A Short Reflection - England Rugby

As mentioned on Twitter the morning commute is so much better following an England win… now my commute is a little longer than most; 55 miles to be exact, and today it was almost enjoyable. The drive provided me with the opportunity to reflect on England's achievement yesterday and I wanted to share a few thoughts with you, that weren’t part of the Out On The Full View From Twickenham.   

For 80 minutes on that hallowed Twickenham turf England took their game to another level, they built on their significant win over Ireland and took yet another step towards greatness. Stuart Lancaster said in his post-match press conference that one of his objectives is to "try to remove the fear of failure” so his men can go out and really play. Pleasingly, that is exactly what we saw out there on the pitch; 15 extremely talented England players following their natural instincts as well as brilliantly executing their rehearsed plays. 

Another interesting insight from the coaching team and another objective that they have given their squad is to ensure that they “always play at an intensity that other teams can't play at”. This is clearly a very simple objective but in fact it is one that England hadn't managed to achieve on a number of occasions in previous years and matches. Chris Robshaw used to be the stand out man in terms of intensity, occasionally manifesting himself as a ‘one man crusade’ against the opposition however now there are 14 other workhorses on the pitch. Looking back at the great England rugby squads of recent years, brutal intensity was a common feature in every single one of them and indeed a factor that lead them to squash some of the most dangerous teams out there. 

England Selfie (@DylanHartley)

Now I wish to comment on something that did not happen on the field but in my eyes is extremely important and noteworthy. I am of course talking about the best selfie that England Rugby had ever seen. It goes without saying that the marketing department at the RFU will be thinking that all their Christmases have come at once however let’s park that for a second and focus on the more important messages that this winning selfie sends out. The phrase a picture paints a thousand words is a cliché however in this particular case it is absolutely spot on. This photo says so much about the spirit of this current England team, there is nothing force or contrived about England at the moment... they have a genuine unity and togetherness within the squad and it is having a huge impact on the pitch. I expect that Stuart Lancaster and his team will take a small moment to look at the picture and be extremely proud of what they themselves have to help create such a strong and unified team. When Stuart picked up the reigns no such selfie would ever have been taken, over the past few years this squad has grown together, they have supported each other through some extremely dark times and are developing into a huge force to be reckoned with.

Today, with one RBS 6 Nations match left England are stronger than ever, the pride in the jersey is back, the rugby is stronger than ever before and it couldn't be happening at a better time.  

View the Out On The Full Images from HQ Here 

England versus Wales - The View From Twickenham

Two weeks ago Stuart Lancaster said that the win over Ireland would count for nothing if England didn’t press on from it and in front of 81,641 at Twickenham England did just that sweeping aside the Welsh team that annihilated them last year. Before kick-off we were bombarded by statistics that all pointed to an extremely close and tense match however as hoped and predicted England took it to another level and brutally brushed aside their Welsh counterparts to win their first Triple Crown in 11 years.

From the outset England meant business, they were cut-throat and ruthless and as much as it was Wales’ game in Cardiff a year ago at Twickenham, on the 9th March 2014, it was all about England. For the full 80 minutes they eclipsed Wales man for man in terms of their physicality, work rate and intensity. Defensively their line speed was phenomenal and their tackle completion rate high... in terms of their attacking play the breaks came from all over the park including the most unlikely of individuals – Mr David Wilson!! Ben Morgan carried like a man possessed and more than filled the shoes of Billy Vunipola, Joe Launchbury worked himself silly, Owen Farrell kicked flawlessly and MOM Courtney Lawes showed exactly why he is now considered by all to be a world class player. For all Wales’ experience and caps they appeared to be slightly rudderless out there on the Twickenham turf and dare I use the phrase one dimensional? Wales looked a shadow of their former selves, their half backs were a little slow, their scrum was sometimes a little shaky and Leigh Halfpenny provided the only real spark from the kicking tee.

