Unofficial England Rugby welcomes back one of our earlier writers Antonia (Toni to many). Toni went off to college in September 2003 to study media, and had little time to write and gradually contributions to both our site and the Tigers site became steadily more and more irregular.  But she is back!

Toni is a very talented young lady and has the knack of getting her point over in a very frank, and forthright way.  She has developed many web sites and has now once again linked up with www.unofficialenglandrugby.co.uk   Her website The Critic is well worth a visit.  Toni will of course no doubt upset some of you but why not rise to the challenge and duel with her in words because as Toni states she would love to hear from you regarding her views.  So in true Paul Daniels style some of you will like this - not a lot!

"The Poisoned Chalice"

So it hasn’t been the Six Nations England fans were hoping for. In fact, it probably hasn’t been the Six Nations England fans ever dreamt could happen. Step back and look at the final table… did that really happen? Did we really only notch up non-to-great victories against Italy and Scotland?   The answer, of course, is yes. It wasn’t a bad dream, it was reality, and that seems to be the problem. Where, one must ask, did it all go wrong? What caused this monstrous Six Nations display? Aren’t England supposed to be World Champions?

England have tumbled a long way from the top of the perch they occupied on November 22nd 2003. A very, very long way. The road to victory was difficult enough, but the road back from victory seems to be reducing England to tatters. Something is, very, very wrong.

But what? What has happened? Well, I’m going to try and find some answers to those very good questions. An examination, a testimonial, call it what you will; this is a story about a poisoned chalice.  It would be easy to blame it on the players. They’re under performing, they don’t want it enough, they’re living in the comfort zone. All valid points, but in reality, those selected for England aren’t suddenly going to decide not to play well, are they? The rugby player is a competitive beast, and they would have wanted to win every game.

So no, I’m discounting that theory to start with. You can’t blame the current England team’s performances on the players; I’m afraid that excuse just doesn’t come out in the wash. The media may well love to destroy any player who so much as drops a pass, but we supporters shouldn’t.

However, releasing that anger against the players may be difficult for some. So, let me provide you with an outlet for that angst. Andy Robinson. You’ve got a problem with the players? Send it to Robbo The Coach.

Now, let’s be clear, I don’t like Andy Robinson. His eyes are too close together, he lacks charisma and he seems to be completely devoid of Clive Woodward’s natural charm. Also, Robinson is a former Bath man, and as a Tigers supporter, that’s pretty much unforgivable.   I can, however, concede that Robinson is probably a good coach. He was, according to the dearly departed Woodward, instrumental in England’s World Cup victory and he’s also been on a (losing) Lions tour. So he must be doing something right; I refuse to believe he landed the England job by default alone.

Well, it’s fair to say he didn’t get the job due to his excellent man management skills. For readers who hero-worship any player or coach, look away now, I’m about to begin a character assassination.

I present to the jury, the case of Mathew Tait. Little Mathew loved playing rugby for the Newcastle Falcons, and he was pretty darn good at it too! Imagine Mathew’s delight at discovering he’d been selected for the 2005 Six Nations. My, he was only 18!       

Then he had a less than perfect game against Wales and got dropped. From the squad.

Well done, Andy! Here, come and accept that “Best Man Manager” trophy I’ve stolen from Clive Woodward!

It’s easy to be flippant. It’s easy to joke. Yet the reality is; Andy Robinson dropped a young, inexperienced, green and easily influenced 18-year-old player who didn’t do that much wrong. One confidence destroyed, straight up.      There is no laughing matter there. Rugby, we are told, is 90% mental and 10% physical. Poor Mathew Tait. The undeserving scapegoat for what was a lacklustre England performance. Whether or not he recovers is yet to be seen, but having witnessed his display against Tigers a week later, I’d say he’s got a way to go.

Then there is the question of selection, another key part of the head coach’s performance. It is followed by several key questions.

WHY was Charlie Hodgson continually selected, when Andy Goode is totally on form and ready for his international debut? WHY bother starting Harry Ellis if all you’re going to do is bring Matt Dawson on after 50 minutes (“hey, Harry, I can’t drop you because of what happened with Mathew Tait, so I’m going to let you play for 50 minutes but when it gets serious I’m sending the big guns in.”) ? WHY select Steve Thompson, who has been totally useless since the World Cup final? WHY select Matt Stevens when he wasn’t even first choice at Bath?

