Newcastle director of rugby Rob Andrew has described claims that tiredness was to blame for England's 31-6 defeat by France on Sunday as "rubbish". England backs coach Joe Lydon had said: "There are issues off the field that haven't helped - we have a tired group of players."
But Andrew told BBC Radio Five Live: "This thing about tired players and preparation is just rubbish.
"It annoys the clubs intensely that this is always fired at them."
The former England fly-half, who has been with Newcastle for the last 10 years, added: "It's just an excuse.
"It's always the same when England go badly - it's always the clubs' fault, the players are tired. It's just never the case.
"Over the whole season, very rarely do players play more than 25 games.
"The French players play more matches and three of them actually play in the English league.
"If you look at this current group of England players, the least preparation they had was for the Wales game, when they won 47-13.
"The more time they've had with the England set-up, the worse they've got."
Andrew also strongly denied claims that the English Premiership is poor preparation for international rugby.
"It was useful for the 2003 World Cup when England won it," he said.
"It's always trotted out when England do badly - there aren't the players, the academies aren't producing them, they're too tired, they haven't got the right skills - it's always somebody else's fault."
And Andrew said the Rugby Football Union should not complain about the structure of the season.
 |  The RFU have to look closer to home at what's being done with the team and who's setting out the way the team is playing |
"If they want a partnership, then the relationship has to improve," he said.
"The making of the season is down to the RFU essentially. They decide the structure of the season.
"It's been the same for 10 years - the structure of the season has never changed.
"When it goes well for England then it's down to the coaching of the England squad. When it goes badly, it's somebody else's fault.
"They have to look closer to home at what's being done with the team and who's setting out the way the team is playing."
MMIX
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