In the words of Nike

It is an exciting day when the sports news agenda weaves its way into the morning’s most talked about headlines and reaches even those readers with a self proclaimed lack of interest in sports and leisure. It is also, in my opinion, a sign of great journalism.

When Oliver Brown wrote this week, in an exclusive interview for The Telegraph, of Bath prop Duncan Bell’s long-standing battle with depression, he not only unearthed the overwhelming difficulties that the player had experienced off the field but in doing so he communicated with readers a very real, very concerning condition which continues to pass under the radar in the professional sporting environment; one which must be addressed if we are to stand any chance at enjoying the successful, lengthy careers of athletes at an elite level.

Brown’s interview was void of hyperbole and of any quest for those details which may well have shifted more newspapers but in doing so would have compromised what was, in the end, an honest and sincere insight into one of rugby’s most loved gentle giants.

The interview also touched upon Bell’s apprehension towards entering a world away from rugby union, the zone of comfort he had immersed himself within, since the age of 19. But his story bears great resemblance to that of Gareth Thomas who, since speaking out as the first openly homosexual rugby player in the elite game, has gone on to spread a message of positivity and reassurance to other players in a similar situation as he once found himself. Similarly Freddie Flintoff’s ‘Hidden Side of Sport’ attracted widespread critical acclaim for fearlessly tackling the issue of depression head on and for providing viewers with a first person insight into how even the most gregarious of figures from the sporting world can be weakened internally by this condition.

Like Thomas, Bell’s career on the field may be drawing to a close but his future in working closely with the media, with stakeholders and alongside other sports men and women, from grass roots level up to the elite platform, is very much beginning.

This was a good week for rugby union and for taking giant steps in conquering the demons that have long lingered somewhere between the dressing room and our television screens. It was also a great week for good, honest British journalism.

To view Oliver Brown’s interview with Duncan Bell for The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9207431/Bath-prop-Duncan-Bell-my-secret-battle-against-the-beast-of-depression-away-from-the-rugby-field.html

Former RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron is just one in a long line of individuals to have publicly expressed a preference for electing a head coach who is English.

English rugby, Baron contends, is very different in nature to the overseas game, while the need to instill the correct values in English players, within a very different environment, is paramount.

If we look to England rugby’s sporting counterparts however, success in foreign leadership is undeniable. Zimbabwean Andy Flower brought ‘number one Test side in the world’ to the lips of the Barmy Army after masterminding the team’s rise to success and was later named BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year. If there was ever a time when English cricket enjoyed critical acclaim it was with Flower at the helm and not once do I recall an argument with any great weight to suggest Flower’s nationality had diluted pride in the English game or compromised its potential for success.

But there remains something unique in this game, something unique to the England rugby brand identity.  A uniqueness that somehow validates a demand that it be led from within, by talent which understands, lives, breathes and knowingly underpins the values of the red rose. It is this permission to demand home grown leadership, which negates the need for foreign input and turns the concept of overseas outsourcing into a minor insult for many. While there are, albeit begrudgingly, candidates from across the globe who would stand a very real chance at achieving coaching success, under their watch any resulting glory might not taste quite so sweet as it would had it been induced by ‘one of us’.

It’s often difficult to see past the turmoil in New Zealand and remember a time when England rugby fans remained on their feet in chorus in the face of defeat. The Six Nations loss against Wales saw just this; a sense of loyalty to a team, which had gelled so quickly, committed so whole-heartedly and remedied a period of resounding criticism so radically. The Telegraph’s Mick Cleary spoke recently about reconnection: “…the conjunction between team and fan, between RFU and sponsor, between player and their trade.” Following a period in which many of these elements had drifted further and further away from one another, we have begun to witness their reconnection, brought about rapidly by an Englishman simply working to introduce what he believes to be the core values of English rugby back into the game once more.