Now you may be thinking at this point, why has she not talked about England’s stand out player? Well don’t worry I’m about to do just that; as expected Mr Mike Brown was sensational, whilst Halfpenny contributed in terms of points on the board, England’s 15 contributed in so many ways. Mike exploited the visible gaps in the Welsh defense and created his own gaps that were invisible to the rest of us. In total he made a staggering 156m from 18 carries, the most that any individual player has made during this RBS 6 Nations. On top of that he kicked like a 10 and played the match with that intense competitive glint in his eye that we all love him for.

Let’s be clear here… England were brilliant however they weren't flawless and must be faulted for giving away needless penalties throughout and obviously this is something that Stuart Lancaster will wish to address and nip in the bud quickly however the significance of this result is once again huge.

With this victory England achieved a number of things; first and foremost they put to bed the demons of Cardiff a year ago… the sleepless nights and haunting memories will now be replaced by sweet victorious Twickenham filled ones. Secondly England created a strong platform to work off for the rest of the RBS 6 Nations, New Zealand and of course a certain tournament next year. You won't be surprised to hear that after the game both coaches said that this result will have little influence on that Pool A clash however we all know deep down that an England win was absolutely vital. Finally and most importantly England proved that they do mean business, they proved that their coming of age against Ireland really did happen and that they could be serious contenders come 2015 and that is why all England fans should be very proud of their men right now. 

View the Out On The Full Images from HQ Here

The Grudge Match - England versus Wales

It was the Grand Slam decider for England and the Championship decider for Wales, needless to say last year’s England versus Wales RBS 6 Nations Fixture had a huge amount riding on it. The build-up was as large as the pyrotechnic fest that greeted the players as they ran onto the pitch however what followed for England was a performance distinctly lacking in fireworks, in fact I'd go so far as to say that it was their worst 80 minutes of rugby for a long time. In order to provide a complete preview to this weekend's epic clash I felt the need to put myself through the agony of watching that massacre again… why I hear you ask? Well, I needed to see just how far both teams have come since then and let me tell you as an England Rugby fan it is just as painful to watch nearly one year on! 

I've thought long and hard about what to take away from last year’s smashing in Cardiff and have decided actually not to read too much into it and I’ll tell you why; on 16th March 2013 England did not turn up it was as plain and simple as that… Wales on the other hand played as if their lives depended on it and the result was a lost Grand Slam for England and one of the best Welsh wins that the Millennium Stadium has ever seen. 

Already this year’s RBS 6 Nations has shown us that both teams are in different places to last; Wales haven’t been quite as dominant or consistent as expected given the wealth of talent within their ranks. Now obviously I understand that there may be an amount of Lions fatigue there however I think most of us expected them to ride this out and play every other side off the park regardless. Individuals within the Welsh squad have been outstanding and it was only against France that we really saw their collective power coming together however I still don’t believe that they are quite the force to be reckoned with that they have been.

England's first round slip up against France feels like a long time ago, since then they have matured and the match against Ireland illustrated to everyone just how much they mean business right here, right now in 2014. Many may look at the set piece and think that this could be England's undoing in this huge clash, and they are right to focus on it, however do not discount the quality of the English forwards and the fact that they will undoubtedly raise their game to another level once again this weekend. 

I am well aware that before England hosted Ireland I politely declined to predict the result and instead sat on the fence however this week I am going to put my neck on the line and sway in favour of Stuart Lancaster’s men. This is not plain patriotism; this is due to the current form of both sides as I have briefly highlighted above and the significance of the fixture for Stuart Lancaster’s men. What do I mean by the significance of the fixture? Well, there is not only the small matter of avenging last year’s demolition and healing those Cardiff shaped wounds, there is also the added importance of gaining winning memories at Twickenham over Warren Gatland's side because the next time these two meet there it will be in Pool A of the home Rugby World Cup. 

