England Saxons Pull Through in Cork

In the trade they call it 'Commentator's Curse' and it happens with annoying regulatory, you talk a player up or highlight a key area of strength and then the next time that they get the ball it all goes a little bit pear shaped. I have to admit that, that is exactly how I felt for the first forty minutes of England Saxons' performance last night. England opened the match in Cork looking a little rusty and whilst it must be said that the regularity in which referee Neil Hennessey decided to blow his whistle didn't help proceedings in honesty the whole game lacked the flair that we were expecting. 

Naturally in the aftermath of a match that should be placed in the 'less than spectacular' box we could all focus on the negatives and get a little upset. However that wouldn't benefit anyone so instead I am going to pull out some positives for England, due to strong individual performances. In my opinion there were four key men in the backs that cut through the fog and shone. First, fly half Henry Slade... Henry's all around kicking game was on the money and he distributed beautifully to the stand out centre, Elliot Daly. Elliot's centre partner had a huge amount of pressure on him and it was a difficult night in the end  for Sam Burgess, one he will take a lot amount from and come back stronger for it. Elliot's strong running questioned Ireland on a number of occasions and together with fellow Wasp Joe Simpson he should be pleased with his night's work. Joe really increased the tempo when he came on and defensively he was solid as a rock, impressive as always from the Scrum Half. The last back that stated his case for further International recognition was Worcester's Chris Pennell. Chris showed that his performance levels haven't dropped an inch playing in the Championship, in my eyes he is the all around Full Back and a real asset to England Rugby. 

 @Toottankwaldrom

Looking towards the forwards it was a shaky night for line out in particular and up front England didn't gain the type of dominance they would have liked however there were positives  Both Dave Ewers and Matt Garvey showcased huge engines as they worked themselves into the ground and carried hard. In the Second Row Maro Itoje showed no  sign of nerves as he was thrown to the lions after 15 minutes due to James Gaskell's injury. Maro looked at home on the International stage, he took everything in his stride and personally I expect him to play a significant role for England in the coming years and wouldn't be surprised if he Captained the side such is his talent and temperament.   

The only Irish silver linings came in their front row as Sean O'Brien successfully navigated a re-entrance back into the world of International Rugby with 50 solid minutes of rugby that included some strong breakdown work and hits. It is great to see him back and surely Joe Schdmit will want to include him in the main squad during the course of this 6 Nations tournament. However elsewhere on the pitch the Wolfhounds were slightly under par; Ian Madigan didn't hit the heights that they needed him to do and a few questions still remain around the best suitor for the Green 10 shirt. 

Sadly we didn't witness 80 minutes of vintage rugby in Cork but sometimes that happens... Stuart will have still been glad that he made the trip over as the game will have provided him with some food for thought. Henry Thomas was solid and in the wake of Davey Wilson's recent injury and that is good news. Christian Wade delivered 5 points with ease on only his second touch of the game and all of the men mentioned above put their hands up.  A classic it was not but sometimes that happens.... 

Spotlight On England Saxons

On Friday evening in Cork a group of players wearing white with red roses on their chests will run out and take on the might of Ireland, they are our England Saxons and what a group they are too. 'It is the strongest Saxons' squad that I have been involved with' those were the words of Stuart Lancaster on announcement day and I have to say that I am in complete agreement with our Head Coach. Our 2015 England Saxons Squad contains a superb blend of old timers and talented newbies and the only truly upsetting thing is the fact that this year the side will only play one game of rugby together. 

So, with a squad filled with so much talent which are the names that catch my eye? Well in all honesty I could write essays about every single individual in turn and highlight why they excite me, however in the essence of keeping things short and sweet I'll just pick a few. Up front England have a plethora of riches across both squads, a starting front row of Matt Mullan, Rob Webber and Henry Thomas is impressive in itself and then just take a look at the bench....! Behind them are five men that are all at the top of their games playing with confidence, James Gaskell is developing into one of the Premiership's most proficient line out specialists and in the back row Exeter's Thomas Waldrom has been flying this season.  

Out the back England are launching a beautiful looking back line onto the Irish. Henry Slade, will pull the strings from 10, he is a man that makes professional rugby look effortless and his distribution is first class, superb given those outside of him. Naturally all eyes will be on Sam Burgess but let's not forget the proven capabilities of Elliot Daly, Marland Yarde and Chris Ashton. Both wingers have points to prove that they should be back in the Training Squad and that should deliver some bracing breaks and powerful runs in both of the outside channels. Personally I’m over the moon that Chris Pennell remains in the squad and starts at full back, Chris’ loyalty to Worcester is a credit to him and I’m ecstatic it hasn’t hindered his International progression. 

With the squad that has been picked for this game the England Saxons will look to play expansive and exciting rugby off the basis of a dominant yet piece and given the physical nature of the modern game some could still play a part in the 6 Nations. 