Down to the requested revival of the red rose on players’ suits and the relocation of pre-Six Nations training camps to the UK, Lancaster has made his commitment to the restoration of pride, patriotism and no-nonsense ‘let’s play rugby’ ethos evident from the moment he was appointed. If this near-on obsessive attention to the finer details of the game, both on and off the field, has achieved such a wide-spread impact in such a short space of time, then it is somewhat of a luxury to imagine just how far it could travel if its puppet master were to stay put.

It may be the presence of one man on a very clear mission; it may be the knowledge that we are operating under the direction of an Englishman who understands the game as we play it. It may just be an element of both. Either way, something, somewhere seems to have clicked.

Regardless of reasoning, the concern remains that in the absence of Lancaster we may lose the momentum the game has been gathering, even in the face of defeat. Moreover in the absence of an English coach who understands on a personal level the journey undergone both internally and externally, the players, the fans and the identity of a brand that seems to be in repair-mode will revert back to acting out.

We would be naïve to believe that the five-man panel will rule out an appointment from outside of the English border but they too would be naïve to remove the opportunity to recreate the England rugby that we have longed to welcome back. Removing the opportunity to take the lead from the hands of an Englishman - who has delivered as compulsory, what many of his predecessors would have considered their greatest achievements - would not only be premature in my mind but it would also risk diluting the connection between the dressing room and the stands. This would be worsened still should the opportunity then be placed in the hands of a candidate who has never fully understood what it means to sport the red rose.

A debut at international fly half, the echo of an 80,000 Twickenham crowd, a father-cum-coach with enormous influence on the sidelines and the weight of historic rivalry; the first encounter between the new generation England team and Wales as the pundits’ favourite was always set to be a challenge of epic proportions for Owen Farrell. Add to this, bubbling comparisons to Jonny Wilkinson and you’d be only human to have awaited signs of wavering self-doubt from the 20-year-old.

But rather than nerves and inexperience, what we were actually handed was assurance and a suggestion that life after Wilkinson might well be just as profitable, and just as exciting, with a new number 10 on field.

If there was any doubt over Farrell demonstrating his worth for reasons of his own, Saturday’s game went a long way towards silencing the concern. At number 10 he made a valuable contribution to the control of England’s attack and offered a reliable boot in the form of four penalties.

But more than a cool temperament and a refusal to be shaken by skepticism, to me, most excitingly of all, Farrell displayed a willingness in the absence of self-assurance to take risks.

Moving away from predictable play and entrenched systems that have proven successful in the past is precisely the kind of strategy which will not only turn the new look England lineup into a winning side but one that will leave competitors at a loss as to how to prepare to play against it.

For a long time England’s game has been just the reverse; predictable and resting on last term’s success stories. A new leader, albeit in the interim, a new regime and a new, exuberant pool of players is beginning to force a move away from a dated comfort zone to reveal a healthy appetite for risk.

Dave Ellis for The Telegraph was right to praise England’s kick-chase. Farrell’s line-breaking kick and gather was, at times successful and at times not so successful. But more importantly than outcome and regardless of age or familiarity at 10 internationally, Farrell had the tenacity to try his luck; leaving the Welsh side to battle with decisions that they had not anticipated making on the field.

The change in England’s defensive line enhanced the side’s ability to prevent Wales from second guessing it and moreover it highlighted a weakness in a Welsh team that had prepared an offensive strategy which rested on Farrell playing at 12 and Hodgson at fly half. A midfield trio predicted in advance by the likes of Mike Catt, Tuilagi, Barritt and Farrell at 10 together gave us a glimpse of what is to come from English rugby, and it looked good.

In the final stages of last year’s World Cup Jonathon Davies reiterated the need for a side to have a number 10 at its disposal who could offer a genuine contribution to controlling and shaping the game; someone who could demonstrate an on-field calm and, more than this, would serve to inspire his teammates, regardless of age or any greater experience surrounding him. Davies discussed these essential tools at the time in relation to New Zealand’s Stephen Donald. The Mirror’s ‘zero to hero’ Donald collected himself to overcome three freak fly-half injuries to re-lift the heads of what could well have been a defeated side, steering it instead to victory and kicking the winning goal along the way. Donald is, undeniably, a notable example of a fly half who can inspire and inject belief into a side. Last weekend Farrell revealed that he could do just that for England. Defeat aside, this was one of a handful of positives for England to take away from a hard fought day on the frontline with an old enemy.

