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June 25, 2015

England Rugby - Strettle, Selection & More

On Tuesday lunchtime Stuart Lancaster addressed the press for the first time from inside the England Rugby World Cup Training Camp; all fifty players had arrived at Pennyhill Park the day before and were in the middle of their first double day of training. 

In the opening three weeks at Pennyhill Park before England head to Denver, Colorado, the focus will be purely on the conditioning of this team and only a 'few light skills' with the rugby ball will be included. 'Gruelling', 'unrelenting' and 'pretty grim' are the descriptions that have been shared with me regarding these conditioning sessions and whilst others National sides may be shouting a little louder externally about their ‘punishing’ regime with ‘hypoxic chambers’, it will be just as tough for this England squad. 

The freshest news of all was that regarding David Strettle’s withdrawal from the camp in order to settle himself and his family in France. From the outside looking in this could be perceived to be a 'crazy' decision however when you rationally review the wing position and current order of play you can start to see some sense. The one area to consider though  is the fact that injuries often form part of the road to a final 31 and closing the door completely is a very strong course of action. Stuart’s viewpoint was this;
"He called me towards the end of last week and as I stated in the press release was pretty much the way that it played out. He had been to France; he’d considered his options and alternatives and decided to withdraw from the camp. Obviously I was disappointed, I said to him have you thought this through? It is a big camp, clearly I’m not going to hold it against you in terms of coming into the camp and as I alluded to in the press on a 50/50 call I’d probably be more likely to go with someone who is going to be around long term, but that wasn’t going to stop him from coming to camp. He’d made his decision to withdraw so as a consequence I was left in no other position other than to accept that and look at the next guy in."

Semesa Rokoduguni will join the squad as soon as possible as he flies back from Fiji and have his chance to impress the coaching team who feel that they haven’t had a good look at him since his one cap against New Zealand due to injuries. Rokodoguni's physicality, solidity in defence and stature are certainly some of the key attributes that have given him the nod against others that could have come in, Wade for example. Christian Wade is ‘still an option for us further down the line’ but no commitment has been made to him coming in at all from an England perspective.
There are a few injuries that are hanging over the squad with three guys that are unable to do on their feet work; Alex Goode due to a hip injury, Stephen Myler with an inflamed patella tendon and Luther Burrell with a toe injury. These three will be monitored closely and in spite of a 50 man cap being on a Rugby World Cup Training Squad players are able to be switched in and out due to injury basis. This ability means that certainly in terms of Alex's injury Worcester’s Chris Pennell could join the squad next week to train. Stuart shared that he would have liked to have used Chris in the Barbarian’s game but was delighted with the manner in which he applied himself to Worcester’s Championship Final and Chris remains firmly in England’s thoughts.
The main selection decisions that will be made will be in the first week of August, leading into that the first QBE International against France, prior to that every single player will be scrutinised to the nth degree. In terms of the selection criterion Stuart shared that there are a number of areas that the players will be assessed on including what they have done in the past, their form from the last 6 months and their international experience. Others include being a proven leader, being individuals that have delivered under pressure and of course physically ticking the boxes. Some of these are easily measured and I was interested to understand for those players that didn’t have the international experience how will these be measured by the selectors. Stuart's shared;
“It [pressure] gets tested a lot more than perhaps you would imagine in training. If every minute of every day you are being watched and assessed, clearly there are physical tests that you can measure performance; you can measure speed, endurance, strength, power and everything else. So they are usually not bad barometers but equally there are times when I’ve seen unbelievable athletes who have got fantastic physical scores that actually when it comes to decision making, taking the ball to the line and making a decision, they are not as effective as someone whose scores are lower in that regard.
So it is a combination of both, in the first instance the first two or three weeks will deliver a lot of the physical stuff, but as we get into Denver and the rugby stuff starts and we make the sessions 15 on 15, day in day out, week  in week out we’ll soon find out. To be honest we have a good idea already, we’ve spent the whole of last season and the season before watching every single minute of every single Premiership game and giving them a score on their ability to perform under pressure, so that is part of what will define selection. The competitiveness that we will make in training will ultimately give us a lot of the answers that we need.”
That prior thorough analysis and strong understanding of the capabilities of every player will have formed much of the inputs into the one to one meetings that Stuart is having with every single player this week. These meetings will ensure that each man understands the criterion on which selection will be based, provides them with individual goals and importantly give the player an idea of where they are in the pecking order. 
The road to this point hasn't been smooth however the perspective from inside the camp is to 'work in the now' and deliver with the group that are in front of them as opposed to looking back and saying what if. 