As to the make up of the Ireland side it is also contains a lovely blend of youth and experience. Ireland's centre partnership of George D'Arcy and Keith Earls immediately catches my eye along with their imposing back row of Dominic Ryan, Sean O'Brien and the uncapped but exciting Jack Conan. It is clear from the selection decisions that this game is deadly serious and is one that will be played at Test Match intensity. All in all it will be a superb precursor to the main tournament in a week's time and I cannot wait to see this dynamic and electric group of England players show their colours for their country. Let the rugby begin!! 

Friday 30th January - Coverage Sky Sports 2 7.30pm

England Rugby; 15 Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors) 14 Chris Ashton (Saracens) 13 Elliot Daly (Wasps) 12 Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby) 11 Marland Yarde (Harlequins) 10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) 9 Lee Dickson, captain (Northampton Saints) 1 Matt Mullan (Wasps) 2 Rob Webber (Bath Rugby) 3 Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby) 4 Matt Garvey (Bath Rugby) 5 James Gaskell (Wasps) 6 Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs) 7 Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)  8 Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs) Replacements; 16 Luke Cowan Dickie (Exeter Chiefs) 17 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints) 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley (Wasps) 19 Maro Itoje (Saracens)  20 Carl Fearns (Bath)  21 Joe Simpson (Wasps) 22 Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)  23 Christian Wade (Wasps)

Irish Wolfhounds; 15 Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) (capt) 14 Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 13 Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)12 Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)11 Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster) 10 Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 9 Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 1 Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 2 Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 3 Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 4 Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 5 Mike McCarthy (Leinster) 6 Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 7 Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 8 Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)  Replacements: 16 Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 17 Michael Bent (Leinster) 18 Nathan White (Galwegians/Connacht)  19 Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) 20 Eoin McKeon (Corinthians/Connacht)  21 Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster) 22 Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster) 23 Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)

The RBS 6 Nations - Media Launch

As dawn broke and the sun rose, South West London readied itself for the first International Rugby event of the year, the RBS 6 Nations Launch. The venue for the launch was the Hurlingham Club, a beautifully situated, luxurious venue, befitting of such a prestigious and historic tournament. From the home nations' press officers to journalists from all forms of media the club was filled with people, all eager to preview the 2015 tournament. As we all know the RBS 6 Nations remains one of the most hotly anticipated competitions of them all and in a World Cup Year, like everything rugby related, the anticipation is greater than ever before. 

Last year's Champions Ireland have been given the title of 'the favourites' going into the day however that title was something that 'was news' to Joe Schdmit as he shared; 

'Being labelled favourite or otherwise is something that we were unaware of until this morning. We've had a couple of days preparation and for us 'favourites' is a distraction because it is somebody's speculation of what might happen across 5 games.’

That said the upward trajectory of the Irish National side cannot be ignored and that is largely down to Joe's influence however the man himself made it all sound so easy when he said that his task of his side is simply to 'try to get a little bit better at what you are doing, each time that you do it’.  

The newest member the RBS 6 Nations family is Scotland's Head Coach Vern Cotter and I asked him what he was looking forward to from the tournament and crucially what his expectations are for his side; 

'First of all I'm slightly nervous, but really looking forward to it because I think that the players have a real desire to do well in this competition and to surprise a couple of teams. On a personal level I'm looking forward to this competition because it is going to be tough, we are going to find out a lot more about ourselves and that will help us moving forwards.'

Having not interviewed Vern before I was hugely impressed by him, when he speaks you listen, his nickname in France as revealed by Joe Schdmit is 'Les Yex des Glaces' - Eyes of Ice and he is a man that commands respect. For Scotland this tournament is about surprising and translating their resurgence in domestic competition into the National Circuit. Scotland want to 'play out of their shells' and ultimately gain results. 

From an Italian perspective Mr Italy himself Sergio Parisse took the lead. Italy's record in the competition isn't glittering however their focus is simple; 'to be as competitive as possible'. Sergio is one of the greats of the game and his fitness and presence is a huge boost for the entire side. Equally the introduction of physical and accurate fly half Kelly Haimona could be the making of them. In short, the desire for Italy is to play every game 'with the ambition of winning'. The Azzuri must not shy away, they must go for it and then see what happens. 

The first question addressed to France's Head Coach Philippe Saint-André was a simple one; what can we expect from France this Six Nations? His answer was delivered with a glint in his eye and a smile on his face; 'We don't know... to be honest I don't know!' Philippe shared that France will be looking to continue playing with tempo, he highlighted that he has 'a squad of young players that like to play with the ball in hand and attack games' and if they do that who knows what we will see from France this year, even with three games away from home.

Warren Gatland and Sam Warburton looked relaxed and confident as they discussed the forthcoming Championship, Warren openly said that Wales are 'in a healthy position' going into this tournament and that is a position that all involved with England Rugby will envy. The Welsh side are fairly settled in terms of the personnel in their squad so I asked Warren whether he would look to this tournament to test any combinations should injuries strike later in the year. His answer was clear 'this tournament is only about winning, there are points and a lot of prestige at stake.' In short that mean no!

