Premiership Rugby Round 11 - Preview

Season's Greetings! After a November filled with international rugby and two rounds of European action Out On The Full's Premiership coverage is back. It may be the time of the year when many people slow down and take on a personal challenge to eat as much as possible but for our Premiership teams it's business as usual and a vital time in the season. For some this weekend is all about ensuring that they have a chance at finishing the calendar year in a promising position and for others it's all about cementing the good work that they've put in since Round 1. 

Franklin’s Gardens starts the festive fixtures and the home side know that this result needs to go their way. Northampton’s last few weeks have been a whirlwind of stress and difficulties and some festive feel good, in terms of a W, would be a welcome relief. They have lost their last four matches in all competitions and Tom Wood has been open and honest about the feelings at the club. Needless to say on Friday night they need to be physically robust, on it energy wise and find sparks in attack. Sale Sharks’ run isn’t any better than their opponents’, in fact it’s worse, as they have slipped to six straight defeats. That said the introduction of Josh Charnley and Denny Solomona, and the fresh outlook that both have brought, has given the Sharks more of a spring in their step. Given the stakes this game could be one of those classic nervy bore fests but instead I hope that huge performances stem from the tension and as a result we get to see a good old tussle. Opta Match Fact: The last seven meetings between the two clubs in Premiership Rugby have all been fairly comfortable home victories, with the only losing bonus point in that sequence grabbed by the Saints at Salford last November. 

Christmas Eve will start with Saracens welcoming the Newcastle Falcons to Allianz Park and looking to extend their winning-run over the side from the North East. In terms of the home side's team news then Chris Ashton's name on their bench is a notable one as is the move for Maro Itoje from lock to the back row. Of course this is to ensure that both he and Will Skelton are in the mix and I'm sure Eddie Jones will take note of Maro's performance. Dean Richards has the luxury of welcoming back Vereniki Goneva for the trip down south and his side have won three of their last four in all competitions. So as we can see the Falcons are ticking along nicely but in all honesty Saracens are a different kettle of fish and I can't see them being pushed over any time soon.  Saturday's match is a test of Newcastle's development so far this season, they have to prove that they can handle the best in the business and if they do will put in a good showing but I still expect Saracens to prevail. Opta Match Fact: Saracens have won their last fifteen fixtures against Newcastle in all tournaments since the Falcons 13-9 victory at Kingston Park in Premiership Rugby in February 2009 

Next Dai Young's Wasps host Todd Blackadder's Bath at the Ricoh Arena and I have to say this one should be a belter of a match. Wasps have sold over 25,000 tickets and alongside those watching on BT Sport all should be in for a Christmas treat. Wasps welcome back Danny Cipriani into their backline and as a result Kurtley Beale will be given the space to roam, something I'm looking forward to watching. Bath also have added ammunition in their side as Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt Garvey both return. The duo have been outstanding in their respective parts of the field for Bath and will add enormously at the Ricoh Arena. Last season the two sides met four times but Bath were only able to take one victory, however we all know that this Bath side have their confidence back and with the expertise of their half-backs mean business again this season. Opta Match Fact: Wasps have won their last 17 matches at the Ricoh Arena since Saracens beat them there in Premiership Rugby on 27th December 2015. 

Sandy Park is the final venue to open its doors on Christmas Eve as Rob Baxter's Exeter Chiefs host Leicester Tigers. The Chiefs have their eyes on a victory and as a result a spot in the Top 4 and that would be an impressive turnaround after their shaky start to the domestic season. While Leicester know that building on their gritty Champions Cup victory against Munster is vital in order for them to start finding a spot of consistency of form. Mike Williams is back for the Tigers, hopefully he stays fit for a prolonged period of time, and Freddie Burns shifts to full back as Owen Williams retains the fly-half jersey. Exeter's line-up welcomes back Gareth Steenson pull their string while Henry Slade and Ollie Devoto will be the centres trying to keep Manu Tuilagi nice and quiet. I expect that Sandy Park will be rocking and the hosts really need to set their stall out early, be clinical and never let the foot off their gas in order to take the Christmas spoils. Match Fact: Leicester have lost just one of their last eight encounters with the Chiefs in Premiership Rugby: 6-19 at Sandy Park in November 2015. 