Those in charge of the players, both coaches and physical performance specialists, have experience locked in the bank from their playing days or from being part of previous England World Cup Camps. Not all have been successful but refinements have been made and now it is time to put all of those lessons into practice and to formally start the road to September 18th and a home Rugby World Cup. 

June 22, 2015

England Rugby - Squad Watch Pt. 1 Backs

Today the full England Rugby World Cup Training Squad assembled at Pennyhill Park for the start of the largest and most intense camp of their lives. England's extended 50 man squad must be reduced down, Stuart has already confirmed that he will only take 45 to Denver in a little over three weeks time and then we all know that the magic number is 31 when it comes to Rugby World Cup Squads. 

At this moment England Rugby are in a strong position with the depth of talent that is housed within this wider squad and whittling it down will not be easy. With less than ninety days to go before the tournament starts let's review the runners and riders of this training squad and start with the backs. 

Full Backs -  Mike Brown, Alex Goode & Ben Foden (injury watch) with Anthony Watson & Danny Cipriani also capable of donning the jersey

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – Part of 5 Back Three Players
Shoo-In – Mike Brown

There is absolutely no question about the fact that England's 15 jersey belongs to Mike Brown, he combines an innate attacking instinct with a intense defensive mindset. Behind Mike, Alex Goode has waited patiently and excelled for Saracens, he is your ever present and ever reliable second choice. Alex has every attribute that you'd want from a Full Back, it is just that the man ahead of him does them all a touch better. Ben Foden could throw a spanner in the works and give the selection team a very big decision to make if he recovers from injury and fires from the first moment during the QBE Internationals.

Wingers - Chris Ashton, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Semesa Rokoduguni, Anthony Watson & Marland Yarde

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – Part of 5 Back Three Players
Shoo-In – Anthony Watson

Out wide it is fair to say that Anthony Watson has his name sewn on one of the wing jerseys courtesy of his electric pace and defensive solidity and the fact that Anthony is a talented Full Back adds extra merit to his selection. Jack Nowell has certainly taken his chance well and shown similar attributes to Antony; flair going forwards and physicality in D, the question is has he done enough? Versatility is also in Jack’s favour, with proficiency at 12 and 15, as is his ability to take direction and improve extremely quickly however competition is rife. Marland Yarde was finding his straps towards the end of the season and we have seen the electricity that Jonny May is capable of going forwards. Chris Ashton is experienced and back in the form that gained him an England starting jersey in the first place and there’s no question about the fact that Semesa Rokoduguni will grasp the life line handed to him with both hands. 

Centres - Brad Barritt, Luther Burrell, Elliot Daly, Kyle Eastmond, Jonathan Joseph, Henry Slade, Billy Twelvetrees. Also capable of running out; Jack Nowell and Sam Burgess

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 4 
Shoo-Ins – Jonathan Joseph & Brad Barritt

Earlier in the year the injuries to Manu Tuilagi and Owen Farrell forced selection and boy did it pay off with the emergence of Jonathan Joseph. In my view Joseph is the first centre in the squad and one of the first names on England's team sheet. Brad Barritt’s defensive solidity, work rate and proven track record means that I believe that he will be in the 31 and then it comes down to personal interpretation and what goes on during camp. All of the other centre options must raise their game and their differing attributes mean that it will be down to the type of features England's coaching team want to bring to the mix. Kyle’s distribution is first class, however physically can he match the huge Fijians, Welsh & Australians? Both Henry Slade and Elliot Daly don’t have experience but they do make rugby look effortless and are mentally tough. Billy Twelvetrees has experience but personally I still have question marks of his consistency and could Luther be the perfect blend of power and distribution? Clearly this is a critical area of selection and one that must be handled carefully.

Fly Half - Danny Cipriani, Owen Farrell, George Ford & Stephen Myler

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 2 
Shoo-Ins – George Ford & Owen Farrell

The question here is around whether the above men will be ‘in’ as 10s or in other areas for example Danny Cipriani covers Full Back and Owen Farrell may in fact be England’s answer at 12, so in theory they could be part of a 31 man squad classified as another position. This is where the blend of the 31 is vital and where true versatility comes to fruition. The fact of the matter is that Owen and George are leading the way for the 10 jersey and whilst they’ll push each other and be pushed by Cipriani & Myler neither should be shunted out of the squad to make room for anyone else. 

