OPINION – English rugby has had it a bit rough over the past month. Manu Tuilagi, Dylan Hartley, Danny Cipriani (though nothing has come of that just yet) as well as promising winger David Strettle withdrawing from the England training squad on the eve of the camp commencing. All of this would have left any other team’s chances of being competitive at a world cup in just three months, dead in the water.
Not this English team…
Stuart Lancaster has put up with more than his fair share of trouble over the past month give or take but this past month may have just proved that this England team has what it takes to claim World Cup glory. After the off-season the England team has had to endure so far, you’d be hard pressed betting against Chris Robshaw being the captain hoisting Bill above his shoulders on October 31 – and would you begrudge him that honour?
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Chris Robshaw in action on day one of England’s RWC training camp
The smugness and the slight tinge of a superior complex shown by the team and personnel at times in the past has meant the England rugby team has been a little hard to like. But under Lancaster, it will be hard not to cheer for them in three to four months.
Stepping down players for misbehaving off the field, not cashing in the team’s ethos for the sake of one or two players and keeping the RFU’s policy of not selecting overseas-based players entirely intact, Lancaster has performed impeccably to date. Whether it’s me or not (and yes I do believe in a bit of magic and a bit of theatrics in this great game), something tells me that we’re in for something special from the Red Roses come the World Cup.
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Lancaster has really brought something special to this England side and they’ll be a tough beast come September
Whether or not you agree with the calls he’s made on Tuilagi, Hartley or Armitage, it’s tough to disagree with the fact that Lancaster is a damn good coach, a damn good ‘people manager’ and that England are entering a period of real prosperity. As a rugby fan since I was very small, I can’t remember the English rugby team harbouring such a positive environment. Sure, I’m not on the inner-circle by any means and I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors but for all the representations in the media, this team really looks the goods, on and off the field.
Yes, they failed in their shot for Six Nations glory; they also were soundly beaten at home last year by South Africa and New Zealand. However in this stretch of time before the World Cup kicks off, results aren’t nearly as important as the condition of the team environment and the style of rugby they exhibit. While I don’t wish to heap too much pressure on England this far out from the World Cup, this team is reminiscent of the 2011 World Cup winning All Blacks.
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The team gathered on day one of their RWC training squad in Surrey
It seems to be in the blood of the traditional English media to make a lot of England’s chances this far out from the World Cup regardless of the condition that their rugby team seems to be in – previous campaigns have told us that. However other than the one or two articles talking about England going into camp, there’s been little more than a whisper not only coming out of the camp but the traditional English rugby media as well. And more often than not, this is a good thing. It’s also an ominous sign for other teams about to embark on their pre-World Cup training camps and/or tournaments.
One feels that all this has pointed to the fact that Lancaster has figured it out. He’s solved the mystery of getting a team into shape, getting individuals into a good environment and instead of stimulating their outer shells, he’s lit an internal fire only doused by beer swilled out of the Webb Ellis Cup.