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Rugby
in England
England is currently enjoying one of the
greatest, if not the greatest, periods in
their rugby history.
The team assembled painstakingly over the
last five years by Manager Clive Woodward
includes some of the greatest players who
have ever played for England - Captain Martin
Johnson, Flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, wing Ben
Cohen and Number 8 Lawrence D'allglio.
The team has just come off an unprecedented
14 Test winning streak (which included two
victories over the Wallabies, one against
South Africa and one against the All Blacks),
has beaten Australia in Australia and New
Zealand in New Zealand and took the 2003
Six Nations in a "Grand Slam"
by winning all five games.
They are currently ranked as the Number
1 team in the world and deservedly so.
According t Woodward, English Rugby is
“changing”, and you only have
to look the results since their 1999 Rugby
World Cup campaign (where they lost to South
Africa in the Quarter Finals) to see how
far they have come.
They used to be known for their kicking
dominated "ten-man" style of rugby
where the forwards would win the ball so
the Flyhalf could belt it downfield or attempt
a Drop goal.
England are now exponents of some of the
most dynamic rugby played on the planet
with a squad of 22 super fit, highly skilled
athletes who are fully prepared to run the
ball from anywhere – often with stunning
results.
England now represent the Northern Hemisphere's
major hope to break the South's dominance
of the Rugby World Cup.
They are prepared to take on anybody with
their ball-in-hand style of rugby, and in
recent years have beaten every major team
in the world
Their home ground, the 73,000 seat Twickenham
Stadium in London, which many regard as
the spiritual home of rugby, has become
a fortress.
The last time they tasted defeat at Twickenham
was against New Zealand in the 1999 Rugby
World Cup - four years ago
It is fitting that England has finally
realised that a rugby ball is not only meant
for kicking because it was in a town called
Rugby, that the running game was born.
It was here at Rugby School in 1823 that
a 17-year-old school boy by the name of
William Webb Ellis, tiring with the afternoon
game of football (soccer), “picked
up the ball and ran with it”, thus
giving birth to Rugby Football.
For his efforts his name is now used for
the greatest prize in world rugby –
the Webb Ellis Cup - given to the team that
wins the Rugby World Cup.
The foundations for England’s current
run of success in the late 1980s and early
1990s which saw a period of sustained triumph
for England, with structures put in place
to enable the national team to fight its
weight on the world stage.
Now under the management of 1980 Grand Slam
hero Woodward, England look to be in good
health. The newly rekindled economic power
of the Rugby Football Union (they now own
Twickenham outright), combined with an excellent
youth structure, is ensuring that the England
team have an abundance of new talent and
coaching expertise.
England will be more determined than ever
in 2003. They were runners up to Australia
in the 1991 World Cup, steamrolled by Jonah
Lomu in the 1995 Semi Finals, and bundled
out again in the 1999 Finals by Springbok
Jannie de Beer’s orld ecord five drop
goals.
With exciting players in their ranks, including
a sizeable contingent of 2001 British and
Irish Lions, England can be optimistic about
their chances of winning the 2003 Rugby
World Cup.
The future of the game post 2003 also looks
promising with their national domestic competition,
the Zurich Premiership, enjoying more public
support and higher TV ratings than ever
before.
Player numbers are also growing with 173,000
senior players and a staggering 460,000
registered juniors. There are also 46,000
qualified coaches and 5,100 referees officiating
in matches between the 1,958 clubs drawn
from 35 rugby provinces.
The future of the English game looks very
“rosy” indeed.
Rugby
World Cup 2003 Squad
| Name |
Club |
Position |
| Stuart Abbott |
London Wasps |
Centre |
| Neil Back |
Leicester Tigers |
Flanker |
| Iain Balshaw |
Bath |
Fullback |
| Kyran Bracken |
Saracens |
Scrumhalf |
| Mike Catt |
Bath |
Flyhalf |
| Ben Cohen |
Northampton Saints |
Wing |
| Martin Corry |
Leicester Tigers |
Flanker |
| Lawrence Dallaglio |
London Wasps |
Number 8 |
| Matt Dawson |
Northampton Saints |
Scrumhalf |
| Paul Grayson |
Northampton Saints |
Flyhalf |
| Will Greenwood |
Harlequins |
Centre |
| Danny Grewcock |
Bath |
Lock |
| Andy Gomersall |
Gloucester |
Scrumhalf |
| Richard Hill |
Saracens |
Flanker |
| Martin Johnson |
Leicester Tigers |
Lock |
| Ben Kay |
Leicester Tigers |
Lock |
| Jason Leonard |
Harlequins |
Prop |
| Josh Lewsey |
London Wasps |
Fullback |
| Dan Luger |
Perpignan |
Wing |
| Lewis Moody |
Leicester Tigers |
Flanker |
| Mark Regan |
Leeds Tykes |
Hooker |
| Jason Robinson |
SAle |
Fullback |
| Steve Thompson |
Northampton Saints |
Hooker |
| Mike Tindall |
Bath |
Centre |
| Phil Vickery |
Gloucester |
Prop |
| Dorian West |
Leicester Tigers |
Hooker |
| Julian White |
Leicester Tigers |
Prop |
| Jonny Wilkinson |
Newcastle Falcons |
Flyhalf |
| Trevor Woodman |
Gloucester |
Prop |
| Joe Worsley |
London Wasps |
Number 8 |
Coach
Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward, 46, was appointed as head
coach (or Manager as he is most often known)
to the England Rugby Team in 1997 and has
recently been handed another five year contract
to lead the national side into the 2003
Rugby World Cup in Australia and beyond.