Scrum Half - Danny Care, Lee Dickson, Richard Wigglesworth & Ben Youngs

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 3  
Shoo-In – Ben Youngs

After a difficult period Ben Youngs has bounced back and firmly secured the England 9 shirt, he is the leader of the pack and it is up to others to chase him down. Richard Wigglesworth's kicking game puts his nose in front of the other two however we all know what an in form Danny Care can do. The other man to mention in this area is Joe Simpson, right now he is back running after his MCL injury and should he become fit and the coaching staff decide to bring him in he would offer a high tempo and dynamic scrum half option.

Part Two will focus on the Forwards where are some of the toughest selection decisions will occur for Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team... 

England Rugby - Squad Watch Pt 2. Forwards

England Rugby’s depth is showcased in full glory when it comes to the forwards as the competition for places is greater than it has been for a long time. From the back row to the front three every single player will be pushed to their limits to justify their position and under the tutelage of Graham Rowntree the set piece should be a huge area of strength for England during this Rugby World Cup. On that note let us start the analysis at the coalface;

Props - Kieran Brookes, Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Joe Marler, Matt Mullan, Mako Vunipola & David Wilson

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad  - 5 
Shoo-Ins - Dan Cole, Joe Marler & Mako Vunipola

England are well stocked in the front row with all of the above names offering scrummaging proficiency of the highest order. In my opinion I see absolutely no reason why England’s starting front three from the RBS 6 Nations would not continue to start in the forthcoming tournament. The lingering selection question is which two individuals will join them as part of the 31 man squad? Many of us will have witnessed Alex Corbisiero deliver on the 2013 Lions Tour and it is my belief that if he gains his fitness during this camp he will be part of the 31. Kieran Brookes has the potential to push himself into contention, however fitness will be king in terms of Brookes’ chances and what has David Wilson done to not deserve his spot? Interesting calls ahead… 

Hookers - Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jamie George, Rob Webber & Tom Youngs

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 3 
Shoo-Ins – Tom Youngs & Rob Webber

The exclusion of Dylan Hartley from this training squad has opened up one spot in the 31 man squad for a Hooker and the race for that spot is between Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George. Both have been excelling for their Clubs with the stock of Jamie George in particular rising very quickly over the course of the season. The extended period of training time is certainly enough for the England Coaching team to develop the two less experienced men and like so many areas this will be an interesting one to watch unfold... personally I think the Saracen might sneak it but let’s see shall we!?

Second Row - Dave Attwood, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, George Kruis, Geoff Parling, Ed Slater & Maro Itoje 

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 4
Shoo-Ins – Joe Launchbury & Courtney Lawes

In the Second Row the partnership of Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes is World Class and in spite of us not seeing them together for a while due to injuries the prospect of a reunion is tremendously exciting. Behind these two the British and Irish Lion Geoff Parling leads the way in terms of experience and then it is a straight shoot out between Dave Attwood and George Kruis, both of which equipped themselves superbly in the recent competitions in terms of handling the pressure and applying themselves around the park. Ed Slater's injury time off has meant that he 'has a lot of catching up to do' in the words of the England coaching team but his performance against the Barbarians and credit in the bank from his tour to New Zealand where he captained England's mid week side will count for a lot. Maro's rise this year has been astounding, he is included in this squad on merit and won't take a backward step  at all during this time in camp. 

Back Row - James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Sam Burgess, Ben Morgan, Calum Clark, Tom Wood, Nick Easter & Matt Kvesic

Expected Number in 31 Man Squad – 5
Shoo-Ins – Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola & Ben Morgan

In my eyes the back row is where selection is the most interesting of all, obviously Chris Robshaw will Captain England from 7 and his partner at 8 must be Billy Vunipola based on his recent performances in the England jersey. In my opinion Ben Morgan walks straight back into the squad after his injury time off due to the ball carrying proficiency and work rate that he can deliver. By all accounts the 6 jersey is between James Haskell and Tom Wood, both deliver endless energy and physicality leaving a final spot open for one other back rower. A fair few questions are up in the air; do you add a 'specialist' in the mix like Kvesic? Do you put in Nick Easter with his proven ability to cover the Second Row as well? Is Sam Burgess a back rower or do you 'class' him a centre? No doubt the answers to all of these will unfold during the course of the camp. 

