Rugby World Cuptag:,2008:/3412007-10-15T12:28:33ZMovable Type 3.31Expect a New Englandtag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.274712007-10-15T12:14:52Z2007-10-15T12:28:33ZNow's the time for something different. They won't be able to suffocate and thereby frustrate the Springboks the way they have done to France and Australia....Brian Dick
Now's the time for something different. They won't be able to suffocate and thereby frustrate the Springboks the way they have done to France and Australia.
England have proved all their doubters wrong, including me. I genuinely thought they could have lost to Samoa or Tonga.
But impressive victories over Australia and France have put them within 80 minutes of history and given them the chance to become the first team ever to retain the Webb Ellis Trophy.
To do that they'll have to beat their nemeses, though. South Africa's recent record against England is more than dominant and the manner with which they disposed of them in the Pool match was so comprehensive no one thought they'd meet again.
I don't think Jake White's side will freeze under pressure. If England tear into South Africa around the fringes and target the scrum and lineout they won't have enough.
The teams that have had joy against the Springboks, Fiji and Tonga, have hurt them by attacking with width and pace and England have to find that in their armoury. It'll be hard without Josh Lewsey.
CJ van der Linde and Os du Randt won't be pushovers at the scrum, Percy Montgomery won't make the sort of errors that embarrassed Damien Traille and Butch James is a much more complete player than Barrick Barnes or Lionel Beauxis.
Just for the sake of continuity I'll tip against England once again.
All the Way? No Waytag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.270042007-10-09T12:05:39Z2007-10-09T12:17:48ZAs enjoyable as it was watching England get one over on the Australians, let's not pretend the Red Rose is suddenly in full bloom again....Brian Dick
As enjoyable as it was watching England get one over on the Australians, let's not pretend the Red Rose is suddenly in full bloom again.
I'll admit I was shocked with the way England bullied the Wallabies, I didn't expect them to beat John Connolly's men.
But I don't expect them to beat France either. The hosts are far more rounded team than the Australians and they won't allow themselves to be bashed around up front in the same way.
Thet are a match in the front row, have parity in the second row and more balance in the back row where Thierry Dusautoir is emerging as the best openside in the competition.
Set against this the Corry, Moody, Easter triumvirate lacks the pace and imagination to put sufficient pressure on whoever plays at ten for France.
That means England will have to try and find a way around France and that’s when the problems start to arise. They couldn’t do it against America and found it hard work against Tonga and Samoa.
Their best chance is swapping Josh Lewsey and Jason Robinson. The former has been anonymous shackled to the wing in this tournament and while the latter revels in a broken field it’s not too difficult to contrive a way to allow him to do that from No 11.
Given they lack the innate ambition or skill to outplay the French, they’ll have to resort to Plan A and try to out-muscle them and this time it won’t happen.
Definite Signs of Progresstag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.260162007-09-28T21:45:37Z2007-09-28T21:54:22ZEngland go into the quarter finals with no pressure but some optimism. Tonight's win over Tonga was their most convicing performance in a competitive match since they beat France in the Six Nations....Brian Dick
England go into the quarter finals with no pressure but some optimism. Tonight's win over Tonga was their most convicing performance in a competitive match since they beat France in the Six Nations.
Brian Ashton's team looked much happier in possession, considerably more creative and tactically more astute.
The forwards were off-loading to support runners which was pleasing to see. Nick Easter had a solid game and continued to edge ahead of Lawrence Dallaglio,
The backs looked slightly more dangerous too, Even Mathew Tait got in on the act, though admittedly against a tiring Tongan side. Paul Sackey confirmed his status as the country's pre-eminent winger.
But most pleasing was the performance of Jonny Wilkinson who, goal kicking apart, gave a much more positive account of himself.
The punt to the wing for Sackey's first try required great vision and world class execution and he seemed so much more assured in the pocket.
But for me the axis with Olly Barkley still isn't working. The centre partnership lacks balance.I just don't know what's the best thing to do against Australia. Andy Farrell possibly?
England better but not muchtag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.253142007-09-24T11:42:46Z2007-09-24T11:51:28ZEngland are still in the World Cup after last weekend's win over Samoa but what would have happened if the Pacific Islanders had been able to take their own lineout?...Brian Dick
England are still in the World Cup after last weekend's win over Samoa but what would have happened if the Pacific Islanders had been able to take their own lineout?
The best that can be said about Brian Ashton's team, for we must call it such in the short term at least, is that they were better than they had been in their last two matches.
But the victory over Samoa was not sufficiently convincing to suggest they have any chance of defeating Australia in the quarter finals.
That's assuming they get that far. Am I the only one who can see Tonga providing a stern test?
The Tongans gave South Africa and almighty scare on Saturday and forced Jake White to throw on all of his star names as they kept the match close.
Indeed had they not had a perfectly good try disallowed they could have beaten the Springboks and if they can do that, they are more than capable of seeing off the worst England team since the 1970s.
To me the Wilkinson/Barkley axis in midfield just doesn't have the necessary balance. Neither of them is likely to break through an organised defence.
England have to get away from the pick and drive rubbish into which they inevitably lapse when the going gets tough.
At least the back three is starting to take shape. Josh Lewsey and Paul Sackey are in their best positions and if Jason Robinson gets fit, they will have one of the best trios in the competition. Trouble is, do they know how to use them?
Good to be an Englishman? It's never been worsetag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.249492007-09-19T11:45:20Z2007-09-19T11:53:18ZIn a radio interview earlier this week Graham Rowntree, a member of the England coaching staff, boasted the next two weeks would be good to be an Englishman. How wrong can he be?...Brian Dick
In a radio interview earlier this week Graham Rowntree, a member of the England coaching staff, boasted the next two weeks would be good to be an Englishman. How wrong can he be?