Last but by no means least I turn the spotlight onto Chris Robshaw and Stuart Lancaster. From an English perspective it has been a tough few days with the injuries hitting the squad and I asked Stuart just how disruptive it is having such a full hospital wing; 

'It doesn't disrupt as much as you'd perceive from the outside, however clearly it does mean that you are slightly reactive rather than proactive in terms of your selection process. We've got a big squad and we've had a lot of players in camp over the past year, two years, so a lot of players are up to speed already which helps.'

England haven't truly delivered in the RBS 6 Nations for a number of years and Stuart was honest about how much of a driver this is for the squad; 

'I don’t think that anyone has a divine right to stamp any authority on the competition, you’ve got to earn the right to do it. We are frustrated that we haven’t nailed down that Championship win, we were very close last year, very close the year before and even in my first year in that interim role so it does burn inside us and we are motivated by that.' 

Round 1 of the RBS 6 Nations Championship starts in just over a week's time and those opening fixtures mean everything to the 6 teams in the competition. Momentum was highlighted by all of the nations as a critical success factor and at this point in time there aren't any thoughts about Triple Crowns, Championships or even Grand Slams instead the focus is on the here and now. 

Today's launch reminded me just how special this tournament is, it is the competition that captures hearts off of the home nations and ignites old rivalries and with a few days to go before the first whistle is blown I'm confidently predicting that the 2015 Championship will be one of the best competition's that we have seen, perhaps ever. 

It Is A Knockout - Premiership Spotlight - Champions Cup Round 6

'It is the cup that keeps on giving...' that was Lawrence Dallaglio's assessment of the new European Champions Cup Competition and as always he was spot on with that assessment. The weekend was emotional from start to finish and the quality of rugby across the board was absolutely first class. In terms of a Premiership Rugby perspective it was a tremendous weekend as no less than four of our Aviva Premiership teams now head to France or Dublin for the knock out stages, so now it is time for us all to get our diaries out, book some flights and enjoy a superb Easter away!! Before then let's look back and review all of the Premiership action from the weekend. 

At the Ricoh Arena Wasps gave their fans an emotional roller-coaster of a journey as they turned around a 20-6 deficit to narrowly miss out on the victory. For forty minutes everything went Leinster's way as they showed Wasps exactly how to play knockout rugby, Fergus McFadden's try was supported by sustained pressure and had the boot of Ian Madigan been more accurate then the game would have been out of Wasps' reach by half time. However Dai Young's men showed huge character to turn things around after the break, their resurgence was led by Jake Cooper-Wooley, Joe Simpson & the mighty Nathan Hughes. It went down to the wire with Ian Madigan missing another penalty on 77 minutes and then Andy Goode's last gasp drop goal drifted wide. It was a cracking game of rugby for the neutrals, however I'm sure that it was far too emotional for either set of fans! 

At the same time in the South of France Harlequins did everything possible to keep their European hopes alive as they ran in seven tries and secured the bonus point victory in the snow. Nick Easter once again pushed his International credentials with 15 carries and 60 meters. Castres fall from the upper echelons of the Top 14 has been difficult to watch and the end of their European journey continues their woes. Castres should be fairly happy with their 89% tackle success however elsewhere they didn't shape up in particular at scrum time as they delivered a measly 67% scrum success rate. 

At Franklin’s Gardens the Northampton Saints had a tough day at the office against a focused and quite simply rampant Racing Metro side. Due the draw at the Ricoh Arena both sides knew that they had qualified and that the game was all about securing home Quarter Final advantage however for one of the first times this year Mallinder's men failed to turn up at home. Jamie Roberts was the stand out performer in a Racing side that showcased it's class and intensity whilst his Welsh International colleague George North was the go to man for the home side. I'm pretty sure based on this game Warren Gatland was at home in his slippers smiling whilst all England fans got a few butterflies of the nervous variety! Racing's performance was one of the stand outs of the tournament so far... sadly for Saints it was a European day to forget and worrying to see Tom Wood picking up a knock so close to the 6 Nations. 

At the Kingspan Stadium the Leicester Tigers also had a tough time of it as their inconsistency came back to haunt them. Ulster’s Craig Gilroy was the stand out meter maker for the home side that salvaged some pride after a difficult run of form in the competition. Darren Cave's hat-trick must be applauded as Ulster secured the bonus point that Leicester had made the journey to Belfast in search of. It awful to see Geoff Parling limping off early on and that is another worry for Stuart Lancaster with Courtney Lawes and Joe Launcbury both already out of the 6 Nations. Adam Thompstone's try was a cracker but it was of little consolation as they failed to really sing and their European hopes are squashed for another year. 