He has largely been credited with transforming
the playing style of the England team into
a more attacking and expansive game, enabling
them to beat the best teams in world rugby.
He has implemented a positive coaching structure
for the senior side and has worked closely
with the Rugby Football Union, the governing
body of the sport in England, to do the
same throughout representative rugby.
As a player he won 21 caps for England
and was a tourist with the British and Irish
Lions in 1980 and 1983. He played for Harlequins
and Leicester before moving to Manly in
Australia where he gained his first experience
as a coach. He returned to England to coach
Henley before moving to London Irish and
then on to Bath.
Captain
Martin Johnson (Lock, Leicester
Tigers)
One of the undisputed "hard men"
of international rugby.
It is a style of "in your face"
leadership that saw him lead the British
and Irish Lions to a rare series victory
in South Africa in 1997 and narrowly missing
out on repeating the feat in Australia in
2001. In so doing he became the first player
in the history of the game to skipper two
Lions tours.
In late 1998 Johnson captained England
for the first time and took on the Captaincy
on a permanent basis after Lawrence Dallaglio
was forced to step down. Barring injury
or suspension he has captained the team
ever since.
Born in Solihull near Birmingham the 2
metre, 119 kilo lock forward is a pillar
of strength in the lineouts and the very
solid rock around which England have built
their increasingly rugged forward play in
the last few seasons.
Part of the reason for Johnson's toughness
is that he learned his early rugby in New
Zealand, choosing to play a few seasons
for King Country in his late teens. In fact,
if he had chosen, Johnson could have gone
on to become an All Black, impressing locals
so much that he was selected for the All
Black Under 21 tour to Australia in 1990,
coming up against the likes of Wallaby legend
John Eales.
Making his international debut in 1993
Johnson has enjoyed over a decade of international
rugby and captured nearly all of the trophies
on offer to him in the game including Lions
series victories, Six Nations, English Premiership
and European Cup titles.
But there is one trophy that has alluded
him during his illustrious career –
the William Webb Ellis Cup - and at 33 this
will be his last opportunity to grab it.
Johnson will give everything he can to win
the number one prize in World Rugby before
he retires.
The most capped lock in English Test history,
Johnson has captained his country 32 times
(second only to Will Carling) in his 77
Tests and scored two tries.
Key
Players
Richard Hill (Flanker, Saracens)
One of the absolute nice guys of world
rugby, -30-year-old Richard Hill is one
of the most friendly, polite and gentle
souls you will meet off the rugby field.
But on the field he has earned the nickname
of the “Silent Assassin” at
both club and international level, due to
his effective and abrasive style of forward
play that has made him legendary in rugby
circles. Hill measures in at 1.87 metres
and 102 kilos, and he uses every bit of
it around the field as his big hits and
relentless support play make him a great
attacking weapon for England.
One of the stars of the 2001 British and
Irish Lions tour to Australia, Hill’s
absence from the Third and final Test, due
to an unlucky “collision” with
Wallaby centre Nathan Grey during the second
Test, could be pinpointed as a major reason
for the Lions’ failure to clinch the
series.
Born in Dormansland in Surrey, Hill made
his England debut back in February 1997
in a 41-13 triumph over Scotland at Twickenham,
and since then injury has been the only
reason for England to start an international
without him, clocking up 60 Tests including
11 tries.
A thorough professional, Hill's workmanlike
attitude combined with a shrewd rugby brain
make him a fierce proposition. He has the
remarkable achievement of appearing for
his country at every level, spanning Schools
16-Group and 18-Groups, Colts, Students
Under 21, Under 21, Students, Emerging Players,
the A team, Sevens and finally, England.