Needless to say English Rugby is in a great situation in terms of the strength in depth and it goes without saying that whichever combination is selected on 31st August it will be a competitive one and one that is ready to take on the best in the World on home soil. 


June 17, 2015

European Champions Cup - The Draw


Today Chateau de Neuchâtel, Switzerland was the venue for the two 2015/16 European Pool Draws and it is fair to say that the Pools of the Champions Cup have sent us all into a flat spin!! 

The new look European competition may have taken a number of months to develop however it was certainly worth waiting for as the tweaks ensured sky high intensity from Round 1 and negated many of the 'dead wood' matches that we  had seen prior. Following the Rugby World Cup a whole host of stars from the Southern Hemisphere will be joining us in Europe and their presence will further ignite what was already set to be a tremendous competition. 

Pool 1 puts together the four time European Champions Toulouse with SaracensUlster Rugby and Oyonnax. Oyonnax qualified courtesy of their sixth place finish in the Top 14 and it is clear that their return to the top flight will be a very tough one. Toulouse are seasoned professionals at this 'European thing' however next season they'll be entering unknown  without the ever present, Guy Novès. The lingering question is; will this rock to the boat or will they power on as normal anyway? Ulster Rugby and Saracens know each other, and the competition, extremely well and already they've shared a spot of light-hearted Twitter banter after Saracens ‘borrowed’ Ulster’s traditional call to arms last time around!

Pool 2 sees the return of the Exeter Chiefs to the Champions Cup and the team that qualified for the competition the hard way; Bordeaux Begles. The Ospreys are the Pro12 representation in the pool and ASM Clermont Auvergne complete the set. Finals rugby still does not not sit well with Clermont however you cannot deny their power and it is fair to say that they should wear the favourites tag of Pool 2. Of all of our Aviva Premierships sides I'd say that the Exeter Chiefs will be the most satisfied with their draw and certainly will look positively on a return to the top tier of European rugby. 

In Pool 3 Racing Metro’s most well known new recruit, Dan Carter, will be introduced to European Rugby with match ups against the Glasgow Warriors, the Northampton Saints and the Scarlets. There are a number of unknowns within this pool that will impact on proceeding; will Glasgow press on from their Pro12 victory or will they find that the Rugby World Cup drains their energy and forces a slow European start? Will the Scarlets have the firepower to cope with their rest? Will the Saints gain back their European Mojo after their tough exit in this year’s quarter-final?

Pool 4 welcomes the current Top 14 Champions; Stade Francais, two sides that have two European titles each to their name; Munster Rugby and Leicester Tigers and then one that I fear might struggle; Benetton Treviso. With respect both Munster and Leicester are not quite the European forces that they used to be however it is foolish to ever write either off and I expect both to regroup quickly prior to the 2015/16 competition. Sergio Parisse's Stade Francais should enter the competition confidence and poised well for action as they finished this year so strongly and it is for that reason that right now they have their noises in front in this pool. 


The final pool is Pool 5 and it is quite something as it contains Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Leinster Rugby and Wasps Rugby. Naturally it immediately gained the nickname the ‘Pool Of Death’ however my personal spin on it, is that it is actually ‘Pool of Delight’. The Pool of Delight is due to the fact that as a writer every single one of these matches is  going to be out of this world! The road to European glory is never easy and with nine European titles between them, which is one fewer than the rest of the Pools combined, this pool is the ultimate test. 

Across all five pools there are teams that know each other very well and that have previously delivered some of Europe’s most memorable battles. Each year performance levels increase and with these pools you sense that the 2015/16 Euoprean competition is going to be big and better than ever before. 

The dates of the European weekends have been released with the first on 12/13/14/15 November and with the Final of the Rugby World Cup on 31st October it will be interesting to see how the fixtures will be scheduled and whether it will favour some teams over others. In terms of the specific match dates they will be released by EPC once BT Sport and Sky Sports have had a good old humdinger of their own regarding which matches each will cover!! In all honestly this could take a few weeks, at the last, so for now I suggest that you sit tight and bask in the excitement of the 2015/16 European Champions Cup competition! 