The Rec was treated to an absolute nail biter as Bath stuttered to begin with but ultimately overcame a Glasgow Warriors side that gave it everything. Gregor Townsend's men matched Bath in terms of their physicality which is no mean feat given the power houses contained with our Premiership team. Finn Russell continued to excel and his try saving tackle along with Sean Maitland on Anthony Watson epitomised their collective heart. Bath overcame first half nerves in order to deliver sustained pressure until the end and it was fitting that Francois Louw was the man to have the final word on proceedings. Francois is a giant of the game and Bath now continue on their European journey slightly albeit slightly battered and bruised follow this game. 

The Sale Sharks took a slightly depleted side to at Thomond Park to face Munster. It was always going to be a tough task as Munster were on the largest of all bounce backs after their humiliation last weekend. Sale put together some rugby however the might of Paul O'Connell and feet of Simon Zebo were just two of the factors that combined together to put 65 points on the board and provided the home fans with something to smile about after a difficult few months. 

At the Stade Marcel-Michelin Clermont did what they are famous for, they cut their opposition, Saracens, down early and never looked back. Nick Abenadnon delivered an outstanding performance and his first half try was world class. It was a physical old match however it did loose a little of it's bite in the second half, Saracens will have been disappointed to not have found their stride during the 80 minutes however qualification was all that mattered and that was done and dusted prior to kick  off. A concern for all England fans as Owen Farrell limped off with what looked like a niggly knee injury and left the stadium on crutches. It was always going to be tough in the south of France and Saracens will feel disappointed in their display. 

Following the final whistle the qualifiers were confirmed and EPC delivered the draw for the home Semi Finals. From a Quarter Final perspective all of our Premiership sides travel away from home and there are some huge match ups; Saracens at away in Paris against Racing Metro, Wasps travel to last season's Champions Toulon, the Northampton Saints have the task of silencing the Stade Marcel-Michelin against Clermont and finally Bath head to Leinster. 

The matches will take place on the 3/4/5 April and it will be a tough, tough weekend for our Aviva Premiership sides however an exciting one. The kick off times will be confirmed over the course of the week when the TV scheduling has been confirmed between BT Sport & Sky Sports

After that the Semi Finals will be played at Toulon's Stade Felix Meyol or Wasps' Ricoh Arena and the second Semi Final will be in France at Clermont's fortress or here in Northampton. 

Aviva Premiership Rugby Does Europe - Round 6 (Champions Cup)

Welcome along to the final round of the group stages of the brand spanking new European Competition and what a round it is expected to be as only one side has already qualified for the knock out stages, Toulon and even they will need to play some rugby this weekend to guarantee a home quarter final.

The new structure has meant that dead rubber games are few and far between; indeed four out of our seven Aviva Premiership Clubs have their European destinies very much alive; Wasps, Saracens, Bath and the Northampton Saints. The Tigers' and Harlequins' chances of progression are slimmer and are dependent on other results whilst the Sale Sharks’ competition is over after recording four losses to date. 

Dublin was a big game, the Ricoh will be huge!!

The weekend kicks off at the Ricoh Arena where Wasps take on Leinster in a winner takes all clash to top Pool 2. Wasps are the form team in the group having smashed Harlequins in their own turf last weekend and will aim to make history one of the first sides ever to have lost their first two games and still qualify, Bath could be the other. Leinster’s Jimmy Gopperth will want to show his new team what they are getting and you expect Captain Jamie Heaslip to be colossal and lead from the front. Wasps' defensive prowess was outstanding last weekend led by Haskell, more of the same is anticipated. Both sides have exciting backs that are bursting with talent and it promises to be one hell of a battle to start the weekend, in front of a packed house at the Ricoh Arena. Key Premiership Man - Captain Haskell - another Dallaglio espque performance to lead the side to it's greatest victory in years...

At the same time Harlequins will be aiming to put 5 tries past Castres at the Stade Pierre Antoine in order to cling on to a faint hope of qualifying. The match against Wasps last weekend hurt Joe Marler's side for having had the majority of the possession and territory the scoreboard looked like a bad dream. Nick Evans returns to the starting XV and he will make his first start since 7th December, Nick is an outstanding rugby player and his inclusion will boost the entire side. Out wide another impact man, Charlie Walker, starts on the Wing. History tells us that Charlie thrives in Europe and particularly against French opposition, his tries against Racing & Clermont last year were first class and with maximum points being the objective his contribution could be vital. Going for broke is the name of the game for Conor O'Shea's team, then they must rely on others' results. Key Premiership Man - Nick Easter - to set the tone physically for the side and enjoy the space Castres should provide him to turn heads with his all around fitness and skill set

Big team performance expected at FG

The next stop on the European Road is Franklin’s Gardens where the Northampton Saints host Racing Metro in another straight shoot out to top a group, this time Pool 5. This game is a chance for revenge for Mallinder's men as in Round 1, in Paris they didn't deliver. The atmosphere will be electric as the home fans aim to intimidate Dimitri Szarzewski’s men as much as possible. Discipline will be king for the home side, I'm not pointing any fingers but every single person must be squeaky clean, as Nigel Owens won’t stand for any nonsense and they must have 15 men on the field at all times against such a side as Racing. It is a mark of the quality of the Saints that I expect them to deliver a solid victory and if I was a betting lady I’d put a few pounds on George North scoring at least once during the 80 minutes. Key Premiership Man - Stephen Myler - to push his side into all of the right places & take every point on offer.