As Lancaster looks at redemption after a difficult loss he ought to focus on the strengths of a team which is showing a greater appetite for risk than we have seen of late; a team which can now look to maximise the presence of a fly half who finds space, kicks with authority and communicates to teammates that it is ok to take chances. 

Mick Cleary’s ‘Jonny in the making’, Farrell is one of the most exciting prospects for English rugby; a calming influence, focused beyond his years and most importantly, unlike many of his counterparts, he is not averse to taking risks. 

Whilst the annual salaries of Premiership rugby players acquaint to mere weeks’ wages in the life of a Premiership footballer, you’d be wrong in thinking that money means nothing in this game.

Underestimating spending power is a naivety which invites exposure to diminished talent pools and bids of farewell to flurries of players following suit.

The RPA’s Damian Hopley more than a year ago admitted that the possibility of an exodus of top internationals across the Channel was a concern for the English game. More than a year down the line and the nightmare continues, now more vivid than ever before.

Heavy weight Top 14 Toulon has brought about many a lucrative move, with the likes of Wilkinson, Steffon Armitage, Shaw and most recently Sale prop Sheridan all contributing to a contingent that now stands at seven. To add insult to injury these, at one time or another, have all been players whose absence will have been felt painfully within the England camp.

But the pulling powers of Bernard Laporte are not alone in bearing influence on players close to home. England’s Tom Palmer has firmly laid the foundations with Stade Français, while a series of high profile moves shaking the Welsh regions have included the departures of Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips at the hands of Clermont Auvergne and Bayonne respectively; a list that is expected to grow further as the eyes of the French are fixated on a pool of players achieving great things both Internationally and domestically.

Granted, one of the most powerful tools at French clubs’ disposal is the fact that they are unhindered by a restrictive salary cap; working to an €8.7m (approximately £7.6m) cap per club is a luxury they have enjoyed with wealthy benefactors and stakeholders behind them. With the money to lure players from overseas, clubs with money to burn are a million miles from the Premiership. Put in place in the late 90s the Premiership’s salary cap, despite being almost doubled in the lead up to the 2008/2009 season, rests at near to half that of the Top 14 at £4m.

Each of Wales’ four regional sides meanwhile will battle with a £3.5m limit. Financial strains were said to have made such an imposition necessary but this neither eases the pain for fans resenting the exit of key players nor paints an attractive picture for the long term future of the Welsh domestic game.

There is an ongoing fear that the injection of cash into the game will also drive a wedge between players and fans, as supporters’ loyalty wavers at home grown talent crossing the border. But more than this there has, for a long time, been a sense of mutual respect in a gentleman’s game which enjoys and invites a close proximity between players and fans. It is, again, difficult not to compare this to football; the game of the untouchable millionaires.

But how is floating French cash harming the British game and how are we to compete against massively heightened salary bands to pull the focus away from the financials and onto the importance of flying the British flag?

Whilst historically there may have been strength in the argument that the French game offered far less in terms of opportunity and progression than the English, meaning moves abroad really were made solely on financial grounds, a French domestic game which is doing great things and an abundance of players who have departed to enjoy flourishing careers have distilled this contention somewhat. The risk remains that, should there be a level playing field between the game in the UK and that in France then players will surely follow the path that offers them as greater opportunities and benefits, but comes with a significant cash uplift.

What’s left then of the British game? Arguably voids in the talent pool where valuable players prove irreplaceable. With the looming disappearance of players on a domestic level comes absenteeism at a National level. At best, players competing abroad will miss out on crucial training weeks, as those joining the National side from Premiership clubs contracted to release terms enjoy a head start, and at worst these players will face non qualification for the National call up if coaching teams opt to rule with the territorial iron fist.