The Champions Cup Draw

Pool 1 - Saracens, Ulster Rugby, Toulouse & Oyonnax
Pool 2 - ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Exeter Chiefs & Bordeaux Begles
Pool 3 - Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints, Racing 92 & Scarlets 
Pool 4 - Stade Francais, Munster Rugby, Leicester Tigers & Treviso
Pool 5 - Bath Rugby, Toulon, Leinster Rugby & Wasps

2015/16 Tournament Weekends

Round 1: 12/13/14/15 November
Round 2: 19/20/21/22 November
Round 3: 10/11/12/13 December
Round 4: 17/18/19/20 December
Round 5: 14/15/16/17 January 2016
Round 6: 21/22/23/24 January 2016
Quarter-finals: 7/8/9/10 April 2016
Semi-finals: 22/23/24 April 2016
Finals: 13/14 May 2016

June 13, 2015

An Esteemed Perspective


From an English viewpoint the most iconic moment of rugby was a perfectly executed drop goal that occurred after 100 minutes of action in the Telstra Dome in Sydney over a decade ago. It was the culmination of years of preparation, work and sacrifice and was the denouement of the ultimate team performance. The ‘Class of 2003’ and their tournament victory remains the benchmark and the man at the heart of that side remains one of the most well respected sporting icons of our generation. The term ‘the ultimate professional’ does not do Jonny Wilkinson justice, rugby runs through his veins and his opinion and words are unanimously respected by all. The 100 Days To Go Event at Twickenham Stadium afforded a great opportunity to speak with the man himself and understand his perspective on all manner of things regarding England and the forthcoming tournament. 

Pressure is a word that we have been discussing for a long time and from the outside we have felt things turn up a notch already this year however Jonny highlighted that there is much more to come for this England squad; 

"It [the intensity] just jumps to another level and it is quite surprising because you think that you have seen it all, you’ve played away in New Zealand, you’ve played at home in front of a full stadium at Twickenham, you’ve played in Grand Slam Deciders and you’ve done all of this stuff and you think 'I’ve pretty much got a grip on International Rugby' and then you turn up at a World Cup."

The question lingers regarding how you prepare for that marked increase, it is something that the England management will have asked themselves a long time ago and continue to do so. The fact of the matter is that all of the preparation in the world won't quite prepare this Class of 2015 for the intensity of what is to come in a few months time;

"There is something incredibly powerful about the natural progression of this England squad, guys, like George Ford and Owen Farrell, are learning their lessons when they need them and in a way that comes naturally to them. I do feel that they’ll walk in at some point and think ‘geez what the hell is going on’ and they’ll get together and think 'this is crazy', but they need to feel that and feel that shock and realise that it is do or die. I’m sure that I would be shocked as well."

England have trained at Pennyhill Park for a number of years and it is there that Jonny also trains as the hotel is close to the house that he is currently renting. This has afforded him contact time with the current squad and provides him with the ability to deliver an open and accurate assessment on them. At this moment in time many are questioning the issue of culture due to the recent misdemeanours that have rocked the boat however this isn’t what Jonny see’s from his dealings with the squad;

"I have spoken to a few of the guys and I do feel that mental and emotional investment, the fact that they do care huge amount about what is happening. When I speak to these guys, they care a hell of a lot about what they are doing and that is all what matters now. It is about going on that field and saying have we cared enough up to now? Have we cared enough throughout our preparation? Do we want this more than the other guys? Are we willing to give a bit more? If they aren't wiling to ask these questions then it won’t make a difference if you lose two players, three players or none."

Jonny made England’s 10 shirt iconic and since his retirement no-one has take the jersey to the same level… yet. In 2015 we have two extremely talented fly halves that will be going head to head over the coming months and like the rest of us he is looking forward to the battle;

‘Yeah it is exciting isn’t it?! It is great and what a brilliant way to finish the season as well with them squaring off. They are slightly different players, Owen has got that kind of sturdiness that brings confidence of the boys around him and so on but George has got those subtle touches that really show that he is very, very aware of how to manipulate situations. You see him [George] with the ball in attack and his tactical kicking and his ability. The guys are also both starting to get down the path of managing games. I don’t know whether it is a horses for courses affair for the RWC, but I think they are both going to feature maybe there is going to come time when you are going to have to pick one over the other and it may come down to which team they play against.’