Once we've all eaten far too much and opened a few Christmas presents Boxing Day provides an intriguing fixture with Bristol Rugby hosting Worcester Warriors at Ashton Gate. Bristol have scored 9 tries from their last two matches and their two bonus-point Challenge Cup victories couldn't have come at a better time. Reigniting that winning feeling and being able to take that confidence into this crucial home match could be invaluable. Jason Woodward has been going extremely well in their backs and a big plus for the hosts is that Tusi Pisi is fit to return to their starting XV. Worcester Warriors will need to arrive and calmly go about their business. They don't need to try too hard or over think the match instead just put their game on the park. Bristol's fans must make themselves heard and from there anything could happen... personally I'm looking forward to seeing how this one pans out. Match Fact: Bristol and Worcester have not clashed in Premiership Rugby since Bristol’s 37-18 victory at Memorial Stadium in March 2009. 

For the final game of the round we're heading to Twickenham Stadium as Harlequins host their annual Big Game. Once again this season's opponents are Gloucester Rugby and would it be too much to hope for another 39-39 thriller like last season? Harlequins are fielding a pack entirely made up of academy graduates while Gloucester's pack has a bit more of an international feel to it! Both sides have backs that can light up Twickenham Stadium and boast a number of internationals that know the ground well. Ben Morgan and Jack Clifford's duel at No 8 will be an interesting watch as will be Greig Laidlaw and Danny Care facing off at nine. In terms of their Big Game results then Harlequins have won three, drawn two and lost three and need to ensure they pick up another victory before they focus on their away form next calendar year. While Gloucester need to deliver the type of form that say them brush aside La Rochelle at Kingsholm and not dip below that intensity. Match Fact: Gloucester Rugby have not won away from home in Aviva Premiership Rugby since the trip to Sale Sharks in Round 3 but were unbeaten against Harlequins last season.

Back2Fitness - Neil Back

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year when it comes to indulging and enjoying the finer things in life but with that also comes a little lapse in fitness and general movement. In my book this isn’t wrong, just a fact of life, but kick starting following the Christmas lull can be a challenge especially when your gym membership was often used for the sauna in the first place!!

With work, family and children there are so many things that fill up time in everyone’s lives and naturally fitness is often goes by the wayside in order to fit them in. Yet one very well known England 2003 World Cup Winner, Neil Back, has found that it is possible to juggle them all, you just need a little helping hand to do so.

Neil has been retired for a number of years now and like so many in his position juggles a full on work life with a very busy family schedule and his continued rugby commitments. It’s a challenge and one that led to him putting his own fitness on the back burner to give others his full attention.

Neil’s daughter Olivia is an extremely successful hockey player, like her Dad she has tremendous sporting ability and is currently representing England U18, and she wanted a spot of help with her S&C requirements. Olivia knew of a local coach with an extensive S&C and hockey background, this is when Neil met Sam Yassin. Whilst Sam was taking the Back family through his long-term plan for Liv’s development they got talking about the concept and need for a programme such as Back2Fitness and they soon realised it was the perfect partnership!

The aim of the three tiered fitness packages is to provide you with all of the elements to really kick off that fitness regime you’ve thought about for a while. It’s designed to make sure that in 2017 you’re not concerned about that little bit of extra timber and winter padding and instead actually feel in better shape than ever before. Base levels of fitness don’t matter, it’s not where you start but the amount that you put in and the knowledge you learn as a result of Back2Fitness. Of course Neil’s start point is slightly different to some but with respect he's not a whipper snapper any more and yet after his 12 week program looks like he's back with the physique he had while playing, albeit 10kg lighter in lean mass. 

It is challenging to manage all of the different elements of people's lives yet often a helping hand and a nudge in the right direction is all that it takes. Everyone is different and the thing that I would say is that exercise really does help clear the brain and gives you a chance for a spot of ‘me time’. The thing with training is that it can be a bit of a maze and if you dive in without some guidance then you can be plugging away without realising too many results. So, if you have been umm’ing and ah’ing about maybe getting in shape, or know of someone that feels that way, then why not let an England 2003 World Cup winner who has followed the programme himself lend you a hand! 

Back2Fitness has Bronze, Silver and Gold Packages all delivering 12 weeks of a tailored fitness & nutritional programme and the guidance needed along the way. Christmas is fast approaching and orders by 22nd December will arrive in time for Christmas day. Head to https://back2fitness.co now for the details or follow @B2F_SYPC or @NeilBack on Twitter. 

