By Kath 18/3/04
April 7 2004

Sir Clive Woodward England's Head Coach talks to Zurich's Andrew Titheridge about England's disappointment, responsibilities and Tonking??

For immediate release: 18 March 2004
Issued on behalf of Zurich

Zurich Report with Clive Woodward
Speaking exclusively on www.zurichpremiership.com

Andrew Titheridge: Clive, you're looking very relaxed today, but there is still a huge amount to be done before Saturday?

Sir Clive Woodward: Yes, there is a huge amount of work to be done. It's good to be back with the team and we were obviously very disappointed about last week. We had a tremendous record over the past four and a half years, we've not lost for 23 games in a row.

So we've just got to accept it but it was more than just a bad day at the office, so many bad things went into that game and we've just got to accept that we lost a game of rugby and understand fully why we lost. We are busy putting it right.


Andrew Titheridge: I know you've taken a lot of responsibility on yourself but are the players accepting it and putting their hands up and saying it won't happen again?

Sir Clive Woodward: Yes of course they have but I'm in charge and I get the pat on the back when we go well and I have to take the bullets when we don't.  When you're in charge you have to set standards on and off the pitch which are impeccable. That's why we won the World Cup and why we're the number one ranked team in the world.

I think that in the last couple of weeks or even since the World Cup, the way we have prepared and the standards we have set have slipped a little bit, and we got what we deserved last weekend.

I know why we win and I know why we lose and at the moment this is not the time to over react, and its very very rarely that you see England lose a game of rugby union.  I'm not going to overreact to it, and am delighted to put out a pretty experienced team this weekend, bringing back Tindall, Grewcock, White and after last weekend it will be a big help to us.

Andrew Titheridge: The line out was a major problem, are you resolving it this week?

Sir Clive Woodward: Yes definitely, we've got a good line out. We just had a bad day, you don't become the best team in the world winning the World Cup by not having a line out.  Its one of the basics of the game.  We pride ourselves on our
scrum and line out. The line out to me was the whole symptom of what had not been ticking over properly on the pitch. We didn't lose because of the line out it was part of the end result, but we'll put it right this week.


Andrew Titheridge: Can Wales expect a real tonking?

Sir Clive Woodward:  No, they won't get a tonking, but it is a huge game for both sides. We just want to get back to winning ways and I can't recall ever losing two games of rugby in a row with England.  The pressure is on but we seem to operate better under pressure.

The pressure was on in last year's Six Nations to win the Grand Slam and in the World Cup, and right now we're under pressure, and maybe all the success of this team finally caught up with us against Ireland. We're fully aware of that and we're doubling our efforts and I think you'll see a much better performance from us this weekend.

Andrew Titheridge: The Welsh pack creaked a bit against France at the weekend, and its obviously a weak area for them which presumably England will exploit?

Sir Clive Woodward: Yes but you know our line out was fantastic against Scotland, and Scotland are regarded as one of the best line out teams in the World.   Not just in northern hemisphere rugby.  And two weeks later our line out falls apart, and I'm sure the Welsh boys will step things up for the occasion. You can't assume anything, looking at our team we've got a very experienced and physical side now and its good to see some of these senior players coming back in.

ENDS

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