It comes down surely to contractual intelligence and to players who are committed to representing their country insisting that they be legally entitled for release and made publicly available for selection, in advance of signing on the dotted line. The only aspect potentially compromising what seems a most sensible approach is money signs in the eyes of agents focused on completing high value overseas transactions, rather than taking the relevant steps to ensure the door to the National arena is kept open.

With big spending French clubs waving the financial flag of temptation it’s difficult to see how players can refuse and, moreover, how British clubs can compete.

If the Top 14 is the new black then you’d be forgiven for thinking that remaining in the UK is like the revival of last season’s wardrobe malfunction.

In what was Stuart Lancaster’s first press update since his appointment, the interim coach delivered precisely the form of progress report that you would expect from a former teacher; a succinct, structured overview that listed a logical set of objectives which, we were made quickly aware, he had already begun tackling head on.

Just as parents await a timely school report, so too did the British media anticipate being handed the opportunity to delve deeper into the progress that had been made, the pending squad announcement and, of course, the looming Six Nations. The report offered up, however, felt more like the first dose of honesty to be delivered of late by any representative of England rugby, leaving little space for probing criticism.

Like with any report, there were to be low points and margins for improvement, namely in reference to the conduct of Danny Care and his subsequent omission from the Six Nations squad, but so too came the high points of Lancaster and Rowntree’s report, this time in the form of Ben Morgan and his demonstration of loyalty to England.

But the former Saxons coach did not stop there. Instead he and Rowntree went on to divulge plans for a unique lesson that they hope will instil the values and attributes that have long been vacant in the England classroom; a lesson that will begin with collaborative learning.

This is a tool which has, it can only be assumed, long been at the disposal of the England coaching set up, yet never properly tapped into for reasons which could include pride or hierarchical segregation. Providing an opportunity to learn from outside of the four walls of rugby union will mark the beginning of an entirely new regime put in place by the interim coaching team to establish and welcome the next generation of England rugby.

“It’s a matter of learning from other sports.” Lancaster referred to the lessons he, as a coach, has learned from other sports and, just as any good teacher would, he shared a desire to extend this luxury so that players too can enjoy exposure and insight from students of different disciplines.

The interim coach will call upon Hugh Morris, Managing Director of England cricket, to address the squad named on January 11th. Morris operated at the epicentre of one of British sport’s greatest ever turnarounds, which saw the England cricket team overcome resignations and a public sacking to appoint a triumphant coaching and captaincy duo in the form of Flower and Strauss, and move from the number six to the number one ranked Test side in the world.

Lancaster made clear his objectives in placing Morris in front of his newly named squad; to encourage what is expected to be a young, impressionable team to learn valuable lessons in overcoming even the greatest of difficulties to achieve success. But more than this, Morris will no doubt serve as a spokesperson for a team which, led in comparison by the articulate and likeable Strauss, has established a positive and professional environment; an environment which no doubt Lancaster will work tirelessly to emulate. If the England cricket team today stands at number one in the world, then so too should England rugby. This, according to Lancaster, is an ambition which is plausibly to be recognised by 2015 on home soil.

Dave Brailsford is another figure widely recognised for an epic sporting turnaround, this time as Performance Director at British Cycling and the driving force behind Team Sky. He too is expected to address Lancaster’s squad between 23rd-27th January at the pre Six Nations training camp at West Park, during which he will explore just what it means to compete at an elite level.

Perhaps the most logical of external advisors in the eyes of many, will be England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock. Long gone, it seems, are the days in which league and union performed in stark competition and operated in complete absence of collaboration. The crossover of players worldwide including Gareth Thomas, Chris Ashton and Sonny Bill Williams is continuing to demonstrate the transferability between the two disciplines. It seems only right then, that Lancaster would include in his list of professional sportspersons set to speak before his union side a figure of great respect from the world of rugby league and someone whom backs coach Andy Farrell will no doubt relate particularly strongly to. The Leeds prop has long been recognised for his ability to represent his squad and to serve as a voice for the game in its entirety. Perhaps Peacock will, in relaying his own professional experience, go some way towards instilling a sense of National pride into a fresh faced England union squad.