England are a different side to last year, they have experienced an awful lot together and are undoubtedly a better side for it. Now, please don't get me wrong, I am not for one moment discounting the force of Welsh threat... a squad that boasts the likes of Halfpenny, Warburton, North, Roberts, Hibbard, Faletau and so many more needs to be taken very seriously and I fully expect it to go down to the wire. However if Stuart Lancaster’s men build on that outstanding performance against Ireland then in my eyes there is no reason why Twickenham will not be roaring Swing Low Sweet Chariot in joy come the final whistle on Sunday afternoon.

Topsy Ojo's Testimonial Year – Let's Get Quizzical

Topsy Ojo is part of an exclusive group of individuals known fondly as ‘One Club Men’, currently there are only a handful of them in the Aviva Premiership and with the opportunity to chase larger salaries abroad you suspect that soon they may become an extinct species! Topsy joined London Irish back in 2003 as a fresh faced member of the academy and since that day he has made over 250 appearances for the club and become their all-time leading try scorer.

If you are regular Out On The Full reader you will know that I have supported Topsy’s Testimonial Year from the very beginning, to date OOTF has featured the star studded Launch Night in Shoreditch, a Caribbean Night and two Nando’s Takeovers and earlier this week it was time to continue with Top Test Celebrations in the form of the Top Test Top Quiz at Sunbury.

Now personally I’m a huge fan of a pub quiz; they bring out my competitive side and things get rather serious!! I am always in it to win it, however at the Top Test Top Quiz I did have a few challenges that made winning difficult. What were those challenges!?! Well they were in the form the history round and a sports round that focused on football... neither provided any points and the dream of walking away with the Top Test Top Quiz Crown was gone in a flash!! Looking beyond the loss I have to say that it was a fantastic evening, the London Irish Supporters Association organised the night superbly and the evening raised just under a thousand pounds for Topsy's charities.

Now the celebrations don't stop there and it is time to move up a gear again as the next stop on the Top Test Tour is the big one; the Topsy Ojo Testimonal Gala Dinner. It is the largest event of the testimonial year and will celebrate all of Topsy’s achievements in the beautiful surroundings of The Grange Hotel in St Pauls. I have to admit that I have the inside scoop on this one and I can assure you that it will be one of best nights of 2014, the venue is beautiful and the guestlist includes some pretty high profile names! I do believe there are a couple of places left, and even a table or two if you are quick so I suggest that you jump on them now and I even promise to share my champagne with you !!

All of the Important Details are here, and I really do hope that you will be come and celebrate the outstanding achievements of one of London Irish's All Time Greats.

Shattering Bones and Breaking Hearts - Aviva Premiership Round 16 Review

Round 16 really did start with a bang as we witnessed one of the most physically brutal games that we have seen in this year’s Aviva Premiership campaign. Underneath the beautiful Friday Night Lights at the The Rec two immense teams went head to head and battered each other. Going into the match Bath had a game plan, in fact they had a two according to Mike Ford, however neither came off, instead they were dominated by a Saracens XV who raised their game to another level despite having to make a radical personnel re-shuffle just before kick-off. Saracens played with assurance and confidence throughout; they slowed the breakdown and put in an almighty defensive shift, all in all they were in a different class to their opponents. As Nick Mullins said during the match Saracens really did want to put Bath back in their box and they did so in some style. However it isn’t all doom and gloom for Bath, whilst they will be bitterly disappointed to have lost the game they did show endeavour themselves, their back row looked menacing as did Dave Attwood and against any other side in the Premiership (maybe Northampton excluded) they might have got more from the game. Both remain firm favourites to be in the playoff mix in a few rounds time and if Bath are serious about winning the Aviva Premiership then they will need to go back to the drawing board to work out just how to beat their nemesis team.