The key question was did Jonny see merit in blending the two at 10 and 12;

‘I’ve always been an advocate of that kind of thing because I’ve enjoyed some of my best rugby playing alongside guys like Mike Catt, Paul Grayson, Matt Giteau. For a Number 10 you just can’t underestimate the power of guys with second set of eyes helping you make decisions, because making decisions on the field is all about the information that you can get in at the time. Number 10s have so little time because you are literally looking at where the ball is coming from, you’ve had a brief chance to have a glimpse on your way over there and you make your decision. However now you have got a guy who is a bit further out, who has time to look ahead, look to the sides, look to the corners and say this is on as well. When you get that suddenly you start doing what you are told and people start saying that you are playing the best rugby of your life when you want to turn around a say that is the guy that you should be thanking.’

A World Cup without Jonny Wilkinson is a new thing and something we'll have to get used to and after years of investment in the game my final question to Jonny was to understand what is it going to be like viewing from the outside in 2015;

"I’m amazed, it does feel different because I miss this [media] a little bit, I never thought I’d say it. It is very, very strange because I haven’t missed it until now when we are talking about a World Cup. I’m so used to being in this environment and you did switch the autopilot on a little bit, I’m not doing so now believe me, but before you did a little bit because you are thinking I just want to get back there [on the pitch] because the pressure is on. However now I realise why this happens, because you see how much has gone into this. I used to go on holiday for a few weeks and be totally relaxed not realising that back here people were talking about it and were building up to it. I am looking forward to it, it is difficult to not be involved but now to realise that we won one, got to a Final in another and that I took part in four, was incredible. Five was never in the picture for me but to be part of this one in this way is nice."

This Autumn we will hear more from the man that has featured so prominently in the history of our game for he will reunite with some fellow World Cup winners as part of ITV's team. Right now Jonny is heading around the country with O2 on their O2 Touch tour and inspiring every single person that meets him for the ultimate professional is also a true English gentleman. 

June 11, 2015

100 Days To Go - England 2015


‘Without question for rugby and England this is the biggest year since 1871, since the union was founded for a number of reasons’

The opening words of the RFU’s Chief Executive said it all, we are here and it is now, 100 days to go until the greatest tournament ever. Together we have all talked, speculated and anticipated a home Rugby World Cup since the bid was won on 28th July 2009 as as the William Webb Ellis set off in its beautifully designed, bespoke LandRover for the organisers the tournament has already started. 

The landmark occasion was met by words from RFU Chief Executive Ian Richie, England Rugby’s 2015 Managing Director Stephen Brown, Rugby World Cup Limited Director David Pickering, Jonny Wilkinson and Prince Harry HRH. Right now I’ll focus on the words of Ian and Stephen in particular for Jonny’s perspective in particular deserves an entire piece in itself, so watch this space. 

Stephen highlighted the operational aspects in place and the work going on behind to scenes in preparation for the tournament including the Trophy Tour, Fan Zones, Ticket Sales and the CSR. The CSR piece announced that 15,000 tickets are going to be allocated across Host Cities, Host Towns, Sports Legacy Programmes, RFU Regional Legacy Boards, the Injured Players Foundation and Tickets For Troops and will be released over the coming weeks, something I'm sure we all agree is great to see. The Trophy Tour that Jonny, Will Greenwood & Harry HRH kick started in that gorgeous LandRover, will spend 5 days in Scotland, 5 days in Republic of Ireland, 10 in Wales and then 75 travelling around England. Every stop will host a suite of events to mark the occasion and involve Premiership, Championship and grass roots clubs for example in Cornwall the Cornish Pirates are playing host and they’ll be a beach rugby tournament going on. 

The objectives regarding England 2015 that Ian shared up front were of interest, as personally I hadn’t read or heard these before although as you'd expect I could make an educated guess regarding them; being a great host, making memories, building a legacy and winning, yes winning. Hosting a first class tournament and making memories are intertwined with a 6 week tournament the footprint to inspire and delight is large as well as challenging and the memories will be etched in the memories of those interacting with the tournament for life. For some it will be their first interaction with rugby and as we know first impressions are hard to undo. The legacy piece is vital ‘we will never get a better showcase and never get a better opportunity to share and build our game... in 2016 and 2017 we want to see that this was a seminal moment for the growth of rugby’. Right now in 2015 capitalising on the moment is vital and it is something that was missed following the great 2003 success. 

The final objective, winning, wasn't left to last for a particular reason and it wasn't said by Ian just because he thought that he should, being the Chief Executive of the Host Nation. Ian’s exact words were; ‘Of course we want to win, I think that the standard of rugby and the delivery of the game is in a very good place indeed and I feel as far as England is concerned we are going to be very competitive. We want to win, we think that we have a chance of winning but of course there are various countries who will believe that as well and that is quite right and proper.’