Lancaster, it’s safe to say, has done his homework. To add to the above he has travelled some distance to discuss in detail the status of England rugby, together with his own vision for the organisation moving forward, whether his regime is to be followed for a matter of months or is given the freedom to run, ready for a far greater challenge in 2015.

The interim coach referenced the importance of ensuring English rugby is something to be proud of once again. In doing so he discussed openly the challenges he faces in establishing a new coaching force, to ensure the effective management of a new group of players, which will be required to operate in an entirely new environment:

“It takes a long time to build it. You can’t just wave a magic wand and create it. You have to build it and grow it.” Well, in the spirit of borrowing from our sporting siblings, ‘If you build it, they will come.’

When Lancaster names his 32-man Six Nations squad on January 11th, he is likely to do so with one eye on 2015. That being said, the first hurdle to overcome is beating Scotland at Murrayfield and his match-day 22 will need to combine experience at Test match level, with fresh talent to promise progress well beyond the Six Nations.

The rulebook prevents Lancaster from making more than 10 changes to the squad that was listed for the World Cup, although he may introduce two more new names to this list. This makes the process somewhat restrictive given the pressure that the interim coach is already facing to inject new life into England Rugby and introduce younger talent to the game.

Given the 10 change rule picking a 32-man squad was near impossible. Without this restriction, a number of the positions listed below could have been filled by players who were not invited to New Zealand but would arguably offer a great deal more than those Lancaster may well have to stick with. It is hard to imagine just how powerful a side England could have had at its disposal if Lancaster were not subject to the rulebook. Nevertheless, England has arguably the best pool of talent from which to select and places across the squad will be sharply contested.

The England 32 I’d like to see announced on January 11th:

1) Dylan Hartley (Northampton)

A key ingredient to England’s forward line up. Having recently committed to a future with Saints until 2015 there is plenty of time for the hooker to translate domestic growth and development into National success.

2) Joe Gray (Harlequins)

At just 23 Gray’s inclusion in the Six Nations squad could prove to be pivotal in supporting preparations for 2015. Former England under 20s and Saxons squad player, this is by far one of the most exciting young players in English Rugby at present.

3) Lee Mears (Bath)

Certainly not my first choice but, given selection restrictions and the number of younger players at Lancaster’s disposal, he might well be wise to spread age and experience thinly throughout the squad, to provide much needed support to less experienced players.

4) Matt Stevens (Saracens)

Perhaps most heavily associated with the no.3 jersey, Stevens is able to cover both sides of the scrum which will always play to his advantage when it comes to such a wide potential pool of players. With only one replacement prop position at his disposal, Lancaster will have to think intelligently in terms of versatility and preparing for the worst case scenario.

5) Joe Marler (Harlequins)

Whilst Marler might not offer the versatility that Stevens does, he offers ball-carrying capabilities well beyond his position. He’ll offer strength in open play, would work effortlessly with Gray given the experience at Quins, and moreover he’s the kind of colourful character that fans pay good money to see.

6) Dan Cole (Leicester)

A walking definition of dedication and loyalty. The Tigers prop has firmly established himself at Leicester and would no doubt bring a consistency, together with Six Nations experience, to the squad.

7) David Wilson (Bath)

Overlooked by many given the presence of other, perhaps more versatile, props, at 26 Wilson could nonetheless represent a key element to England’s future set up. He offers discipline, strength in the set piece and the youthfulness to continue on into 2015.

8) Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)

Having played rugby since the age of five, Corbisiero lives and breathes the sport and offers the grounding, experience and determination to warrant inclusion not only in Lancaster’s 32 man squad. but, in my mind, in his starting line up at Murrayfield.

9) Courtney Lawes (Northampton)

With the added option of playing Lawes at no. 6, he is arguably one of Lancaster’s easier selection choices in terms of versatility. Quick to make an impact at Saints, Lawes would do well in partnership with Botha in particular.

10) Louis Deacon (Leicester)

Evidently rated by the former coaching set up at England Rugby, Deacon was a key presence in New Zealand and has been widely recognised by team mates off the pitch. Whilst at 31 he may fall into the older age category of a Six nations squad, if Lancaster’s focus is to build a positive, amicable but disciplined environment in the England camp, then a player like Deacon will be key to this.

11) Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)

Lancaster is yet to announce his stance on players who compete for sides outside of England. Whilst disregarding players who play abroad is a decision I support, Palmer is an established part of the England second row and, Man of the Match against France in last year’s Six Nations, will be sorely missed if Lancaster refuses to alter the ruling.

12) Mouritz Botha (Saracens)

Acknowledged publicly by Lancaster as Saxons coach for his ability to hit rucks and to tot up tackles time and time again to outshine those vying for his place, Botha has surely earned the right to put this to good use this time around?

13) Tom Croft (Leicester)

Backed by Moody to take over the reigns as England captain, Croft’s inclusion within the 32-man squad goes without question.. While he wouldn’t be my first choice for the captaincy, he certainly offers the squad a level-headed, calming influence that it will most certainly need if it is to recover successfully from the post-New Zealand turmoil.

14) Tom Wood (Northampton)

Another potential candidate for the captaincy, Wood has the ability to slot comfortably into the back row but also displays flashes of a natural openside- something which can only be music to Lancaster‘s ears. He can only hope that the pickle he found himself recently in against Leicester has been forgotten.

15) Luke Narraway (Gloucester)

An all rounder at no. 8 who, in the absence of Moody and Haskell, should surely be expecting the opportunity to rejoin the England line up. I would favour the Gloucester captain far and above a return from Easter and it’s likely that Lancaster, having previously named Narraway captain of Saxons against the Barbarians last Summer, would agree.

16) Andy Saull (Saracens)

Another player who seems to be reaping the rewards of the Saracens military efficiency. One of the few natural openside flankers that exist in the Premiership currently, Saull set tongues wagging most recently when he utilised the absence of Jacques Burger to put in an impressive performance against Quins at Twickenham. In fact Burger’s absence, which one would have expected to have a massive impact on the Saracens side, is actually going near on unnoticed thanks to the handy work of Saull. Faith from Lancaster at this stage could be just the kind of preparation needed to expose the potential of the 23 year old. One to watch.

17) Luke Wallace (Harlequins)

England have for a long time struggled when it comes to a natural openside flanker. Finding such a player is vital when we look to the likes of Wales’ Warburton and New Zealand’s McCaw. Wallace might well be just what England is looking for. At just 21 he has a huge career ahead of him. If we look at the success of Warren Gatland’s selections for his 2011 World Cup squad, there were players in that line up that critics deemed too young and too inexperienced to compete at an international level. Well the critics got that one pretty wrong- look at North, Priestland, Williams, Halfpenny, Bevington- all players who are competing with ease alongside, and against, players boasting a decade’s more experience than them. If Lancaster places the same kind of trust in Wallace, he will enjoy the time and opportunity to mould the young talent into the kind of no. 7 England Rugby has been missing.

18) Tom Waldrom (Leicester)

Not an easy decision but I have faith that, having made his presence felt at Leicester, the same can be done for England. Earning a place in New Zealand as cover for Easter, and later filling Sheridan’s shoes after injury, Lancaster might well want to give Waldrom the chance to prove his ability in the starting squad this time around.

19) Ben Youngs (Leicester)

The first name I wrote down when it came to my 32-man squad. Youngs, for me, represents everything that England Rugby must now be about; youth, energy, discipline and a passion for the game. He boasts Tiger Academy, England Junior National Academy, and England Sevens’ experience, and he’s experienced International rugby at both junior and senior level. He’s played fly half, full-back, centre and has now made his name at scrum half, demonstrating versatility and an overwhelming willingness to develop and to mature with the game. For me, a future England captain and one of the most deserving players at Lancaster’s disposal.

20) Joe Simpson (Wasps)

Again, perhaps not a player I would have opted for in the absence of selection restrictions, particularly with the availability of now fit Danny Care. Simpson does, however, offer experience of a World Cup which saw the England squad put well and truly through its paces. Let’s hope the experience was character building and he is able to encourage many a fresh set of legs to look to the Six Nations as an entirely new ball game.

