Harlequins scrum-half Andy Gomarsall has backed head coach Brian Ashton's claim there should be no scapegoats for England's 26-19 Six Nations defeat to Wales at the weekend.

Gomarsall, 33, and half-back partner Jonny Wilkinson have been widely panned for their part in a shambolic second-half display that saw a first Welsh win at Twickenham for 20 years.

Ashton, who refused to blame injuries to key men, said it would be wrong to say any single player contributed to the defeat, despite several clangers from senior players that helped hand Warren Gatland's men the initiative.

And Gomarsall, picked to start despite barely warming the bench at Quins for the past month, believes the entire England team was responsible.

"I felt myself and Jonny were orchestrating England into good positions in the first half, but it was a complete contrast in the second half," he told BBC Sport.

"When we go through the video of the match, I think you could go through the whole side and be critical of certain things.

"It is a team sport and we are all decision makers, not just one or two of us.

"It was a collective defeat and not down to any one individual.

"We gave Wales their opportunities on a plate. There was too much risky passing, which was totally unnecessary.

"We played like we were behind when we should have controlled the game and kept it tighter.

"With hindsight, we should have said, we are ahead and we have lost a few key players - let's knock the ambition on the head'. But we didn't."

Quins winger David Strettle suffered England heartache for a second time in six months on Saturday, when he damaged the same metatarsal he broke during pre-World Cup training in August.

The 24-year-old had made a big impression in the opening five minutes, making a scintilating 50m break that ultimately ended his match.

And Gomarsall, who lavished praise on debutants Lesley Vainikolo, Danny Cipriani and Luke Narraway, spared a thought for his stricken Stoop team-mate.

"There were glimpses in the first half of us playing some really good stuff and I was pleased for the three guys who made their debuts," he added.

"As pleased as I am for those guys, I am gutted for David."