Implicit in his thinking is that with just Samoa and Tonga standing between England and a place in the quarter final of the World Cup, two victories will erase previous misdemeanours.
Yet we should never forget the fact last Friday's humliation by South Africa was worse than anything many people had ever seen.
Worse, in fact, than the home defeat to Argentina last November. Worse than the capitulation at Murrayfield in 2006, indeed worse than anything.
Can anyone remember a more disorganised and guileless England team? Perhaps some of the 70s vintage ran it close but they didn't fall from such lofty perches.
Wins against two of rugby's smaller fry can do nothing but make England thankful they weren't in the same group as Ireland who must play Argentina and France.
Time for a change?tag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.247212007-09-17T10:56:14Z2007-09-17T11:08:46ZAfter Friday night's debacle England will not now defend their world title. Failure to adequately prepare after victory in 2003 has left the current national set up fatally holed beneath the water line – which is why drastic action is...Brian Dick
After Friday night's debacle England will not now defend their world title. Failure to adequately prepare after victory in 2003 has left the current national set up fatally holed beneath the water line – which is why drastic action is needed now.
As much as Brian Ashton is a likeable chap, indeed he remains a talented coach and should be kept within the England set-up at youth/academy level, it is time for something completely fresh.
The Premiership is currently strewn with ambitious and far-sighted young English coaches and at least one of them should be brought in to run the national side.
The leading candidates are Dean Richards, Dean Ryan, Richard Hill and Shaun Edwards – all of whom have the strength of personality to be No 1.
My choice would be Ryan. At Gloucester he has demonstrated the vision and courage to play inexperienced but promising youngsters in a constructive environment.
Yes his recruitment this summer has been about bringing in old heads but one should not forget it was Ryan who put his reputation on the line when he went to places like Leinster with Ryan Lamb, Anthony Allen, Mark Foster and Olly Morgan in his side.
They lost that particular game but England will be better for the experience they picked up facing Messrs O’Driscoll and D’Arcy.
England need to identify the 30 players they want to take forward to the 2011 World Cup, start picking them as soon as possible and get them playing to a modern style.
Ashton’s not the man for that, but he could be the man to develop them.
England up to their necks but South Africa waist deeptag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.243002007-09-12T10:49:04Z2007-09-12T11:10:33ZBrian Ashton's problems just keep mounting. Just in case finding a way to bounce back from Saturday's palsied display wasn't enough, he's now got to do without his playmaker and tighthead prop - who just happens to be his captain...Brian Dick
Brian Ashton's problems just keep mounting. Just in case finding a way to bounce back from Saturday's palsied display wasn't enough, he's now got to do without his playmaker and tighthead prop - who just happens to be his captain too.
But South Africa are without two of their most important players and will have to modify the way they play.
Jonny Wilkinson's ankle hasn't recovered in time and although Olly Barkley has been named in the starting line-up for Friday's match with the Springboks he'll need a fitness test on his hip problem.
That's prompted some fanciful talk about Andy Farrell being slotted in at ten. Here's a guy who is regarded as a novice in union terms and who must be one of the slowest threequarters in English history.
Surely Mike Catt is a much better option, at least he's been there and done it at fly half in international games and he could orchestrate attack and defence much better than Farrell.
Vickery's absence, banned for tripping against the USA, is a classic case of shooting one's own foot. Reflex action it may have been but it was also inexcusable.
The fact that he is the skipper too, however, doesn't really pose Ashton too much of a dilemna. His reign is still in its infancy and with Martin Corry, Jason Robinson and possibly Catt in the side they're not short of leaders.
South Africa's treatment of Samoa in their first game was impressive though far from flawless. It came at a cost too.
The citing and subsequent suspension of Schalk Burger will hit them hard. Without the dynamic blindside in their team they are a much more straightforward proposition.
Burger has the ability to off-load in the tackle that gives the Springboks an added dimension in attack, none of his compatriots share that quality.
Another big loss is Jean de Villiers who marshalls the back line. He's out for the tournament and although his replacement Francois Steyn is a very, very good player, he's also error prone and a couple of charges down the middle might reap rewards.
Can anyone else see England beating the Springboks...?
England woeful but it should be put in context.tag:rugbyworldcup.midlandsblogs.co.uk,2007://341.240732007-09-10T12:34:39Z2007-09-10T12:48:59ZEngland were not the only 'established' team to struggle. Ireland were desperate against Namibia, Scotland were troubled by Portugal, Wales were given a scare by Canada and France actually lost to Argentina. The nature of these smaller nations is that...Brian Dick
England were not the only 'established' team to struggle. Ireland were desperate against Namibia, Scotland were troubled by Portugal, Wales were given a scare by Canada and France actually lost to Argentina.
The nature of these smaller nations is that they don't have the depth to sustain a programme of four games inside three weeks. It was nice while it lasted and has given the competition the perfect kick off but that's it now.
These opening fixtures were the minnows' cup finals and were always going to be when the group favourites were at their most vulnerable.
Does anyone really see Namibia producing the same against both Argentina and France?
Portugal will still be annihilated by the All Blacks and Italy and Canada won't inflict much pain on Australia.
With regards England Ollie Barkley had a good game and was clearly their best player but let's not go too overboard about him.
The fly half simply performed as the rest of his team should have done, with composure and an ability to go off script at the right times.
That does not mean he should be an automatic selection to play South Africa. England have been preparing to face the Springboks since January 1 when Brian Ashton took over.
They have done that expecting Jonny Wilkinson to be fit - rash I know but true nonetheless - and there is every chance that will be the case.
Does the evidence of one game against weak opposition mean Ashton should rip up his plans and pick Barkley instead of a fit Wilkinson? In my opinion, no.