Champions Cup Round 4 Preview

Blink and a week flies by! Already it’s time to look towards the second acts of the European Champions Cup back-to-back fixtures and after an eventful start last weekend there’s plenty to talk about. 

From a Premiership point of view Round 3 didn’t deliver a full set of positive results instead some tough times were had by a few sides. Bouncing back will be the order of the day for Exeter, Leicester, Sale and Northampton but the question is will they be allowed to, or be able to, given the strength of their respective opponents?

Looking at the Exeter Chiefs first and Rob Baxter had decided going into these back-to-back fixtures that he wouldn’t run with the same 23 in both games and as a result has mixed up his side. Returning to the line-up are Luke Cowan-Dickie and Phill Dollman, both back from injuries, and we will also see the likes of Mitch Lees, Thomas Waldrom and Olly Woodburn running out in France. Realistically Exeter’s chances of Champions Cup progression are limited but they will still want to improve on last weekend’s performance in order to provide a platform heading back into the Premiership. The Chiefs didn’t take their opportunities at Sandy Park and must do so from the offset in France. Rob Baxter wants them to “show the qualities I expect of them” and it’s clear that performance is king over in France. Match Fact: Bordeaux-Begles haven’t been beaten at the Stade Chaban-Delmas by a non-French side in the competition.

At Welford Road Leicester Tigers’ task is a sizeable one as they face exactly the same Munster starting XV that did a job on them at Thomond Park. Rightly so Rassie Erasmus has stuck to his guns and makes just one change on their bench as loose-head prop James Cronin returns to take the place of Thomas du Toit. Leicester welcome back Mike Williams onto their bench and notably in their backs Richard Cockerill has shifted Owen Williams to fly-half after injury to Freddie Burns. Leicester’s record at home in the European Cup is impressive, in their last 33 matches they’ve won 30 and drawn 2 yet it will be a tough, tough ask to maintain that this weekend. We all know how Leicester can respond at Welford Road, we saw that in Round 2, but Munster are a quality outfit brimming with confidence. As much as I think we will see a marked improvement from Leicester I expect Munster to take the spoils and topple the Tigers on Saturday afternoon. Match Fact: Munster the only club in the competition with a tackle success rate above 90%, they’re at 92%. 

Another side that found Round 3 tough going was Northampton Saints and an inexperienced squad will be making the trip to Dublin in order to try and put that right. Can they? Well like Leicester I believe that the effort and performance levels will improve but in terms of pulling a result out of the bag I think that could be a challenge too far. Leinster, at the Aviva, will be acutely aware that this is their chance to make another big European statement and they’ll be focused on ensuring that a repeat of 2013 (when they lost heavily after a handsome win the week before) doesn’t happen. For Jim Mallinder’s team it will be about showing the physical effort and intensity that they believed was lacking at Franklin’s Gardens and trying to ensure that they are pushed around up front. Personally I’m surprised that there aren’t a few more experienced faces in Saints’ XV, I understand their focus on the Aviva Premiership but will those wiser heads be missed in Dublin? You bet they will. Match Fact: Leinster are one of four clubs yet to lose a scrum on their own feed. 

Wasps’ trip to The Sportsground in Galway should be another belter give both side’s intent to play but Connacht’s lack of fit backs must be a slight concern for Pat Lam. Stacey Ili and Cian Kelleher suffered injuries during Round 3 and in total the hosts’ injury count currently stands at 19 players. On the other hand Wasps are fairly well settled and that could pay dividends. The atmosphere in Galway is always a sensational one and Wasps know that they are in for a challenge. I expect the same individuals to step up to the mark that did at the Ricoh Arena with Joe Launchbury leading the charge. I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to watching Kurtley Beale continue to get his feet under the table because he looked sharp last weekend and you just know that there's more to come. Match Fact: Wasps hold the highest goal kicking accuracy of any side in the Champions Cup at 91%. 

Finally Saracens and Sale Sharks will duel at the AJ Bell Stadium in Pool 3. Last weekend there was only one team in it and just because this match is back in Manchester doesn’t mean that it will automatically be a different story. Saracens are primed and ready repeat the same feat on the road and if they do then they will equal Munster’s record for consecutive wins in the competition (13). Sale are welcoming their new signing Denny Solomona straight into their starting XV and with Josh Charnley on the other wing that means that their back three doesn’t have a whole host of experience. While both are proven finishers Saracens’ experienced half-backs will look to expose them. Needless to say Sale need to go for broke while Saracens will just calmly approach the match like any other and I expect deliver the result with ease. Match Fact: Saracens boast an average winning margin of 21 points against Sale in Europe. 

