Brian Smith - England's Guru
 
“Players want to play an exciting and expansive brand of rugby and they want to win. I believe we can do both those things and that’s the sort of game I’m interested in coaching.”
 
And the former Australia and Ireland fly half promised, “Things won’t happen overnight but they certainly will happen. By the end of the November Investec Challenge series there will be an England style of game in place that players will have to fit in to. Hopefully that’s an expansive, attacking approach that’s also very effective.” 

 
Smith wasted no time getting stuck in, spending his first day at Twickenham analysing the impact that the Experimental Law Variations have had in the Southern Hemisphere.

“With the new ELVs there’s a lot happening at the moment. I spent my first day going through footage of the Tri-Nations and Currie Cup games looking at the way teams are deciding to attack and defend under these new laws,” he explained.
 
“With defences now having to stand 5 metres back, clearly there’s a bigger opportunity to get ‘go forward’ from the scrum. That’s what the game is about – getting over gain line. 
 
“Outside of the new scrum law, the biggest challenge is what to do from lineout now you can have as many players as you like. It’s interesting times for those who are students of the game.”
 
Last week saw the final of the RFU’s Tag to Twickenham tournament that has introduced over 20,000 children to rugby union.
 
Run in association with the Child Victims of Crime charity and sponsor YAZOO, 24 primary schools returned to the game’s birthplace – Rugby School - to battle it out for the opportunity to play at Twickenham as a curtain raiser to England’s 2009 RBS 6 Nations encounter with Italy.
 
As patron of the charity, former England Number 8 and Hinckley policeman Dean Richards was at the event. 
 
“You only have to look at what’s happening here to see the benefits,” said the Harlequins boss. “Children are taking up the game and it’s heightening the awareness of the charity. Rugby is my love and passion and it’s wonderful to see so many kids enjoying it for the first time.”
 
RFU YAZOO Tag Rugby Ambassador Mark Cueto was similarly enthusiastic, adding: “Tag is a great game for kids to be involved in, they’re learning the basics of the game and every single on of them is enjoying it. The big carrot for the 300 children here is to play at Twickenham.” 
 
The final saw Sidcup’s Holy Trinity Lamorbey Primary School overcome Winchmore Hill-based Grange Park Primary School and 11-year-old Kent schoolboy Ross Phillips said: “It’s been amazing, awesome, I can’t describe it! The weather’s been wet and miserable but we’re all happy.”
 
For the full interviews, check out the rfu.com podcast every Thursday at www.rfu.com/podcast (from 4pm).