At the Kingspan Stadium Ulster host the Leicester Tigers, the Tigers must take the same focus and precision that they put into their game against the Scarlets and deliver over the water. Ulster are in the unfamiliar position of not being able to qualify for the knock outs, injuries have ravaged the side during the course of the competition however a lot of pride is at stake and captain Rory Best will drive his side to deliver on home soil. Leicester have boosted their starting front row with the return of Marcos Ayerza and Tom Youngs and Freddie Burns retains the 10 shirt over Owen Williams. Leicester, like Harlequins are dependent on other matches if they are to qualify, focus will be the name of the game at the Kingspan. Key Premiership Man - Tom Youngs - a rock solid throwing performance & scrum time proficiency will deliver exactly what Leicester require

After a few hours of sleep the action continues on Sunday and the first point of interest is The Rec as Bath and the Glasgow Warriors clash in Pool 4. It is imperative that our Premiership side win this fixture to give them the chance of progressing however even a win may not be enough due to losing their first two matches in the competition. I believe that if Toulouse beat Montpellier the winner of this game could go through as a runner up, but isn't 100% guaranteed to. Bath go into the game bursting with confidence after last weekend's stunning performance at Toulouse and their match day 23 is hugely impressive. The Warriors have been one of the surprises of the competition however I expect Bath to show that their loss at Scotsun earlier in the competition was a one off. Key Premiership Man - Jonathan Joseph - to ignite proceedings for his side and continue to push his own International cause

Musnter welcome the Sale Sharks to Thomond Park in a battle for pride as both sides cannot progress through to the knock out rounds. Muster will be on the bounce back after a humiliation at Allianz Park last weekend whist Sale will head to Ireland in search of putting down a huge marker by beating a side drenched in history like Munster. The giant Munster men all had bad days lastt weekend, even the great Paul O’Connell, so all of that frustration will be channelled into a physical offering at home. The Sharks travel to Ireland without Danny Cipriani, I expect Steve Diamond has rested Danny ahead of a huge week in the England Camp and for that I salute him. Nick Maclead steps into the 10 shirt and Sale have a relatively inexperienced bench however let's see what they can do with no pressure on their shoulders. Key Premiership Man - Captain David Seymour to guide his less experienced men through the intense atmosphere of Thomond Park.

The weekend ends as the competition started with ASM Clermont Auvergne and Saracens clashing together with seismic force. Saracens have won the last two meetings and head to the Stade Marcel Michelin in search of the magic hat trick but we all know that Clermont don’t lose at home... it just doesn't happen! The winner of the clash is guaranteed to progress into the next round and losing bonus points will be vital but even they might not be enough for both sides to progress. It is the ultimate test for Saracens who are fielding a full strength side with bags and bags of experience,  and they'll need every ounce of it to overcome one of the giants of French rugby. Seeing these two tremendous sides battling it out will be a fitting way to end what promises to be an outrageously large weekend of European action. Key Premiership Man - Brad Barritt deliver the physicality he is famous for, in all honesty in a game of this magnitude Saracens' need 15 key men

Safe Hands - England Rugby

One of the qualities that I admire most about the England management is their honesty when it comes to selection rationale and the manner in which they conduct themselves. At all times Stuart and his team always speak openly and honestly about their decisions, they do not shy away from the challenging questions like some International head coaches and always remain dignified in victory or defeat. Indeed I’m sure that you are all aware of the huge respect that I have for our England coaches, that was plainly evident when I expressed my delight at their contracts being renewed for such a substantial period of time, and with this article I wanted to elaborate on why. 

This year the management team will be under great scrutiny, greater than any of them have ever experienced before and they must deal with that and continue to make rationale and  substantial decisions that will ultimately impact the history of our game. With those factors in mind it was phenomenal to see the air of calm and confidence that the coaching team exuded on Wednesday at Twickenham. This confidence was not arrogance, instead just the air of management team that appear to be satisfied with the position that their team is at currently and one that knows exactly what it needs to do to progress towards that huge milestone that is Friday 18th September and a home Rugby World Cup. 