Okay, I’ll admit the last one worked out okay. Yet the rest remain a mystery, particularly the case of Steve Thompson. A few years ago, there was no better hooker. Great player. Smashing. Now he’s… well, there’s no nice way to put it, really. I think ‘utter crap’ sums it up.

I cannot fathom why players like Tait get dropped, yet Thompson retains his shirt. It is a mixed message. By dropping Tait, Robinson is declaring “you are only going to get selected on merit!”, but by retaining Steve Thompson, he’s saying the opposite: “if you’ve been here awhile, don’t worry, your shirt is safe”.

So what can I blame next? Ah, the old chestnut: retirements. Since the World Cup, there have been several key resignations from the England team and this was surely going to affect England’s performance. That was to be expected. You cannot lose players like Martin Johnson, Neil Back and Jason Leonard and not feel the squeeze.

The once so highly thought of England strength in depth is in tatters. Once upon a time, there was a huge amount of depth in English rugby. Now, through a mixture of foreign signings, the first choice players retiring and injury, that strength in depth has vanished. This perhaps explains my Steve Thompson point: was there really anyone good enough to take over, no matter how dismal he was?  (I still maintain that someone else – namely George Chuter – should have at least been given a chance).

So yes, England have been ravaged by retirement and injury, severely depleting their squad. That is never easy. Added on to the fact the resignation of Sir Clive, it is perhaps a disaster waiting to happen.  For that is what the 2005 Six Nations was. A disaster, that was no longer being waited upon, but had arrived. Wales are the real Northern contenders now. The crown has slipped; England are World Champions in name only.

It can be turned around, the rot can be stopped eventually. But not if this England team and management continue as they are. Continuing down a doomed path is never going to end in silverware. 

I, of course, have some rescue remedies. Now, kids, these aren’t available in shops, but nevertheless, read with care.

They had a strict “Radical” warning placed on them.

1. Get rid of Andy Robinson as head coach. Keep his as a forwards coach, but introduce someone else who has a clue about man management as head coach. I’m not entirely sure who, but I’d prefer it to be someone who is currently coaching a Zurich side and who is English. So, John Wells or Nigel Melville?

2. Get rid of Steve Thompson, or at least drop him so he understands the shirt isn’t always his.

3. Establish a centre partnership that know and understand each other. Let’s assume Mike Tindall will probably walk back into the England squad; he should be partnered with someone young, talented and fresh. Ollie Smith or Jamie Noon, perhaps. Then make sure they get to know each other and train as a unit, not as separate players. The centre partnership is crucial, and players must understand each other.

4. If it is decided that Harry Ellis is the way forward, drop Matt Dawson for good and give Ellis a chance. He’s never going to learn if he keeps being hauled off after 50 minutes, so drop him in at the deep end and make him deal with it.

5. Even if Jonny “Injury” Wilkinson comes back, keep Martin Corry as captain. Wilkinson is a bit of a mess at the moment, and he needs to ease back into England duty. One would imagine that’d be nigh-on impossible as captain, and Corry did a stellar job.

6. STOP playing Jason Robinson at sodding fullback. Wing, fantastic. Even centre, go for it. Not fullback. He’s crap. Josh Lewsey is the way to go.

7. Don’t treat the next years’ worth of games as anything important. Use them as development games; set targets (e.g. win 95% of lineout ball) and just try to match them. Don’t force a team that isn’t ready.

8. Operate an honest policy. Players should be selected on merit alone; sod their reputations, this is about blooding young players.

9. Insist all Zurich Premiership teams be captained by an Englishman. It is the English league, for God’s sake. Enough of this getting a foreign guy in and handing him the captaincy (cough – Northampton – cough). We need leadership experience on all areas of the field and in all positions.

10. Disallow players being allowed to advertise anything or appear on TV (Mr. Dawson, are you listening?) during the on season. Off season, let them do what they want, but the on season is focus on rugby time. Not focus-on-getting-my-big-eared-head-on-TV time. 11. Stop thinking that they’re World Champions. It’s a new day, a new era and something different is beginning. The old days were great, but they’re gone.

So that is my solution. I would absolutely love to hear what other people think, so please feel free to e-mail me

Toni's website - The Critic

Finally, I would like to wish England the best of luck in the next few years. If handled correctly, the good times will return, but if allowed to continue as they are, it’s downhill all the way boys.

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