One Australian Hill will be keen to meet
during his Rugby World Cup safari Down under
is Steve Irwin - he is a big fan of Irwin’s
show “The Crocodile Hunter”.
Jason Robinson (Winger, Sale Sharks)
Born in Leeds and a world-class Rugby League
star for Wigan Warriors and Great Britain
before his cross-code switch in 2000 to
Manchester’s Sale Sharks, Robinson's
rise in the Union code has been nothing
short of astonishing.
He was called up to the England squad for
the first time for the 2001 Six Nations
match against Italy, and appeared another
three times as a late replacement during
the tournament. He made such an impression
that he was selected for the 2001 British
and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
From rank outsider on that tour, he went
on to become one of the Lions stars, few
ever forgetting his stunning burst down
the left touchline in the opening moments
of the 1st Test in Brisbane, leaving Wallaby
fullback Chris Latham for dead to score
the Lions’ first try.
Returning to England he went on to establish
himself as the first choice fullback for
his country and he continues to impress
many observers with his raw pace and mesmerising
footwork. He could well hold the key to
a successful Rugby World Cup challenge for
England in 2003.
During his rugby league career he scored
an amazing 184 tries in 302 matches, including
tries in six successive Test matches for
Great Britain. His ability to find the tryline
has definitely come across to rugby with
him, with the 1.72 metre, 84 kilo winger
already notching up 18 tries in only 21
Tests.
Once renowned as a "bad boy"
in sporting circles Robinson, nicknamed
'Billy Whiz' by his teammates, is a committed
Christian after being introduced to the
faith by former Wigan team-mate and Samoan
and New Zealand rugby international, Va'aiga
Tuigamala.
This change in his lifestyle has seen him
reach new heights of success both on and
off the rugby field.
Jonny Wilkinson (Flyhalf, Newcastle
Falcons)
At 24, handsome and supremely talented,
Jonny Wilkinson MBE is the pin-up boy of
English rugby. But unlike former English
flyhalves, whose greatest attributes have
been their kicking games, Wilkinson is devastating
in attack and defence.
Just ask any opposition centre who is on
the receiving end of one of his bone-crunching
big hits. But this doesn’t mean Wilkinson
can’t kick, steering England to some
crucial victories over the last few years
with his deadly aim. In all he has landed
a whopping 679 points from his boot in Test
matches.
Born in Frimley he is well known to Australian
audiences as one of the stars of the 2001
British and Irish Lions tour, Wilkinson
is one of the most exciting players in world
rugby and worth the price of admission alone.
After just five years in Test rugby, the
1.77 metre and 89 kilo Wilkinson is already
England’s record points scorer (5
tries, 113 conversions, 138 penalties and
7 drop goals) in just 46 Tests at an impressive
average of 15.3 per game.
He also holds the record for most points
in a Six Nations Championship (89 in 2001)
and most points in a Six Nations match (35
against Italy at Twickenham also in 2001).
Wilkinson made his Test debut at the tender
age of 18 years and 314 days as a replacement
against Ireland in 1998, making him the
youngest England cap since 1927.
2002 was a golden year for Wilkinson as
he was chosen as the International Player's
Player of the Year and was awarded an MBE
for services to rugby in the Queen's Birthday
Honours' list - the youngest rugby player
ever to receive such an honour.
The only disappointment that year was losing
to France in the Six Nations but the following
year he steered his team mates to the long
awaited Six Nation's Grand Slam with a resounding
42-6 thumping of Ireland in Dublin.
Wilkinson's career lifted another notch
during that same Six Nations championship
as he was chosen to Captain the team against
Italy in Rome when usual Captain Martin
Johnson pulled out due to injury.
Young
Guns
Iain Balshaw (Fullback, Bath)
Twenty four-year-old Balshaw was one of
the youngest players on the British and
Irish Lions 2001 tour of Australia.
Although he had to battle with his English
team mates Matt Perry and Jason Robinson
for game time on that tour, he came on as
a replacement in all three Tests and is
seen as one of the most exciting young prospects
in English rugby.
After a devastating season for England
in 2000, which included putting through
the deft grubber kick to set up Dan Luger’s
try in the nail-biting victory over the
Wallabies at Twickenham, Lancashire born
“Balsh” has always been tipped
for big things.
Recently injury and a dip in form saw him
drop out of England team calculations for
awhile, and it looked briefly as if he even
may lose his Rugby World Cup spot, but he
returned to his best against France at Twickenham
in England's final warm up Test and cemented
his place in the 30 man squad.
