England boss Southgate brings in All Blacks' 'no d***head' rule

England manager Gareth Southgate wants to use rugby's all-conquering All Blacks as inspiration in creating a winning mentality within his squad.

According to The Times, Southgate has brought in consultant Owen Eastwood to help his players understand how important it is to wear the Three Lions shirt and the responsibility that comes with it.

Eastwood has previously worked with Chelsea, Manchester City and the South African cricket team. But it's his work within the New Zealand rugby union set-up where he's best known.

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Southgate is an admirer of the All Blacks and wants his squad to adopt the "no d***head" rule famous within the Kiwi squad.

Explained by New Zealand’s mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka in The Sun: "A d***head makes everything about them. They are people who put themselves ahead of the team.

"People who think they are entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark, or being unnecessarily loud about their work.

"Other teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean out the big egos pretty quickly. Our motto is 'if you can't change the people, change the people'.

"The management might not spot these counter-productive behaviours. The players should call others out for their inflated egos."

Southgate is also using other tactics - such as videos and cap ceremonies - to help create a winning culture.

New squad members, such as Harry Maguire and Nathaniel Chalobah, were shown a seven-minute video on arrival at the team hotel for the first time. The video is being used to show players what it means to play for England. And Michael Keane, who won his first cap against Germany this year, was awarded his cap from former England boss Glenn Hoddle.

After six matches in World Cup qualifying, group leaders England play away in Malta on Friday and at home against Slovakia on Monday at Wembley Stadium.

Pundits and fans will wait and see if this new winning mentality is kicking in.