When it comes down to it Stuart Lancaster and his squad have less than 100 days to put themselves in a position to deliver and to deliver under the greatest pressure of their lives. Pennyhill Park will be their sanctuary away from the intense spotlight shining upon them however equally it will be their hell due to the outrageous training sessions that designed to push themselves to beyond the places that they thought possible Throughout that time the Trophy will tour, the Festival of Rugby will delight and we was outsiders will become more and more excited by the day safe in the knowledge that in less than 100 days the most thrilling and important tournament of our sport will commence on home soil. 

View the Out On The Full Photos from the launch here & watch out for 100 Days To Go Pt. 2 that will share the thoughts of a man that knows all about RWC's - Mr J. Wilkinson. 

June 9, 2015

The 31 Man Conundrum

By now I'm sure that you are well aware that the off season isn't my favourite part of the year, I won't say it again for fear of sounding like a broken record however what it has done is to give me time to ponder on a stab at the 31 man Rugby World Cup Squad. 

It is fair to say that I have had issues, now just to be very transparent these issues aren't through lack of understanding or lack of viewing every minute of rugby this season, instead they stem from the fact that there are big decisions to make across the park. These decisions are combined with a number of possible situations that could unfold between now and Stuart announcement on August 31st, including players ruled out through injuries, improvements in form and indeed fitness. 

Now, the general consensus is that a 31 man Rugby World Cup squad should be made up of 5 Props, 3 Hookers, 4 Locks, 5 Back Rowers, 3 Scrum Halves, 2 Fly Halves, 4 Centres and 5 Back Three players. The fact of the matter is that with that make up there are some very big names that will be left out, for example if you have Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Dave Attwood and Nick Easter as your locks then men like Geoff Parling and Ed Slater miss out. 

When it comes to a Rugby World Cup squad the asset that is 'true versatility' is something that certainly will promote individuals higher up the pecking order than they appear on the surface. The prime example is Nick Easter, as was shown in his inclusion for England's RBS 6 Nations match against France, with his proven ability to play in the Second Row and at Number 8 during test matches. This true versatility speaks volumes and must be considered when assessing the 'blend' of a squad. 

The situation in terms of increased fitness and form is an interesting one and relates to a few players, including Kieran Brookes in particular. After the recent England versus the Barbarians fixture Brookes was highlighted by Stuart as England's 'exceptional forward' in that match and   he also shared his thoughts on Brookes' first class scrummaging skills and work rate around the park. Needless to say with a positive camp Kieran is one that could easily push himself into contention over the course of a training camp. There are others too, the third hooker spot is up for grabs with Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie, in the centres Elliot Daly, Henry Slade and Kyle Eastmond will have the contact time impart themselves on proceedings. Of course the man under the spotlight since October last year, Sam Burgess will be reviewed and if he impresses as much on the England coaching team and squad as he has done at Bath then I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the 31. 

The fact is England's depth of talent is great, across the board, and that makes for some extremely tricky decisions either with or without injury and form changes between now and the start of the tournament. There are decisions to make that only time will allow for example the rise of Itoje to compete with Easter and maybe take his spot for there is only room for one versatile back rower/second rower. Personally I've had a stab at a 31 however I have a number of other scenarios and thoughts up my sleeve. When it comes down to it England's talent is strong and I, as I'm sure we all do, will provide my full support to any man that represents England during this opportunity of a lifetime.

Dan Cole, Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, Kieran Brookes, David Wilson, Tom Youngs, Rob Webber, Jamie George, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Dave Attwood, Nick Easter, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Tom Wood, Sam Burgess, Ben Youngs, Richard Wigglesworth, Danny Care, George Ford, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph, Brad Barritt, Luther Burrell, Henry Slade, Mike Brown, Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell, Chris Ashton, Alex Goode

Points of Interest (!!) 

Nick Easter is placed as a lock but ably covers Number 8, a fully fit and firing Alex Corbisiero would undoubtedly a spot in the squad however now at the time of penning he isn't quite there. Sam Burgess sits as a back rower for that is where his most productive work happens but will cover the centres if required and does give the possibility of a very versatile backs/forwards bench split. Owen Farrell is situated as a 10 however could easily establish himself in the 12 jersey with JJ at 13. Should Ben Foden be fit for the Warm Ups then he will push Alex Goode all the way for that back three spot however at this moment in time form and fitness favours Alex. Finally the experience of Chris Ashton including his strike rate and physicality pips him over other wing options as does the experience of Danny Care over the other scrum half options. 

