Home > Rugby > England's international rugby demise: the thorn in Rob Andrew's side
by David Wiseman on 13 December 2006
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Shambles, disarray, bedlam or chaos. Whatever you call it, English international rugby is one big mess at the moment. Less than 12 months out from the next Rugby World Cup and their title defence looks to be in tatters.
Sir Clive Woodward, the man who steered them to glory in Australia in 2003 - with the help of Jonny Wilkinson's imperious boot - has just come out and said that winning the World Cup was the worst thing that ever happened to the England team. So do they even want to bother to try to win the next one?
The enforced resignation of Woodward's successor Andy Robinson will hopefully be a step in the right direction for them. With the team just about at rock bottom after eight defeats in nine games, you would hope so. A change was in fact long overdue. Robinson's record since taking over from Woodward had been anything but impressive - just nine victories in the 22 matches he was in charge.
Robinson made a lot of mistakes, such as trying to poach too many players from rugby league and poor man-management. His substitutions of captain Martin Corry and Charlie Hodgson were highly unpopular moves with the players as was his confusing team selections.
The man in charge with finding a successor to Robinson is former England fly-half Rob Andrew, the RFU's director of elite rugby. And man, does he have his hands full as he absorbs the pressure to find someone who can turn England's fortunes around.
World rugby needs English rugby to be strong and not the laughing stock it currently is.
Primarily their problem was that, under Robinson, they didn't know the style of rugby they wanted to play. They thought everything that happened in 2003 would continue naturally, ignoring the fact that that team was laden with incredibly-talented individuals who have since retired or are injured.
One good thing for England is that the pressure is off - which will give them more space to rebuild. My opinion as an Australian is that they should take the opportunity to inject some youth into the team - and blood some youngsters with an eye for the future.
What do you think are the answers to England's problems? Who should their next coach be? Were they right to sack Andy Robinson? Leave your comments here...
Comments (4)
by sportcrazy.net on December 13, 2006
"What do you think are the answers to England's problems? Who should their next coach be? Were they right to sack Andy Robinson?" England need a clean sheet at the RFU. I think Francis Baron needs to be magnanamous and step down. He doesn't have the vision to take English rugby to the state where it can begin to repair itself. I think that they should listen to Woodward, the man who has been so successful with English rugby. Unfortunately for their sake, I don't think they'll do any of that! Yes, they were right to sack Robinson. I'm surprised it took so long, given the crazy decisions he seemed to be making. On the other hand, I'm also surprised that Andy performed so poorly with the opportunity available, I thought that coming from success at Bath that he'd have done better. Their new coach should be Eddie Jones or Nick Mallett, but will more likely be Dean Richards. Al - sportcrazy.net
by English rose on December 13, 2006
There's a sense that English sport is in tatters. The fiasco of England at the World Cup -- contrary to all the hype, we were by far and away the worst of the established footballing countries. Then the suicidal performance of the cricket squad, and the abysmal record of the World champion rugby team. In my book we are far too quick to commend our teams when they are successful. They are only truly great when they supply sustained success. This sadly to say just never seems to happen. Honours should only be given after players and teams have demonstrated the ability to get to the top and stay there. Honors in industry are given after proven career worth, not on the basis of a one-off deal.
by nottins on January 05, 2007
i use to believe all this hype about rugby union, but since it went pro it's gone downhill,too many people jumped on the bandwagon after the 2003 world who know nothing about the game thinking they did.ANORAKS
by SAMMY on April 23, 2007
Manchester vs THE loser Chelsea. Manchester u cool and u rool u can beat the loser so easy
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