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Can England retain the World Cup?

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getofmeland

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Well this is a question most Fans of Rugby would say No to it. I too would consider saying No way, but I do think it is possible for England to Retain the World Cup, but if they want to do so they need to start now...

12 Months is a long time in Rugby, and its long enough to get a team gelling together and pulling in some good results. In terms of actual rugby to be played we are talking about 11 games, 4 in the autumnal series, then another 5 games in 6 Nations, and then a couple of friendly games in the summer... With the new coaching staff in place and the quality of the staff that are in place and that number of games, it is enough to start to mount a serious challenge in time for the World Cup...

We also have the quality and depth in the squad to be able to challenge for the world cup, I feel in terms of quality we have more quality than we have in previous years, this also causes the problem of who to play, it almost becomes a burden as you will never know your best XV, so they can get a consistant run at games... We have one of the strongest packs in the world I believe, but our backs also have the quality there and lets hope with the help of Brian Ashton he can channel this and get them working as a more effective unit, we all saw what he did at Bath in a matter of weeks, so if he is able to do that in weeks what will he be able to do in months...

The Coaching Staff Shake up will do England well, and I feel although not everyones favourite choice, Rob Andrew, could be the answer to Englands problems, he will have some key decisions to make and these decisions will make or break Englands chances of Retaining the World Cup.. The key area of concern is Andy Robinson, he will be under a lot of pressure, but the Rob Andrew role, will hopefully allow him to reduce this pressure so Robinson can concentrate on managing the squad, and not the other problems which he has got involved in... The changes in the coaching set up will be key tho, but I think they will all be able to help make the squad competive again, the key one in my eye being Brian Ashton...

The key thing that is consistent selections and combinations, which has what the England Squad has been missing in the England squad for the last 3 years... Andy Robinson and his coaching staff need to be working with a core of 20 players, this will allow to get this consistancy into England games... Robinson needs to be Ruthless and get rid of the players that are hanging on as well, cos nobody should have their place in the squad a guarentee, and we need to be talking about a team not individuals... but the whole England setup does need to get together and decide their balanced 22 squad, give or take a few players, but this would the core players I was talking about earlier...

This is my view on the current state and I do still think England Stand a good chance of winning the World Cup in 12 Months time, but some radical changes do need to be taken if they are to put up a firm challenge...
 
In thoery we shouldn't have been as **** as we have been for the last 3 years.

Unfortunately we have been and I don't see this changing anytime soon. We have no true captain at the moment, no creativity in midfield since Greenwood got too old, and no consistent selection policy. Those who play well in the league are not given their chance to shine early enough. Mark Van Gisbergen for example, was on fire for Wasps last season but not given a shot in the national team. His form has since dwindled into nothing. The other players such as Tindall survive despite having no impact for club or country.

This World Cup will be a disaster, Andy Robinson will be sacked, and the RFU can appoint a proper coach who can begin to make England a force in world rugby again.
 
This is one of the areas we fell over, Rugby moved on since we won the world cup, but England didnt...

If the changes i suggested happen in my previous post, I do still believe we can get a decent performance at the world cup and easily prove some critics wrong who have written off our chances... Our Key will be the Autumn Series, a good set of performances, whatever the result is, will help boost us... We need to become competitive again, which we havent been for 3 years..
 
Yeah, its still possible they could go out and defend the WC, BUT...theyll need nothing short of a radical turn around and maybe a lil miracle to do so, especially since we are so close now to the WC, plus the new management changes that have happened in the team.

England were on a roll back in 01 and 02, two years out from the world cup and therefore had good momentum going into the tournament. I think the whole england gameplan was based around 2 things. The experienced grunty uncompromising forwards who would drive mauls for 80 minutes to win a game and jonny wilkinsons boot who could kick and win a game 55metres away.

Right now england dont have either of those things. Dads army retired and jonnys sick.
Not to mention lacking a real leader like martin johnson who charged englands steely reputation pre and post WC 03 era. Now its probably not fair that yall havent found a replacement for him since he is unreplaceable, and hes a legend in your halls...but its alarming you havent found a captain to settle for since his departure, so this is where all the radical turn around and miracles have to happen and fast.
It seems to me england have tried to play the same way ever since WC 03, and failed to evolve with everyone else and thats obvious to us all coz we all talk about england not moving on, so maybe they can start there - by changing the whole gameplan around the new kids in the team, and giving them a chance to bring a new dimension, a new flavour to the team instead of relying on old tales and heroes.
 
how about Lewis Moody as captain? he seems as if hes your best number 7 and has been around long enough now to take the reigns. he seems young enough to be your captain until maybe 2011. if JW is fit then i would have him as captain.
 