Elsewhere we have part two in the classic that is Ulster facing ASM Clermont Auvergne and an equally intriguing watch should be Glasgow Warriors hosting Racing 92. Ulster must embrace the intensity of the Stade Marcel-Michelin while Glasgow need another huge performance to make a real statement in Pool 1. 

Round 3 provided us with a little bit of everything and I hope that Round 4 will do the same. If you’re heading on an away trip then have a superb time because European weekends are always special trips away. If you're staying in one place then don't be derailed by the need to buy Christmas presents, instead do it online and devote the weekend to the rugby!! 

Champions Cup - Round 3 Review

As I said prior to Round 3 starting the Champions Cup back-to-back fixtures are a fascinating dynamic and a time of the year that I love. The first half of this two part series delivered some big results but from an Aviva Premiership perspective it wasn’t a wholly successful weekend. 

Of course it all kicked off on Friday night at Franklin’s Gardens and Saints’ 100th European outing was one that will be remembered, but not for the reasons that they would have liked. Dylan Hartley’s red dominated the post match headlines and meant that their uphill battle during the game got an awful lot steeper than it already was. The Saints are in a bit of a pickle right now as confidence is low and they seem to be lacking a spot of drive and cohesiveness. After the game Tom Wood openly discussed his quest for answers as to why they were flat and the flanker spent over an hour completing his media duties and meeting with fans before heading for a shower. Personally I have an enormous respect for the way that he conducts himself and the side need leaders like him during these challenging times. Northampton’s challenge is a large one, as I say they are in a difficult spot right now and face the prospect of heading to a buzzing AVIVA Stadium and meeting a Leinster side that are capable for doing another number of them. A week is a short time to fix their issues but they need to because otherwise it could get ugly in Dublin. 

Sticking with Premiership sides that had difficult weekend  and Leicester Tigers’ nilling by Munster Rugby will have hurt Richard Cockerill and his squad greatly. The Tigers are a proud bunch, especially in Europe, and delivering so little at Thomond Park won’t have been acceptable. Anyone that watched the game will have seen that Munster outclassed the Tigers in every single regard and the statistics highlight that. Munster beat 18 defenders while Leicester only managed to make their way past 2, the Tigers made half the number of metres of their counterparts and operated on only an 86% tackle success rate. In short they got their pants pulled down by a hugely motivated Munster side and right now you wouldn’t bet against Munster prevailing at Welford Road too!

Exeter Chiefs’ hopes of progressing in Europe were well and truly dashed on Sunday evening after they couldn’t find their way past Bordeaux-Begles. The Chiefs knew that nothing less than a bonus-point victory would suffice yet in the mist and fog Rob Baxter's team couldn’t find a way to really impose themselves on their French opponents. It was disappointing for Exeter as they seemed to have found their straps of late, with three victories on the bounce, but they didn't take the chances that they needed to. Last season Exeter managed to find a away into the European knock-out stages but in all honesty I think that this time around their focus will swiftly hift back to the Premiership. 

At the Ricoh Arena Wasps’ outing against Connacht Rugby was a match that I really enjoyed watching. It’s fair to say that Kurtley Beale’s impact on the game was impressive especially given then amount of time that he's had out with such a serious injury. His yellow was contentious and despite Connacht scoring during his sin-bin period thankfully it didn’t have an impact on the final result. Connacht’s outing was tainted by various injuries in their backline and that could be a big factor in the two sides' Round 4 meeting. However if the Irish province mange to patch up their wounds then they will fancy themselves at home because The Sportsground is an intimating place to travel to and they're a great side. Personally I though that Joe Launchbury had a captain’s innings and would have been my selection for man of the match, he fully deserved his try and was outstanding all over the park. 

Finally the match at Allianz Park belonged to Saracens as Mark McCall’s side again showed their prowess. In pretty dismal conditions the hosts brushed aside Sale without a second glance and made their Premiership rivals look distinctly ordinary. In all honesty it looked like Saracens were going through a training run such was the ease with which they put their points on the board and Steve Diamond’s frustration post game was clearly evident. I imagine that Sale's Monday review wasn’t a pleasant one but they do have the prospect of Denny Solomona making his club and European debut this weekend. Needless to say if ever there was a time that Sale needed their home fans to come out in force then it’s Round 4 because the reigning European champions will be ready to do it all again on Sunday afternoon.