Over the course of a hour the team shared their thoughts and feelings on all topics from the inclusion of Sam Burgess into the Saxons to the progression of Captain Chris Robshaw’s overall game. The team also shared how they handled selection from a people management perspective; during the course of Tuesday Stuart, Andy, Mike & Graham made over 70 phone calls to players that were in the squads, moving between squads or just missing out on squads in order to clearly explain why and to provide constructive rationale and feedback. That to me is best practice people management and it is exactly what you want from our elite coaches for over the coming months there will be some tough decisions to take that require careful management  There will be players that will be dropped in favour of others and they may or may not be recalled and the management of  relationships and the overall squad dynamic will be as critical to success as developing a clear and consistent game plan and style of rugby. Of course some responsibility falls with the players however the letter of the law transcends from the top and the time that this coaching team has taken to develop the culture of this squad from where it was post 2011 is paying dividends. 

The purpose of this article was not to scrutinise the selection decisions made on Wednesday morning but instead to praise the individuals that often are blamed for the bad as opposed to praised for the work that they have already put into developing England to date. As I alluded to at start of the article I cannot think of better hands for England to be in, during this, the biggest year in the history of English rugby. In summary, whatever happens over the coming months I stand by the statement that Stuart Lancaster and his team will do absolutely everything in their power and leave no stone unturned to ensure that England are in the best shape possible to take on the challenge of a home Rugby World Cup.

England Senior Training Squad

At 11am yesterday Stuart Lancaster addressed the sporting media for the first time in this, the most important year in the history of England Rugby, as he clearly and precisely explained his England Rugby Training Squad and Saxons Squad. The intricacies of the EPS arrangement meant that the top level is a ‘Training Squad’ and essentially it comprises of the players that are fit and available to play this set of matches for the RBS 6 Nations. Naturally given injuries, short and medium term ones, there are other men that will wear the Red Rose of England during the course of the year, however for now we are focused firmly on the 34 in the training squad.  

So the question is what does this training squad tell us about the position of England Rugby on 21st January 2015? In short it displays a pleasing consistency following on from the QBEs as well as overall highlighting the quality of English Rugby in totality for as Stuart described this is the 'strongest Saxons squad that he has been involved with'. The Out On The Full Saxons spotlight will be on the way shortly. Today at the home of English Rugby Stuart looked confident and calm like a man that is settled with his game plan and with the men that he has selected to go into camp. I've never hidden the fact that I am a huge Stuart Lancaster fan and right now with the World Cup on the horizon I wouldn't want anyone else in charge of our squad. 

Focusing on the Training Squad itself, it is clear that England have an abundance of riches in the forwards and this is truly one of our USPs in comparison to any other squad in world rugby right now. England’s dominance up front was one of the greatest positives to come out of the Autumn tests and the reintroduction of 5 British and Irish Lions and a man that has 251 Club appearances, Nick Easter only adds to this. Nick’s recent form and the importance of having specialist 8s merits his selection and Stuart believes Nick will ‘add real value and experience’ at a time in which a few old heads will be critical given the pressure on the squad as a whole. 

Another man whose ongoing inclusion is more than merited by his recent form is Jonathan Joseph, JJ was part of the autumn squad as injury cover for Manu, however this time his place is his own. Stuart clearly acknowledged the strides that JJ has taken to improve the areas of his game stating also he felt were lacking, notably the Bath man's defensive prowess, and it is clearly evident that Jonathan Joseph now looks like the player that we all expected him to be when he burst onto the scenes. 

There are players now, JJ and Nick included, that have one aim and one aim only, to produce such form in camp that they give Stuart, Andy, Mike and Graham no choice but to force themselves into the starting line up. Stuart made it clear today that it is in camp is where the competition starts, it is the players’ time to shine and the place in which he and his coaches can get their hands on them. England are in such a fortunate position to have such depth in all areas of the park however we all know that now is the time for players to put on that shirt, make it their own and don’t let it go until the 31st October when the World Cup Final finishes. The coming few weeks are colossal, for individuals and for the team as a whole. 

As a collective what must England deliver? It is no secret that a Grand Slam is what we all believe that this squad needs, the belief and confidence that it would bring is vital to reignite that upward trajectory. During the course of last year’s RBS 6 Nations we witnessed Robshaw and his men up their performance levels up a notch each time that they played together, the start against France wasn’t ideal but the manner in which they build game on game raised the bar of expectation. Now, in a World Cup year, they must do the same, their performance levels must increase however more than at any other point in time the results matter too… 

England Announcement - Hot Off The Press

This morning Stuart Lancaster announced his England Senior Training Squad and England Saxons Squad prior to the first RBS 6 Nations match versus Wales and the Saxons fixture against the Irish Wolfhounds. If you look across the list of names there are some familiar ones; Chris Robshaw will captain the side throughout the tournament and no less than 6 British and Irish Lions return to add to our embarrassment of riches up front; Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola and Tom Croft as a Saxon. There are some 'new' names that enter the fray, Stuart's hand has undoubtedly been guided by injuries to key men; Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes and notably Ben Morgan however the inclusion of Nick Easter, Geoff Parling and Graham Kitchener are of course welcome. 