21) Ben Spencer (Saracens)

Having impressed at Saracens enough to be offered a full time contract, the 19 year-old scrum half has benefited greatly from the absence of Wigglesworth. His input into sealing Saracens win over Quins in the Aviva Premiership will not have gone unnoticed. Again, it is crucial that England Rugby utilises this selection opportunity to provide emerging talent with a chance to experience preparations, as well as competition, within a National camp. Spencer is a player who, if given such exposure now, could well be a second next generation scrum half alongside Youngs ready to do battle in 2015.

22) Toby Flood (Leicester)

Flood remains a powerful player at no. 10; he is unpredictable and continually makes life hard for defence. Moreover, his composure is exactly what a Nation morning the loss of Jonny Wilkinson will be looking for come February.

23) Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)

One half of a Saracens club pairing that could prove incredibly powerful for England. Hodgson has been tipped to fulfil the position of Flood’s understudy but with Farrell at centre, he could well be hot on the heals of Flood to start at no.10 to create a pairing that’s success can be translated onto the National stage. The record Aviva Premiership point scorer, Hodgson was unfortunate to miss out on selection for the World Cup. In the absence of Jonny, it might be time for luck to swing his way.

24) Manu Tuilagi (Leicester)

Ferry jumping aside, this guy is a powerhouse and one whom Andy Farrell will no doubt have his eye closely on. One of the most exciting prospects for International rugby and a player that England needs to be working hard to make the very most of.

25) Owen Farrell (Saracens)

Speaking of the Farrells, Farrell Junior is the name on everyone’s lips. Move over Jonny, make way for Owen. Whilst this is a huge amount of pressure to put on the young player’s shoulders, I’m quietly confident that he can handle it. Having already proven that even a sell-out Twickenham crowd is not enough to distract or intimidate, Farrell has demonstrated kicking potential above and beyond any young player to come through the ranks in English rugby. At just 20 he is already demonstrating great maturity and a confidence to exert authority when needed on the field. No doubt he’ll be doing all he can to make himself known to Lancaster (and to make a certain backs coach proud).

26) Matt Banahan (Bath)

Whilst Banahan had little opportunity to contribute towards England’s progress in the World Cup he remains one of Bath’s stand out players, recently the only try scorer in the Heineken Cup match which saw them beaten 13-18 by Leinster. Banahan is a sizeable, dominant player, who is able to play at centre or on the wing. Tindall was never going to make my 32, and I can only hope that Lancaster selects Banahan in his absence as a more deserving candidate with far greater potential.

27) Brad Barritt (Saracens)

My first choice to partner Farrell in mid-field, the Saracens centre has long been wavering on the brink of National selection. If his recent Aviva Premiership, man of the match winning victory over Harlequins is anything to go by, he has a fair few tricks up his sleeve to please the crowds. This might be just the time for him to begin a successful career for England.

28) Ben Foden (Northampton)

Never one to be distracted, even with the imminent arrival of a baby Foden, the full-back is undeniably a crucial element of England’s so called next generation of elite level rugby. Foden, to me, represents the ideal balance of youth, with the opportunity to develop and shape, and core of experience, which some of even the older, more experienced players could learn from. He offers a consistency of play that breeds confidence and assurance; something which every England Rugby fan could surely do with right about now.

29) Chris Ashton (Northampton)

Whilst Ashton appears to be fighting his own battles both on the field and off it with Northampton’s Jim Mallinder, he remains undeniably one of England’s first choice wings. After a month out of action however, he’ll need to demonstrate this absence has not hampered his performance, while greater discipline with most certainly be another requirement of Lancaster’s before he is willing to serve up a place for Ashton. The wing has also been linked with a lucrative move to Saracens - an exciting prospect for a squad which looks potentially set to lose the greatest number of players to Six Nation, and later International, duties.

30) Delon Armitage (London Irish)

Having been ruled out of last year’s Six Nations after receiving an eight week ban, it’s expected that Armitage will feature in this year’s squad, provided he doesn’t re-enact previous misconduct. He promises the ability to play comfortably at full-back or wing.