Looking at the competition as a whole without doubt the match of the weekend was Ulster Rugby hosting ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Kingspan Stadium. If you haven’t watched the game then I implore you to find a little YouTube link to the game and take 80 minutes out of your day to enjoy it. If you do then you’ll witness nine tries, countless gorgeous breaks from both sides and Charles Piutau’s genius. It’s well worth the watch and is one of the best games that I've seen, in any competition, this season. 

So now all of the Champions Cup sides turn their attentions to Round 4 and for some it is the time of the year when we will see the true extent of their character. While there were mixed fortunes for the Premiership sides as a whole Round 3 of the Champions Cup was enthralling and displayed some outstanding rugby. Personally I can't wait to see which sides use Round 4 to bounce back in style and which sides take it up a gear to ensure back-to-back victories... Roll on the weekend's rugby!

Canterbury Mental Masterclass - Committed To the Game

The psychology of professional sport and those that are at, or have been at, the very top of their games is an area that I find fascinating and it’s something that we don’t discuss on a regular basis.

A short time ago Canterbury ran a session with four of their ambassadors designed to dive into the psychology of an elite athlete and I jumped at the chance to be there. Will Greenwood, Danielle Waterman, Geoff Paling and Kevin Sinfield were all incredibly open about their feelings and emotions and I think you’ll find their experiences and honesty fascinating and if you have family members that are aspiring to reach the top level then they might feel assured or comforted by the some of the feelings articulated by the four. 

As I mentioned when you’re watching professional athletes partake in a match at the weekend the best make it look effortless and yet all four shared that self-doubt plagued them throughout their careers. England’s Rugby World Cup victory at the Telstra Stadium back in 2003 is something that will never be forgotten, it was the greatest achievement by an England side, yet Will considered not being part of it:

“I couldn’t eat, felt physically sick the day before a Test match. I haven’t said this very regularly but I considered pulling my calf muscle in training the week before the World Cup Final because I was terrified.”

Those feelings of concern are ones that Kevin Sinfield, arguably the greatest Rugby League player of all time, also knew extremely well and went through countless occasions during his career in the build up to matches.

“So I struggled eating, butterflies like you wouldn’t believe and wouldn’t be able to sleep properly. All those things but I actually at times, as I got older, I tried to embrace them because that nervousness and ‘excitement’ for want of a better word  let me know that I genuinely cared about what I was about to go and do. 

“Having that drive and nervousness certainly gave me an edge. Towards the back end of my career I felt that I’d put myself through that so many times that when I got onto the field I wasn’t going to let anything stop me, or stop the team, from achieving. If I’ve got to go through all of that to make sure that we win today then so be it.

“I think self-doubt is quite common, people question themselves no matter how good you get at something there’s always something in the back of your mind that says ‘I’m going to get found out, I’m a fraud’. Even though you’ve put in hours and hours of work you look at yourself and still see that young lad that’s trying to get somewhere.”

Between the four of them they’ve won domestic titles, World Cups and European trophies and yet when they all look back on their careers the moments that stick in the minds aren’t necessarily the ones that you would think:

“I wish that winning a title or a cup felt as good sometimes as losing a big chance and a big moment feels bad because sometimes it doesn’t to me,” explained Geoff. 

“It goes too quickly,” added Kevin. “Winning trophies and that feeling of satisfaction is gone 40 minutes after the game. When you lose, when you get it wrong it is still with you now.”

All four could remember their ‘that’ moment, the one that they still relive in their minds no matter how many years have gone by and think ‘what if’. I was taken aback by the openness of Geoff who discussed his feelings about the final moments of the game against Wales at Twickenham last October:

“A pretty well known one is the Wales game in the Rugby World Cup. At the end of the game the decision to kick for the corner, I backed the decision and I called the lineout to the front. It gets rolled backwards, we don’t set up the drive and we don’t score. 

“I’ve played games after that obviously, called loads of lineouts to the front and we’ve scored and it’s been completely fine. The reason that it didn’t work was because they hit it really early, it was a dead set penalty to us, they hit when Robbo’s feet were probably two feet in the air. 

“But, that might not have happened if I had called it in the middle. So I would still use that call again but it still does really play in my mind that actually I could have called it somewhere else and we might have snuck over.”