The Saxons squad showcases the wealth of talent that our country houses and contains men that have been really pushing their own causes hard in the first thirteen rounds of the Aviva Premiership and five rounds of Europe. The headlines obviously will focus around the immediate inclusion of Sam Burgess however if you look into the depth of the squad you will see some new names including Ollie Devoto, Ross Harrison and Maro Itoje. 

58 names form part of this announcement, naturally following a colossal final weekend in Europe there could be changes due to injuries however we pray to the rugby gods that these are minimal to non-existent. 

Now it is time to digest the list below and a full Out On The Full England Spotlight will be coming later, including Stuart and his team's insight on their selection decisions, rationale and expectations for the forthcoming tournament. 

England Senior Training Squad

Forwards; Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)  Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)  Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers) Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints) Nick Easter (Harlequins) Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)  James Haskell (Wasps) Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers) George Kruis (Saracens)  Joe Marler (Harlequins)  Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers) Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, Captain)  Billy Vunipola (Saracens)  Mako Vunipola (Saracens)  David Wilson (Bath Rugby) Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)    

Backs; Brad Barritt (Saracens)  Mike Brown (Harlequins)  Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints) Danny Care (Harlequins)  Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks) Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby) Owen Farrell (Saracens)  George Ford (Bath Rugby)  Alex Goode (Saracens)  Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)  Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)  Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)  Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby) Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens) Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)  

England Saxons Squad

Forwards; Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons) Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers) Christian Day (Northampton Saints)   Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs) Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs) Matt Garvey (Bath Rugby) Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks) Maro Itoje (Saracens) Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby) Matt Mullan (Wasps)  Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby) Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs) Alex Waller (Northampton Saints) Rob Webber (Bath Rugby)

Backs; Chris Ashton (Saracens) Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby) Elliot Daly (Wasps) Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby) Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, Captain) Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors) Joe Simpson (Wasps)  Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) Marland Yarde (Harlequins) Christian Wade (Wasps)

Nordoff Robbins 6 Nations Dinner

Rugby and music, two things that you may not immediately put together, perhaps rugby and mud are better bed fellows however every year Nordoff Robbins prove that the former fit together as seamlessly as the latter at their 6 Nations Dinner. The dinner is always held in honour of a particular player and of course highlights the superb work that the charity does across the country. As you'll know here at Out On The Full I like to highlight some of the off the field events and charities associated with our great game and Nordoff Robbins is one. 

Personally I came into contact with the 6 Nations Dinner before the days of Out On The Full when I attended three years ago and I was immediately taken with the work that Nordoff Robbins do and how it can make a phenomenal difference to the lives of individuals that previously thought that progress wasn't possible. 

This year's dinner marked the 20th Anniversary of the event and the man in the spotlight was none other than Harlequins' Nick Easter. Nick has 250 plus Harlequins appearances to his name and 47 England caps, whether he will add to that from an International perspective remains to be seen however for Harlequins he continues to defy his age. Nick is one of a number of rugby players and stars that are fully involved with the charity and indeed the lady that kicked off the evening with a beautiful rendition of her own song and the rugby classic Jerusalem, Laura Wright is another. Laura is an ambassador for Nordoff Robbins, indeed she ran her third marathon for them last year and continues to promote their work whenever she can. 

It wouldn't have been a rugby dinner without Martin Bayfield leading proceedings and a few stories and antidotes from some of the famous faces there... Ugo Monye kick started proceedings with a 'choice' story that involved a European trip, Nick Easter being grabbed during the match where he'd prefer not to have been and the prank that followed after. Needless to say the audience loved it, Nick wished that Ugo had chosen a different story and Martin just smiled! Once the ice was broken Nick's rugby achievements were praised, England Women's Captain Katy McClean relived their World Cup Glory, Chris Robshaw looked ahead to the 2015 World Cup and Will Greenwood provided some superb insight. However there was one lady that stole the show and that was the mother of a young boy who is receiving music therapy from Nordoff Robbins, her story brought home to us all the very real impact Nordoff Robbins and their music therapists can have on real peoples lives. She didn't sugar coat it or gloss it up, instead she explained how music therapy helped her son make his first ever sound after thinking that she may never hear the sound of his voice. It was emotional and humbling for even the largest of rugby players in the room. 

Nordoff Robbins continues to work tirelessly to change lives and their Rugby Dinner is just one of a whole host of phenomenal events that they put on annually. It is an event that has a huge 'do not miss' sign parked on it for every year the room is filled with current and former players enjoying themselves and supporting a superb charity. You know it is a great night when Jeremy Guscott is on the table next to you and he is kick starting drinking games and Victor Ubogu is dishing out tickets to the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final as raffle prizes left, right and centre. I hope that this has given you a feel for a what is always a stunning rugby dinner and has brought to your attention the work of the superb charity it is held in honour of, Nordoff Robbins.

