By Kath 19/1103 - 1945 GMT
November 19 2003

Josh talks to Zurich about the French match and sharing a glass of champagne with Jason Leonard after he became the most-capped rugby union player

For immediate release: 19 November 2003
Issued on behalf of Zurich

Josh Lewsey on www.zurichpremiership.com and in Metro

At last, the week we have worked for has arrived.  The sweat, toil and nerves over the past few months have all been for this Saturday night when we come face-to-face with Australia in the World Cup Final.  And I can imagine the thought of playing the world champions in their own backyard is a mouth-watering prospect even for the non-rugby connoisseur.

Sunday's game against France was not pretty but we played the conditions and did what was needed to win.  No doubt there will be the snide comments about the lack of aesthetically-pleasing football but in such treacherous conditions, games are won by the team that masters the basics.

It was a slight shame that after travelling halfway around the world, we ended up playing our neighbours in a downpour. Nonetheless, I was delighted to have the opportunity to prove my fitness after a hamstring injury but more notably to be part of a team that answered the critics who were hounding us a week earlier.  We are, however, aware if we come second at the
weekend then we have achieved nothing.  It is a sad fact but history is written by winners.  Considering Australia have won the World Cup twice before and their overall sporting success is phenomenal, it would be a nice change for England to write the next chapter in this competition.

After beating France the delight in the dressing-room was soon forgotten as we soberly returned to the hotel for one last week of hard graft. But the squad did share a glass of champagne with Jason Leonard after he became the most-capped rugby union player of all-time following his appearance as a replacement.

That is a huge achievement in itself but he is also one of the great characters in the game. For a guy who has seen such a transition in the sport, he still retains the humbling qualities which make him so unique. Although fitness and conditioning are vital to our preparations, it is a warming sight to see Jase's warm-up still consists of munching half a pack of Haribo!  What does astound me, though, is no matter how quickly I get back to the dressing-room after a game, there are never any left!

One of the most difficult things about being based in the beautiful surroundings of Manly is avoiding all the frivolities which go with a hotel. We are ten metres from the beach. But after such a long period of preparation, it is essential to stay out of the energy-sapping sun. The time for enjoyment is next Sunday, when hopefully all our hard work and sacrifice over the years has been realised.

Josh Lewsey