June 8, 2015

Slammin Since 1904 - Canterbury

When it comes to stash in the year 2015, the boundaries are being widened... no longer are Stade Francais the only club side with ‘jazzy’ away kit or a 'funky' European strip instead it is the norm instead of the exception. 

Personally, I enjoy fashion and rugby stash in equal measure, I’d be as happy with a bag of hoodies, rugby shirts and tracksuit bottoms as I would a new handbag. When it comes to the handbag front I really wouldn’t mind if David Flatman happened to point an Aspinal of London bag in my direction and when it comes to the stash there is one rugby brand in particular that takes my fancy; Canterbury. In my eyes Canterbury equals rugby and has done for years and I’m sure that many of you reading know exactly what I mean when I say that. 

On 17th February 2014 an announcement broke that caused England to explode with excitement; Bath Rugby had signed Sam Burgess and since then the spotlight hasn't dimmed on 'Slammin' once. Naturally the individuals in the positions of power at Canterbury snapped up Sam as an ambassador and here we are a little less than six months later discussing rugby and fashion... in particular settling in at Farleigh House and the Since 1904 collection. 

On the rugby side of things it has been a whirlwind that ended, on a domestic front at least, on 30th May after a tough defeat at the hands of Saracens in the Aviva Premiership Final. Sam shared with me how he handled the initial transition and the support of his new Director of Rugby;

‘Everyone’s made me feel welcome; I already had a few friends at the club before I came. A funny story, I was at Bradford in 2008 and George Ford came on work experience with the first team, he was 15 at the time and I said to our head coach we need to sign this kid.  So I went to George and Mike’s house for dinner with my head coach at the time Steve McNamara and tried to sign George for Bradford, and then 7 years later the roles reversed and now I’m coming to play for them. I’ve always been in touch with George and followed his career. It’s the other staff as well though and the players have been really welcoming, it’s been easy to fit straight in. It’s a great culture at Bath too and you’re out of the spotlight a bit more than in Sydney. You can go for dinner, so it’s easy to be more sociable with the guys’

I make no apologies for using the term whirlwind again, for it has been, there are few that could take the pressure of moving half way across the world and grasping a new code so well. The question for Sam was of course what has stuck out over the past eight months or so; 

The already trademarked
Burgess carry
I’d have to say making my debut for Bath. I only played 15 - 20mins but the last time I felt nervous was my debut as a 17 year old kid for Bradford and after that I never really felt nervous, but being a 20 odd year old man, feeling nervous before you go on the field is actually quite a nice feeling to have. That’s my biggest achievement of my first carry in the game and then after that we reached the final in my first few months. It was disappointing to loose but it was a great achievement for the club. I think the city of Bath certainly enjoyed the ride this year and I was just thankful to get to the last dance with them. It was disappointing not to get the result, but playing in that atmosphere is great’

Naturally we moved on and discussed a few things fashion related for as Canterbury’s newest recruit Sam has put his name to their off the field range ‘Since 1904’. It is fair to say I can see a number of the Bath boys donning this one, or a bespoke Bath version, next season when Canterbury take over as their official kit partner and it is succinctly described by Sam as ‘clean and sharp’. The formal description is 'a collection of high quality, heritage inspired rugby classics with a modern design twist' and this is where the human mannequin part comes in, as part of the range announcement Canterbury decided to kick off with a launch with a difference at House of Fraser. The flag ship store in Victoria was the venue of choice and Sam was 'delivered' to the people, something he actually quite enjoyed;

‘I’m not sure I’ll do it as a career, but it was certainly a good experience! I was actually quite nervous before it because I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a great vibe down in London and the people that worked in House of Fraser were great. We had fun with it and some really good characters stopped and made it a great day – some Bath supporters too!’


It may be the off season now however in a few short weeks Canterbury’s latest ambassador will meet up with England to continue on his union path. In Sam’s mind it is a case of ‘taking it step by step’ with the first stop ensuring that he makes it onto the plane to England's altitude training camp in Denver, Colorado. 

The Important Stash Details; the Since 1904 Range is sold exclusively at selected House of Fraser stores and online... perhaps a perfectly timed Father's Day gift!? As long as my Dad doesn't read this I'm on it already, enjoy!!