He is still highly regarded as one of English
rugby’s most exciting young talents
and a potent attacking force for the Rugby
World Cup, vividly illustrated when he scored
his first international tries in the 2001
Six Nations against Italy and added two
during the next match against Scotland.
A buzz of expectation greets every pass
he receives and the 75-metre break for his
second try against Italy was the most memorable
in England’s mammoth victory. It was
those performances that won him his place
on the Lions tour.
A product of Stonyhurst College, Balshaw
joined the Bath Rugby Academy in 1997, and
after only a few brief appearances for the
second team, then club coach Andy Robinson
- later Lions and now England Assistant
Coach - saw that Balshaw had what it takes
to appear for the first XV.
Balshaw was thrown in to the deep-end for
his Bath debut, coming from the bench in
the Heineken Cup clash against Brive at
"The Rec" - Bath's home ground
- a repeat of the 1998 final which saw Bath
snatch the trophy in Bordeaux.
Robinson's faith was rewarded as Balshaw
soon rose to prominence in the senior game
in 1998-99 by scoring 13 tries for Bath
in the English Premiership. He has the versatility
to appear at fullback or wing and, after
winning his first five Test caps as a replacement,
has now played in 16 Tests in all, scoring
twelve tries.
A talented all round sportsman, the 1.84
metre, 83 kilo Balshaw also played cricket
and tennis for his county Lancashire at
junior level.
He also played in the England Under 21 side
which beat South Africa 32-10 at Twickenham,
alongside clubmates Mike Tindall and Steve
Borthwick, who also went on to win England
colours - Tindall joining Balshaw in the
England Rugby World Cup squad.
Ben Kay (Lock, Leicester Tigers)
Coach Clive Woodward’s opinion of
Ben Kay is so high that he dropped veteran
English lock Danny Grewcock out of the team
to make way for the 26-year-old Kay soon
as Grewcock returned from playing a leading
role on the 2001 British and Irish Lions
tour to Australia.
Indeed such is the quality of this mobile
and highly skilled lock that many see him
as an instant selection in the second row
alongside his captain Martin Johnson.
His consistency and form during the 2002
season saw him play every game for England
in the Six Nations, as well as playing a
leading role in the famous victory by a
very young England team in Argentina.
His form continued into 2003 and since
making his debut against Canada in June
2001 he has missed only a handful of England's
Tests racking up an impressive 22 Caps and
scoring two tries.
Standing at 1.98 metres and tipping the
scales at 112 kilos, a member of the Leicester’
Tiger’s European Cup-winning sides
in 2001 and 2002 he led England A to a 23-22
win over France in April 2001 before making
his full England debut during the successful
tour of North America that summer.
He previously represented England in the
1996 Students World Cup in South Africa,
at Under 18, Under 19 and Under 21 level,
and made his debut for England A in Blagnac
against France A in 2000.
Kay joined the Tigers in 1999 after making
69 appearances for Waterloo. Educated at
Merchant Taylors’, Crosby and Loughborough
University, he is also well known to followers
of Brisbane club rugby having enjoyed a
stint for Queensland University.
Results
Current World Ranking:
1
Recent Results 2002
2002 Six Nations
| 02 Feb 2002 |
v Scotland |
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
|
Won 29-3 |
| 16 Feb 2002 |
v Ireland |
Twickenham, London |
Won 45-11 |
| 02 Mar 2002 |
v France |
Stade de Francais, Paris |
Lost 15-20 |
| 23 Mar 2002 |
v Wales |
Twickenham, London |
Won 50-10 |
| 07 Apr 2002 |
v Italy |
Stadio Flaminio, Rome |
Won 45-9 |
Tour Matches
| 22 Jun 2002 |
v Argentina |
Velez Sarsfield, Buenos
Aires |
Won 26-18 |
Home Internationals
| 9 Nov 2002 |
v New Zealand |
Twickenham, London |
Won 31-28 |
| 16 Nov 2002 |
v Australia |
Twickenham, London |
Won 32-31 |
| 23 Nov 2002 |
v South Africa |
Twickenham, London |
Won 53-3 |
Overall Record:
