is indeed the worst English loss at Twickenham ever. Yes, read that again. The worst English loss at Twickenham ever."
