England gets tough as it plans for the World Cup
By Julian Guyer, 13 Aug 2010 Julian Guyer is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- England, Lewis Moody, Martin Johnson, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, Steve Borthwick
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England manager Martin Johnson said it “didn’t get any tougher” than dropping former captain Steve Borthwick from his senior 32 man squad.
But England’s 2003 World Cup captain insisted this was a sign of the “pressure” on his players and that “anyone who thinks they are comfortable in the England 32 won’t be there for very long”.
And as if to prove his point that no-one could take their place for granted, Johnson refused to confirm Lewis Moody as his captain through to next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Back-row forward Moody was handed the captaincy after Borthwick’s knee injury meant the second row missed England’s tour of Australia.
That trip saw Moody become only the second England captain, after Johnson in 2003, to lead England to a Test win over the Wallabies on Australian soil courtesy of a 21-20 victory in Sydney in June.
But Johnson, speaking at a Twickenham training camp for both his senior and Saxons (A) squads, said: “I will not commit to (Moody being captain until the World Cup,
“There is big pressure on guys. Anyone who thinks they are comfortable in the England 32 won’t be there for very long.
“Guys are wondering how they are going to get in. It is very competitive and the best squad we have ever had.”
As for telling Borthwick he was no longer one of his top four second rows, former lock Johnson said: “It doesn’t get any tougher.
“You like to think people get what they deserve and he didn’t get what he deserved.
“We had the conversation and Steve instantly said – ‘I’ll prove you wrong’. That is exactly what you want. He hasn’t whined about it, he hasn’t moaned about it.”
He insisted Borthwick could play himself into contention despite the fine performances in Australia from the likes of Courtney Lawes and Tom Palmer.
“If you are playing better than the number one guy then there is never a time when you haven’t found yourself in the England team.
“Steve knows that and he is keen to get cracking.”
England, beaten finalists in France three years ago, begin the World Cup against Argentina in Christchurch on September 10 next year.
They announced on Wednesday that their final warm-up matches would take place next August against Wales, home and away on August 6 and 13, followed by a clash with Ireland in Dublin on August 27.
But before then they face a gruelling programme of internationals in November, with New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and world champions South Africa all visiting Twickenham on successive weekends.
Then comes the Six Nations, never mind a heavy duty club campaign.
“There won’t be much pause for breath between now and then,” said Johnson.
“We talk about the progression to the World Cup being lots of little steps but we took a big one with the win in Australia.”
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The Crowd Says (11) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- England, Lewis Moody, Martin Johnson, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, Steve Borthwick
August 13th 2010 @ 10:13am
sixo_clock said | August 13th 2010 @ 10:13am | Report comment
If MJ and brains trust can draw any inference about how England Rugby is progressing from the Sydney test then his ability to analyse a game must be questioned.
Seriously, could the Wallabies have played any worse? Our attack was pedestrian, static, our defense was equally as wooden. Coming straight after the Gosford embarrassment I think most Wallaby fans were in despair at that point. The question was “How can this mob ever turn that around?”. To their credit they did, but that will offer England no hope.
It is good to see that in a WC year the NH is hanging on to the same game plan though, ie, run the players into the ground till they are mentally exhausted with Club and 6N commitments and then roll up to claim the trophy they deserve.
August 13th 2010 @ 11:04am
Colin N said | August 13th 2010 @ 11:04am | Report comment
“Seriously, could the Wallabies have played any worse?”
Equally, could England have been any worse in the first test?
“The question was “How can this mob ever turn that around?”. To their credit they did”
I assume you are talking about Australia? Therefore, have they really improved? Yes, they beat Ireland and South Africa. Ireland were poor and South Africa kept to the same plan which served them so well last year which obviously hasn’t been successful this time.
What England did well in the second test was starve the Wallabies of ball, whereas the Springboks just kicked it back to them.
“If MJ and brains trust can draw any inference about how England Rugby is progressing from the Sydney test then his ability to analyse a game must be questioned.”
Well no, because there were several positive things that England could have taken out of the summer tour.
August 13th 2010 @ 3:29pm
sixo_clock said | August 13th 2010 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
For the record could you list any positives for England’s Rugby from that game.
The Wallabies in Sydney may just as well be compared to an under-performing Shute Shield side. Poor opposition makes the player look better than he ought. Most likely MJ was merely providing a quote for the press and the fans.
August 13th 2010 @ 7:11pm
Ben S said | August 13th 2010 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
Australia played badly because England made them look bad. From the first kick-off Quade Cooper was targeted and smashed. England dominated the contact zone as Australia had the week before. That built the platform which faciltated victory. What positives can England take? They dominated the kick-off with a variety of mixed and intelligent kicks. They dominated the tackle and the scrum. Most significantly they played an up-tempo brand of rugby which showed their players are just as skilled, if not more skilled, than the Wallabies, exploiting defensive deficiencies out wide. Really, England looked well coached, purposeful, confident and skilled. When Dean Mumm has the ability to give an inside ball like Tom Palmer did to Chris Ashton then come back to this thread. Oh, and the English side was less experienced than their Wallaby counterparts. That’s another positive. Add that performance to the France performance and you have a youthful side growing in stature.
August 13th 2010 @ 11:42pm
avon flowing said | August 13th 2010 @ 11:42pm | Report comment
Come on Ben S that was a poor game betwen two sides unsure of how to play to the new ways the ruck is being handled, expect England to be belted by the all blacks, australia, win against somoa and belted by the Springboks, you guys need to start playing modern rugby and give up on kick and hope.
August 14th 2010 @ 12:40am
Ben S said | August 14th 2010 @ 12:40am | Report comment
‘you guys need to start playing modern rugby and give up on kick and hope.’
You didn’t even watch the game did you?
August 14th 2010 @ 1:27am
Colin N said | August 14th 2010 @ 1:27am | Report comment
“Come on Ben S that was a poor game betwen two sides unsure of how to play to the new ways the ruck is being handled.”
Australia had more time to adapt to the new interpretations than England did (the whole of the Super 14 infact), yet England were the ones who looked better.
The score would have been wider had the referee spotted a clear knock-on by Genia which led to the second try.
August 14th 2010 @ 1:43am
Viscount Crouchback said | August 14th 2010 @ 1:43am | Report comment
“If you are playing better than the number one guy then there is never a time when you haven’t found yourself in the England team”.
Er… Delon Armitage picked over Foden for most of last year’s 6N? Ugo Monye over Ashton, ditto? Borthers for most of his captaincy when there were better options? Who’s Jonno trying to kid?
August 14th 2010 @ 1:48am
Ben S said | August 14th 2010 @ 1:48am | Report comment
Spot on with Armitage and Monye, but to be fair to Borthwick, he was playing very well in the GP last season. He took Kennedy to the cleaners come lineout time. One thing to recall, however, is that Ashton and Foden have only had one excellent GP season under their belt, and by February we were talking about 15 odd games? It’s not like the entire season had opened out by that point. By and large Johnson has been reasonably quick to drop under-performing players.
August 14th 2010 @ 1:46am
Viscount Crouchback said | August 14th 2010 @ 1:46am | Report comment
Slightly delusional comments from our Australian friends above. The simple fact of the matter is that the best available players in England played four games away from home against the best available players in Australia – and won 2, drew 1 and lost 1. End of story.
August 14th 2010 @ 9:14am
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | August 14th 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Oops computer problems