So what was their advice to young players coming through the ranks and looking to wrangle with their own psychology, nerves, self-doubt or critique. Well, Danielle articulated that it’s not just about an individual’s work, a team should be involved too:

“It’s actually about creating an environment that encourages errors and encourages making mistakes because if you make those then it means that you’re trying. The difficultly is not when you’re in the game, it’s afterwards and it’s the constantly critic of yourself.

“I play a game over and over again. I was just to 14 minutes of putting stuff to bed [during Rio] but now I have 80 odd minutes to play before I can go sleep. 

“As a youngster it’s encouraging them to try and draw a line under a game quickly and focus on the next game or improvements next time.”

Throughout this discussion what struck me, alongside the four individuals’ honesty, was the fact that even those that are at, or have been at, the very top of the tree all performed while combatting often overwhelming emotions. Elite sportspeople aren't super human instead learn  to manage and deal with things in their own manner. There's no hard and fast rule when it comes to preparing for a match or training instead finding your own way to manage emotions and the psychological side is part of the process of maturing as an athlete. 

Physical strength can be seen on the field of play but all four have learned their own way to gain mental strength. Without question the psychological side of sport is vital for performance and ensuring that players are mentally strong will go a long way to developing and an effective, and winning, team. Just ask Eddie Jones where a big area of focus has been with his current England side!

Geoff Parling, Kevin Sinfiled, Danielle Waterman and Will Greenwood were speaking at Canterbury’s Mental Training Masterclass. Canterbury’s 2017 Training Range is available in the new year. Visit www.canterbury.com

Warren Gatland - Lions 2017 Assistant Coaches

So, the next step on the road to the 2017 Lions tour is in place as Warren Gatland has announced his three assistant coaches. The speculation surrounding this coaching announcement was great and will continue as the Kiwi has revealed that in terms of coaching appointments he's not finished yet.  

When Warren was announced into the role he was very clear that he wanted to gain a balance of continuity and fresh faces within his coaching team. Naturally with such limited preparation time for the toughest Lions tour in their history this is a sensible move and one that will endeavour to enhance their output from the offset. With Rob Howley, Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick placed in role the question that I asked their head coach was to provide us with insight as to why each were selected. 

Andy Farrell’s appointment, given Ireland’s success and his place on the 2013 tour, was perhaps the most predictable of all and the admiration that Warren Gatland has for Ireland’s defence coach is clear:

“With Andy, obviously he was involved in 2013 and I think that Ireland are playing some pretty good rugby at the moment and are defending well. He’s a coach that I hugely admire because he played at such a high level, in both codes, and captained with great leadership skills as well. He’s able to communicate really well with the players and understands the game, and sport, at the highest level.”

Steve Borthwick’s rise up the coaching ranks has been marked, but if you ask anyone that has ever played or worked with him then they will tell you that they’re not surprised. It's a testament to his expertise that such a new coach has been invited into the Lions mix without anyone batting an eyelid:

“Obviously he’s got an incredible work ethic, not too long out of the game as a player as well and he’s done a pretty good job with being involved with Japan. You’ve seen the way that England have performed and no doubt that Steve has had a significant impact into the way that so I’m absolutely delighted for him.”

The final appointment is Rob Howley and a quick glance online will show that this is the appointment that has created the most 'noise'. Yet Warren Gatland will not entertain the criticism that has, and perhaps will be, pointed at his assistant coach:

“I’ve worked closely with Rob, as a player and as a coach, for a number of years. Again, I have a huge amount of respect for him. I know that he gets a lot of criticism in Wales but that’s the worst place in the world for the criticism Wales. 

“I look at his record, and over the last 12 months, we’ve finished 2nd in the 6 Nations the last nine times that he’s coached Wales. He’s won seven times as a coach and yet he still gets criticised… it’s just part of professional sport at the moment but I have a huge amount of time for him and what he can bring to the table.”

The final part that the Lions head coach made clear was that there are a few spots on the coaching team still open for "specialists" and it seems that he knows exactly who he wants already:

“I’ve identified another couple of people and hopefully we will be able to do that in the next couple of weeks. Definitely another couple of names [will be added].”

As a coaching team they met the day before the announcement and reviewed the autumn international squads and the performances of the players. As a result the quality the Lions head coach highlighted that around 50 names were made a note of and it goes without saying that the RBS 6 Nations will be of vital importance to all that wish to be on the plane. 

