Wednesday 10 September 2014

England are "a long way off" Jonno"s Rugby World Cup heroes

A year before the 2015 tournament kicks off on home soil, Neil Back is urging Lancaster to choose his starting XV and allow those players time  to discover the self-belief and understanding that underpinned the England triumph in Australia 11 years ago.


Back said: “This current group of England players are ahead of where we were going into the 1999 World Cup (England lost in the quarter-finals to South Africa) but a long way away from where we were heading into the 2003 Cup in Australia. I am talking in terms of consistency of performance and selection plus our world ranking, which is currently No4.


“Stuart Lancaster and his coaches must use these early Premiership games to identify the form players and then nail their colours to the mast. The delay in naming the England squad until October is great because it increases competition and players will be picked on form.


“If you asked a panel of rugby experts to pick their best England XV they would probably come up with 23 names. You have to ask, what is our best front row, second row, back row, half-backs, centres and back three? In 2003, you would have probably got 16 names if you asked the same question.









“We had good players in 2003 and strength in depth but we also had experience of playing together, which means communication changes from being verbal to visual because you understand the body language of the guys you are playing with.


“When Martin Johnson was captain I ran out on to the pitch behind him and as he turned to shout at us, I would always put my right hand up to shield my face from the spit that came with his final words.


“In the 2003 World Cup Final, I was second man out and had my hand up but nothing came out of Jonno’s mouth. No words — nothing.


“Two weeks later back at Leicester, I asked him why he hadn’t said anything  — no battle cry or anything. Jonno said he looked  into the eyes of the players and knew we were ready and nothing needed to be said.”


Lancaster’s men have lost four successive matches against World Cup holders New Zealand, and the All Blacks are the first of four daunting autumn Test opponents, who also include South Africa, Samoa and Australia. The Aussies are also in England’s World Cup pool along with Wales.


“If the World Cup involved only the northern hemisphere teams, then you would back England all the way and winning the Six Nations this season is not negotiable,” added Back, who won 66 caps in the England back row.


“The reason is that if we cannot beat teams ranked below us — and all of the Six Nations sides are — then how are we going to win seven games on the bounce to lift the World Cup?


“Australia, ranked third, are in our World Cup pool with Wales and it’s highly likely we will have to defeat South Africa and New Zealand to lift the trophy.


“That is why the autumn Tests are so important and we have to start defeating those teams.


“My head tells me that England will be short of time for 2015 but if we are able to avoid a fifth successive loss to New Zealand and beat them followed by wins over South Africa, Samoa and  Australia, then that would be a massive statement in terms of the Cup. If we can achieve that then when those teams come to Twickenham in 12 months, there will be fear rather than a belief they could win.”


Neil Back MBE was working with national breakdown provider Green Flag, sponsor of Premiership Rugby, to support their roaming car health checks at the London double header.


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Article source: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/12/gloucester-bath-premiership-match-report


England are "a long way off" Jonno"s Rugby World Cup heroes

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