Lewis Moody? Best number 7? Do you ever watch any rugby? He's nothing more then a jumped up little **** from the north midlands with a penchant for getting sent off and the only reason he plays for England is because he played under Neil Back at Leicester.
 
Everything is possible! Anyway, currently, if you ask me, the only NH team who stands a chace is France! Froggies have the home soil advantage (they rarely lose home games), a team which is very tough in every `department` and the will to win! I will emphasize on the home soil advantage as their biggest chance!
 
i dont watch any northnern hemisphere club rugby. i pretty much judge the northern players on the sides they send down here or the sides we play up north... lewis moody didnt seem too bad from the games ive seen...
 
The England Captainacy is one of the key areas, I dont think Johnny Wilkinson will ever make it to be England Captain, we need someone in the build of Martin Johnson, but I cant think of many people that would fit that criteria. especially who has shown potential in the England set up...

Pat Sanderson seems to be the most likely candidate for the job, but whoever England pick as Captain needs to be Captain upto the World Cup, this would allow them to get the authority and respect of the squad...
 
If Wilko get fit and England build with a solid pack and great defensive line, England will win. World cups are not about great attacking backlines, or 'mobile' forwards. It's all about forwards who can be disciplined, and willing to put in 80 mins of defence with a really good general at 10 who can kick goals over blindfolded.
 
I personally feel Wilko is far too injury prone to take up the the position of England No10, although he did look very effective in the Saints game before he got injured in the next game... I do however have a lot of faith in the Hodgson, his ability is very good... he just needs to show it on the international level..
 
In the game at Franklins Gardens he was hyped up and Sky said he was better then he really was;

1 Dimensional, slow, poor tackling and 'the worlds best kicker' had a lower percentage the Bruce Reihana by the end; 3 hits from 7 attempts. Compared to Champaigne Charlie, he's got nothing. Saying that though, I'd proberbly only put Carter and maybe Larkham as better 10 on the world stage. Yes, I did just say he's better then Jones and Michalak.
 
Oh for sure, carter stands head and shoulders above everyone else at the moment.
In fact, in the 4 years of his international career, carter has played every one of these flyhavles weve mentioned and each time came off on top.

Carter vs Michalak - end of year tour 04. Spencer and Merhts left behind in favor of the future in carter taking the reigns. ABs won 49-6

Carter vs Jones - Lions tour 05, Wales 03, 04, 05. The carter/umaga show entertained the lions, while carters first test start came against wales in hamilton and thrashed them, 04 end of year tour was a close humdigger at the millenium stadium and 05 was the first stage to completing the grandslam.

Carter vs Hodgson - 05 end of year tour. Decisive to the ABs victory over England and the whole Grandslam, constantly breaking the defensive line and setting up umagas try.

Carter vs Wilkinson - Lions tour 05. 2nd test in wellington, the end.

Carter vs Larkham - trinations/bledisloe 05 06. Old master got schooled by young jedi. ABs havent lost a game to the wallabies since carters been at 10.

Only Pretorius has experienced two wins against the allblacks since carters been at 10.
 
From the outside looking in, I don't see a way that England can retain their crown. I agree that the coaching staff shakeup will do a power of good, but can they remove 3 years' damage and move the team forward in such a short period of time.

For what its worth, I have had money on New Zealand to win this tournament for 2 years plus.
 
I totally agree with the french guy! after laughin for about half an hour lookin at the thread's ***le...
 
If you actually read the article Allblacks I was saying how they could do it and its still possible that they would have a chance, if they took some of the changes... I personally dont see New Zealand winning it, if i had to put money on one team other than England, I would put it on the French...
 
If Wilko get fit and England build with a solid pack and great defensive line, England will win. World cups are not about great attacking backlines, or 'mobile' forwards. It's all about forwards who can be disciplined, and willing to put in 80 mins of defence with a really good general at 10 who can kick goals over blindfolded.
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Isn't the definition of the English Rugby you've just made?
 

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