All Images (C) Dean Fardell

The Right Time To Shine - Champions Cup Round 5

Round 5 was always going to be a huge one for the European Competition as we race towards the business end of proceedings. Naturally we had high expectations for our Aviva Premiership sides given the quality of the competition over the last few weeks however I don't think that any of us expected them to shine quite as brightly as they did!

 

(C) Onside Images

On Friday Night Leicester knew that they needed a bonus point victory in order to keep their hopes alive and instead being overawed and daunted by the prospect it gave them a sense of purpose. The Tigers scored no less than 6 tries and attacked the game with gusto although I'm sure that Cockers will have given his side a small ear bashing for switching off slightly towards the end. Freddie Burns superbly stepped up to the mark at fly half, having enjoyed limited game time over the past few weeks and up front Leicester delivered against a slightly depleted Scarlets' pack. It was a great day for the Youngs brothers as Tom scored 2 tries and Ben delivered a proficient performance at scrum half. 

 

On Saturday afternoon Saracens had the difficult task of hosting Munster in a Pool 1 clash. Munster’s European credentials go without saying and they have beaten Saracens on five of the last six occasions that they have met however this weekend Saracens meant business from the first whistle. In short they blew Munster to smithereens and made Paul O’Connell’s side look like school boys. Billy Vunipola was in phenomenal form, he smashed everything in sight and carried like his life depended on it, surely he’s now a dead cert to head back into the England squad for the 6 Nations. Munster hearts are huge and to their credit they never gave up however it was their own inaccuracies and basic errors that hurt them. Saracens head into the find round of the group stages looking stronger than they have done all season however Clermont and Stade Marcel-Michelin awaits! Enjoy all the photos from Allianz Park here

At the AJ Bell Stadium Sale put in an admirable performance against the French giants Clermont Auvergne however the boot of Camille Lopez kept the scoreboard ticking away from them. Mr Sale himself, Dan Braid, delivered a Captains performance 10 carries and 12 tackles during the course of the game whilst their speedsters Nick MacLeod and Tom Arscott put in the hard yards. However Sale were missing a crucial ingredient, the man in the fifteen shirt for the opposition, Nick Abendanon who eclipsed the rest with ease generating 16 carries and 120 meters. It was a competitive and honourable performance from Steve Diamond's men that continue to push themselves in terms of their output however against the experience and class of Clermont they didn't have quite enough and will be looking to develop a slightly thicker skin and again learn from the European defeat.

(C) Paler Images

On Saturday night two of our Aviva Premiership sides went head to head against each other in a winner takes all contest at The Stoop. Wasps arrived with a point to prove as over the past few meetings Harlequins have been the team that they just cannot finish off. Physically it was a brutal game, James Haskell led his side from the front as he put in a shift reminiscent of the great Lawrence Dallaglio, elsewhere Joe Simpson had yet another stormer and Nathan Hughes continued to make us count down the days until he is qualified to play for England, 524 days exactly!! For the home side Danny Care took three tap penalties that due to Wasps' heroic defence produced zero points and in spite of their intent and the introduction of Nick Evans, who exuded class, they were overpowered by Dai Young's men. Wasps press on and will host Leinster in their all important Round 6 match whilst for Quins it is a consolation trip to the Stade Pierre Antoine in the South of France.

 

Team Selfie (@DomDay5)

Bath Rugby had the unenviable task of visiting the Stade Ernest Wallon and needing to return with nothing less than a bonus point victory. Toulouse don't lose at home, it just doesn't happen, however Bath turned up and absolutely smashed them out of the park. Mike Ford talked about 'playing with tempo' and going for the bonus point from the offset and boy did they do that with 3 superb tries in the first half. Toulouse, as you'd expect came back with force in the second, George Ford's try saving tackle was one of the best you'll see and then Jonathan Joseph stepped up and made a break any that any All Black would be happy with, surely International recognition is ahead. In short it was one of the best European performances from an Aviva Premiership side away from home in a very, very long time... absolutely outstanding.

 

(C) Claire Jones

In the final game of the weekend with Aviva Premiership representation the Northampton Saints headed to Wales to face Ospreys. Jim Mallinder's men were made to work hard against an Ospreys side that showed exactly why they are leading the Pro12 at this moment in time. It didn't quite have the delight and intensity of Bath's game in Toulouse but it was a day for the work horses up front as Saints dominated and Sam Dickinson excelled thoroughly deserving his Man of the Match Award. The game tees up a clash of the titans at Franklin's Gardens next weekend against Racing Metro however the home side will be without Ben Foden who left the field with a nasty looking knee injury, of course we wish him all the best in his recovery. Saints will be satisfied with the win, but a small amount of frustration will niggle inside them that they couldn't deliver a bonus point victory.