The coaches will meet "perhaps once" during the competition because Warren Gatland wants their sole focus to be on their respective nations. He realises that the Lions may be in the back of their minds throughout but Warren is clear that his assistant coaches' roles really ramp up as soon as the final whistle blows in Dublin on March 18. 

So for now it's time for us to continue to ponder on the specialists that may come into the Lions mix and await, with great anticipation, the 2017 RBS 6 Nations competition. As Andy Farrell said due to the depth of talent housed within the home nations, 'top, top players won't be on the plane' and I guarantee that this coaching team's final selection meeting will be a lengthy one and include a great deal of debate. 

England v Australia - Review

If you’re going to finish a calendar year unbeaten then you might as well do it in enthralling fashion. Saturday afternoon’s Test match against Australia was always going to be hard-fought and tense but the fact that England came back from such a slow start made the victory even more impressive.

As we all saw Eddie Jones’ side weren’t at the races early doors and it looked like the occasion, and what was on the line, had uncharacteristically unsettled them. Yet they regained their composure, clawed their way back into the match and then went through the gears. The best sides in the world fix things on the move and England did just that. It was a sign of their maturity as a group and a function of the work that they’ve put in together over the past twelve months.

Naturally many of were wondering what words were said during the half-time break and Eddie Jones shared that his messages were clear and to the point:

“We just had to make a choice whether we wanted to really work hard. Sometimes you talk about working hard and you don't work hard and we weren't working hard enough off the ball. We weren't working hard enough on the gain-line and we just had to work that little bit harder. Do the basics well.

“We did that in the second half. We started to stop them at the gain-line, the big number eight didn't carry so much over the line and that put them under pressure in attack. When they're under pressure in attack they gave us mistakes and gave us some points. Then when we had the opportunity to attack in their half I thought we did it quite well. We looked after the ball a bit better.”

Composure, resilience and his side’s ability to adapt were all areas that impressed Eddie Jones on Saturday afternoon yet even with an unbeaten year safely in the bank the Australian isn’t shouting from the rooftops or even breaking into a big smile:

“We're progressing. We can't get too ahead of ourselves. We're only the number two team in the world and we want to be number one. We've got a long way to go before we achieve that and we're hell-bent on achieving that. We've got the talent here. It's just whether we get the desire and cohesion right. That's what we're aiming to do.”

This is exactly the type of reaction that you’d expect from the 56-year-old and his viewpoint on the situation is one of the reasons why England are progressing forwards on such a marked upward trajectory. If he, and the squad, believed that it was job done right here and now then they’d be found out very quickly. Instead there’s actually still an element of frustration and ‘what if’ surrounding their autumn series. Yes England finished the final four games of year unbeaten and did so without a number of key players but they don’t believe that we saw four complete Test match performances.

As England continue forwards comparisons with the side of 2003 will naturally rear their heads but Eddie Jones believes the class of 2016 aren’t close to that famous England side, yet:

“The 2003 side were a much better side than we are at the moment. They had a very consistent scrum and line-out, we don’t have that yet but we are getting there but they were a much better side than we are.

“We have got until the 2nd November 8pm Japan time 2019 to get ready and that is what we are aiming at – we have got to be at our best that night. It is 1020 days. Every day counts. If players don’t challenge themselves they won’t be here and that is the reality of it.”

As I’ve said this uncompromising and unrelenting desire to improve is required and right however let’s just take a moment to acknowledge the last twelve months. A year ago English rugby was at its lowest point, so many of these players were hurting beyond belief and throwing themselves back into club rugby or a holiday to get over the anguish of an unsuccessful Rugby World Cup campaign. Yet now there’s a confidence, a belief and a feel-good factor around the international set up. It is one that is born out of this group of players winning regularly and doing so safe in the knowledge that there's more to come. 

Throughout 2016 selection has been consistent and as a result combinations have flourished. The driving axis of Ben Youngs, George Ford and Owen Farrell has been the heartbeat of their output from the first minute of the year until the last minute. Chris Robshaw has excelled and work himself at a rate that few in the world game can match, Billy Vunipola has flown and is fast approaching world-class while England's depth at lock is the envy of many nations. Vitally the leadership of Dylan Hartley outstanding, he's a players' captain and one with outstanding man management skills in terms of his relationship with England's management and the officials on the field. Those that questioned Hartley’s ability to captain his country now look slightly foolish because he has lead with distinction and driven their success. 