Wasps had yet another difficult day at the office as they slipped to their fourth straight Aviva Premiership defeat against Sale at home on Saturday afternoon. It was a closely contested game from minute one to minute eighty and like the match at The Rec was filled with outrageously hard hits. Wasps will be ruing kicking away so much possession, Mark Cueto’s years of experience showed as he took the high balls all day long and made something of almost every single one. Danny Cipriani came on extremely early in the game due to a Nick Macleod injury and he certainly stamped his authority on the match, pulling the strings at 10 with a great deal of assurance and maturity. For Wasps the intensity was there, the players worked themselves into the ground, however they needed to be more clinical and hold on to the ball. Dai Youngs will need to go back to the drawing board in order to turn around this mid-season slump whilst his opposite DOR Steve Diamond will be a much happier man and will simply want his men to keep on building and quietly going about their business.

The game at Sandy Park certainly wouldn’t win the award for ‘Thriller Of The Season’ but that won’t worry Rob Baxter whose only concern was gaining that all important win after losing their last five Aviva Premiership matches. His team actually made quite light work of London Irish and pleasingly for Stuart Lancaster Tom Johnson had another really solid match reminding us all exactly why he is in the England mix. For London Irish it wasn't a performance to write home about, they spent the majority of the eighty minutes chasing the game and will want to push their first ever nil score-sheet firmly out of their minds. 

Harlequins dealt Worcester with yet another bitter blow as they ‘did a Leicester’ and won ugly at The Stoop. Dean Ryan’s men raced to a 13-3 lead and for other teams that probably would have been enough to seal the deal, however Worcester don't yet have that winning mentality and they couldn't finish it off. Of all of the Premiership Clubs Quins will be the happiest to see the RBS 6 Nations finish, their younger players are certainly taking on the challenge of the Aviva Premiership however the need for their playmakers to come back is getting stronger and stronger. Worcester still have a lot of fight left in them however Dean Ryan summed it up perfectly when he said after the game “We've got to get a win and I don't care if it's the ugliest win I've ever seen.” 

Phil Dowson celebrated his 200th appearance for the Saints in emphatic style as they ran out bonus point winners over Gloucester at Franklin’s Gardens. Gloucester were dealt a tough hand having to make three positional changes just before kick-off however it was the strength in depth of the Northampton squad that proved to be the undoing of the visitors. Like Sale Northampton’s fly half pulled the strings with expertise and Myler kicked his side to a small half time lead. Ben Foden returned back from injury on 50 minutes and looked particularly sharp, despite having spent 14 weeks on the side-lines. When Nigel Davies summarised the game he used the phrase that any player hates to hear; "I'm disappointed in the team" and sadly it sums up Gloucester well at the moment. In stark contrast the Saints looked superb and given the contingent that they have returning from international duty soon you would be a fool to write them off for a home playoff place or maybe, just maybe an Aviva Premiership Title.

The final match of the weekend was Newcastle versus Leicester also known as ‘The Return Of Manu’. Yes at face value the scoreline reads like a walkover however in actual fact Newcastle competed hard throughout and deserved to get more from it. The Tigers were rampant in their pursuit of the win, even 3 yellow cards couldn’t stop them from taking all 5 points on offer and Cockers should be pleased with his men. I won’t provide an in depth analysis of Mr Tuilagi, simply a nice photo, as I believe that focusing solely on him would do the rest of his side a dis-service. Instead the focus should be on Captain Ed Slater and that man Vereniki Goneva, both players were at the centre of everything and really helped the team to shine. Newcastle were gutsy, they made their own tries, yes tries from Newcastle, which is promising and will take many positives from the fixture. The Tigers looked much more like the Tigers we know and love (well some love) and I may be jumping the gun here but I'm predicting that they will press on now and secure that fourth playoff spot. 

All in all Round 16 was an action packed round with tries galore and notable individual and team performances. It is time to take a short Aviva Premiership break whilst the LV Cup and RBS 6 Nations take centre stage, but don't worry in just a couple of weeks it will return with a huge round of fixtures.