WALES attack guru Rob Howley believes coach Warren Gatland was alluding to his team’s defending when he seemed to question their “emotional state" against England on Saturday.

Gatland described Wales’s first-half display at Twickenham as “totally unacceptable” and said he found it “hard to understand why we looked so tired and lethargic”.

The Kiwi, who led Wales to Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012, went on to add that “you need to have the right emotional state as you take the field”.

When asked why, as Gatland said, the players weren’t ready emotionally, former scrum-half Howley commented: “Defence is very emotive and Warren picked up on that and felt we lacked a bit of emotion in terms of line speed, giving England an opportunity of time and space on the ball.

“If you want to try and connect emotion with the game, we talk about attack being smart, being clinical, being accurate, and executing under pressure.

“Defence is very emotive and about speed into position, getting off the floor quicker than your opponent, not being overtaken when you’re running back, getting off your line and making the tackle, and that’s part of emotion in the game.

“I think that’s what Warren was alluding to. Earlier on in the game our line speed wasn’t at its best compared to where it has been in the championship and other games that we’ve played.”

And when asked to clarify why the players weren’t there emotionally, he added: “The players are the only ones, if we’re questioning emotional behaviour, who can answer that.

“I haven’t got the answer, I wish I had.”

Former Wales skipper Howley was also keen to stress the closeness of the national team set-up.

“It was disappointing the way we started and we can’t get away from that as coaches and players,” he continued.

“But we’re all in it together, it’s not just the players, it’s the coaches and the backroom staff. When we play for Wales, all of us are playing for Wales.

“Please don’t try and divide and conquer in terms of players and coaches or the management team. We are as one.

“It’s important we prepare accordingly to finish second in this championship on Saturday against Italy.”

Meanwhile, current captain Sam Warburton is continuing to be assessed after the head injury he sustained during Saturday’s 25-21 defeat.