On Saturday night England’s players were enjoying a beer or two in the changing rooms and rightly so because they’ve earned it. 2016 has been an outstanding year for England Rugby and personally I cannot wait for them to get back together at the end of January and throw themselves into the RBS 6 Nations. There's still so much more to come from this squad and it's going to be fascinating to witness the next steps on the road to 2019. 

England v Australia - Preview

So here we are, can you believe that it’s the final game of England’s autumn series already? 

As expected, given Eddie Jones’ side’s form, England have the opportunity to finish the calendar year unbeaten. However Australia have improved significantly since June and know exactly how to spoil a party at Twickenham Stadium. 

This week we’ve seen the Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika show play out in full and boy has it been good to watch. As I’ve said before at Out On The Full Eddie Jones is master tactician when it comes to verbal jousting with his opposite head coach and the fact that he knows Cheika so well has added to this week's drama. England's Australian made his first move directly after the Argentina match and Australia's head coach followed earlier in the week. We've seen discussions about scrummaging, chips on shoulders, meetings with referees and more and Eddie Jones has thoroughly enjoyed himself:

“I like to have fun, mate. This week’s been fun. We’ve had a great week here preparing. The media’s had fun - good headlines. Cheika’s had fun and everyone’s enjoying it. It’s great for rugby. There’s nothing better than an Australia England rivalry is there? I think it’s fantastic.”

Jones knows exactly how to pull the right strings from a messages point of view and as a result ensures that home advantage can be played out via us the English media. He never toes the party line and always says what he thinking and that means that the focus has been  very much on him while his side quietly prepare behind closed doors. He's straight talking and an extremely astute character and personally I find it fascinating to watch his approach change according to the opponents at hand. 

With a three-nil whitewash being the last meeting between these two sides and England continuing on their unbeaten run a question regarding possible complacency was always going to rear its head this week. However it’s something that Eddie Jones has actively discussed with his squad and in my view will never be an issue with this group of England players:

“You're always sitting next to complacency or looking ahead too much. That's a constant battle. We're at our most vulnerable now. I was talking to the players about it this morning. When you win how many games we’ve won in a row that’s when you’re at your most vulnerable. The only way you get over the top of that is to have the correct mindset and that’s an individual responsibility to get right. 

“I think from a team perspective we’re in a reasonable state. Individually, over the next 48 hours, the players will find their right state and we need them to be right on the ball.

“At training this week we’ve been a bit iffy at stages. That’s not such a bad thing, it helps to keep complacency from the door. Training quality hasn’t been great at stages. That’s all about learning and getting better. Sometimes you need to have those sorts of training sessions.”

From a personnel point of view Billy Vunipola’s injury is a big blow to England. The type of impact that he has on the field and the character that he is off it will be sorely missed however as with every injury it's an opportunity for another. Nathan Hughes has shown the type of impact that he can have on a game for Wasps and here's a chance to showcase his very best form on the Twickenham stage. The Number 8's physicality in the contact area and ball carrying abilities will need to be larger than life and as a collective it's vital that England's back row deliver to counter the threat of Pocock and Hooper. 

In terms of Australia then they are a very different prospect to the side that England faced in the summer. This autumn they've really got their ducks in a row and looked like the team that did so well during the Rugby World Cup. When he's been available Will Genia has been fantastic and will be missed this weekend due to Stade Francais not releasing him so Nick Phipps needs to up the ante. Bernard Foley loves a game at Twickenham Stadium and he must be kept quiet alongside Israel Folau and Tevita Kuridrani. It goes without saying that England’s front three have to continue to provide a solid set piece for the backs and get the better of Scott Sio, Stephen Moore and Sekope Kepu at scrum time. 

Without a doubt Australia will come out all guns blazing and it will be up to Eddie Jones' side to match them early on and play a sensible Test match. As England's head coach said this week often matches between England and Australia go down to the final quarter so the role of the bench will be vital if England are to prevail. 

In my eyes the home side are perfectly poised to deliver at Twickenham Stadium, it won't be a walk in the park but they have the tools to deliver. England have the leaders within the side to own this Test match and must channel the power of home advantage and the confidence that comes from their winning run. It's a chance for this England side to again showcase the depth of talent that is housed within this country and take another step towards their goal. Physically England are robust, mentally they are strong and while I expect a huge challenge I believe that England will prevail and finish this calendar year unbeaten.