Matches |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
Av
Score |
9 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
326 |
133 |
36-15 |
Recent Results 2003
2003 Six Nations
| 15 Feb 2003 |
v France |
Twickenham, London |
Won 25-17 |
| 22 Feb 2003 |
v Wales |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff |
Won 26-9 |
| 09 Mar 2003 |
v Italy |
Twickenham, London |
Won 40-5 |
| 22 Mar 2003 |
v Scotland |
Twickenham, London |
Won 40-9 |
| 30 Mar 2003 |
v Ireland |
Lansdowne Road, Dubin |
Won 42-6 |
Tour to Australia and New Zealand
14 Jun 2003 |
v New Zealand |
Westpac Trust Stadium, Wellington
|
Won 15-13 |
| 21 Jun 2003 |
v Australia |
Telstra Dome, Melbourne
|
Won 25-14 |
RWC Warm Up Tests
| 23 Aug 2003 |
v Wales |
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff |
Won 43-9 |
| 30 Aug 2003 |
v France |
Stade Velodrome, Marseilles |
Lost 16-17 |
| 06 Sep 2003 |
v France |
Twickenham, London |
Won 45-14 |
Overall Record:
Matches |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
Av
Score |
10 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
307 |
113 |
30.7-11.3 |
Rugby
World Cup Results
Best Placing: Runners
Up 1991
Overall Record:
World
Cups |
Matches |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
Av
Score |
4 |
21 |
13 |
0 |
8 |
630 |
370 |
30-18 |
Summary of Results:
1987: Quarter Finalists
1991: Runners Up
1995: Semi Finalists
1999: Quarter Finalists
Results
| 1987 |
VENUE: Australia
and New Zealand |
| Round 1 |
| 23 May 1987 |
v Australia |
Concord Oval, Sydney |
Lost 6-19 |
| 30 May 1987 |
v Japan |
Concord Oval, Sydney |
Won 60-7 |
| 3 Jun 1987 |
V USA |
Concord Oval, Sydney |
Won 34-6 |
| Quarter Final |
| 8 Jun 1987 |
v Wales |
Ballymore, Brisbane |
Lost 3-16 |
| 1991 |
VENUE: England,
Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France |
| Round 1 |
| 3 Oct 1991 |
v New Zealand |
Twickenham, London |
Lost 12-18 |
| 8 Oct 1991 |
v Italy |
Twickenham, London |
Won 36-6 |
| 11 Oct 1991 |
v USA |
Twickenham, London |
Won 37-9 |
| Quarter Final |
| 19 Oct 1991 |
v France |
Parc des Princes, Paris |
Won 19-10 |
| Semi Final |
| 26 Oct 1991 |
v Scotland |
Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
Won 9-6 |
| Final |
| 2 Nov 1991 |
V Australia |
Twickenham, London |
Lost 6-12 |
| 1995 |
VENUE: South Africa |
| Round 1 |
| 27 May 1995 |
v Argentina |
King’s Park, Durban |
Won 24-18 |
| 31 May 1995 |
v Italy |
King’s Park, Durban |
Won 27-20 |
| 4 Jun 1995 |
v Samoa |
King’s Park, Durban |
Won 44-22 |
| Quarter Final |
|
| 11 June 1995 |
v Australia |
Newlands, Cape Town |
Won 25-22 |
| Semi Final |
| 18 June 1995 |
v New Zealand |
Newlands, Cape Town |
Lost 29-45 |
| Third Place Play
Off |
| 22 June 1995 |
v France |
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |
Lost 9-19 |
| 1999 |
VENUE: Wales,
England, Scotland, Ireland and France |
| Round 1 |
| 2 Oct 1999 |
v Italy |
Twickenham, London |
Won 67-7 |
| 9 Oct 1999 |
v New Zealand |
Twickenham, London |
Lost 16-30 |
| 15 Oct 1999 |
v Tonga |
Twickenham, London |
Won 101-10 |
| Quarter Final
Playoff |
| 20 Oct 1999 |
v Fiji |
Twickenham, London |
Won 45-24 |
| Quarter Final |
| 24 Oct 1999 |
v South Africa |
Stade de Francais, Paris |
Lost 21-44 |
Rugby
World Cup 2003
Qualifying
As a Quarter Finalist in the last Rugby
World Cup in 1999, England qualified automatically
for RWC 2003.
Match Schedule
TEAM:
ENGLAND |
 |
|
|
# |
OPPONENT |
CITY/VENUE |
DAY/DATE |
| 8
|
Georgia
|
Perth
– Subiaco Oval |
Sunday
12th October |
| 16
|
South
Africa |
Perth
– Subiaco Oval |
Saturday
18th October |
| 30
|
Samoa
|
Melbourne
– Telstra Dome |
Sunday
26th October |
| 39
|
Uruguay
|
Brisbane
- Suncorp Stadium |
Sunday
2nd November |
|
|
View the complete Rugby World Cup 2003
Match
Schedule.
More team guides:
This information has been
compiled and distributed by the Australian
Rugby Union. All statistics and information
are accurate as at 1 February 2003.
The International
Rugby Board and the Australian Rugby Union
are proudly staging Rugby World Cup 2003
in Australia. |