31) Charlie Sharples (Gloucester)

‘The fastest winger in the west’, the 22 year-old was unfortunate not to make the World Cup squad but, having made his way well onto the lips of pundits and sports writers without playing so much as a minute at international level, the youngster has more than proven his worth to the interim coaching team. A hugely exciting young prospect and one that we can only hope will be invested heavily in at a National level.

32) Alex Goode (Saracens)

Another impressive young talent worthy of selection, Goode has already excelled with England Saxons and has no doubt caught the eye of Lancaster along the way. Goode is yet another player who is benefiting greatly from the club culture that Saracens has created.

Stuart Lancaster has embarked upon what can only be described as the ultimate restoration project, as he sets about radically overhauling the culture of England Rugby and injecting new life into an organisation exposed to be at an all time low by the World Cup reports.

The appointment of an interim coach was always set to require drastic change following in-depth review, resignations and restructures but the leaked World Cup reports revealed internal damage far worse than ever imaginable from the outside; damage which could prove irreparable without rapid response.

From day one of his appointment Lancaster revealed no less than a one man mission to re-ignite a sporting culture which rests on discipline and respect, values which have long been entrenched, but of late mislaid, within England Rugby. With very little time to find and instil such values, this is a challenge of epic proportions.

Lancaster discussed this week a potential pool of players who were desperate to play for their country, but whose behaviour had not always matched this desire. He focused on the requirements of adequate and appropriate preparation, discipline and an understanding of the sacrifices they, as players, must make in order to earn the right to represent their country. According to him, this begins not with the players themselves but with the environment within which they operate and to which they are exposed. This environment, it seems, has been the immediate focus of the interim coach’s overhaul.

Lancaster has not shied away from outside support, outsourcing expertise from Bath’s Ian McGeechan, who was of course himself amongst those initially linked with Martin Johnson’s post. Lancaster also enjoys input from Rowntree, the only coach not to be publicly condemned by players via the leaked World Cup reports, together with Andy Farrell, making up the so called caretaker coaching staff.

Whilst it is clear that Lancaster is simply the warm up act for a yet unnamed and, presumably undetermined, candidate who will offer specialist expertise and longevity, it seems that Lancaster is already making his name known as a coach who means business.

What then is to become of England Rugby post-Lancaster? Whilst there is the small hurdle of the Six Nations to overcome with immediacy, 2015 and the future of the elite game in England is, nonetheless, playing on many a fans’ mind and, one would presume, adding considerable weight to the shoulders of Lancaster.

Brian Moore last week made a valid point; there are only seven World Cup winning coaches in total and each was not so when they were appointed. As Moore rightly recognised, if the RFU demands this sort of calibre of candidate to fill a permanent position post Six Nations, it may have a somewhat restricted number of applicants to approach; none of which, it can expected, will be banging its door down and crying out for the role.

Former England centre Will Greenwood described the need for a coaching structure which understands the strengths and weaknesses of the squad, a set up which would equip players with the skill sets to go out and be physically and mentally intense. Lancaster, Rowntree and Farrell have already revealed an intention to put in place this very structure and sense of understanding, to bring about the demonstration of physical and mental intensity and to create a more positive and hopeful future for England Rugby.

Taking what could be described as a leaf out of Warren Gatland’s book, Lancaster is likely to host a pre-tournament training camp. For Gatland, Poland was about fitness and physical preparation; for Lancaster any such trip will be UK-based and will lean more toward work ethic, discipline and team bonding; skills and attributes that many of those players listed in Johnson’s squad were undoubtedly lacking. This is a sign of a coach who is committed to the investment in, and the development of, individual players, an entire squad and indeed England Rugby as a professional sporting organisation.

According to Rowntree, if England were to win the Six Nations, the new RFU regime would need to rethink the urge to appoint an overseas tournament expert. The man surely has a point. Lancaster must succeed in: introducing a strong work ethic back into a once rotten, soon to be refreshed, squad, igniting a sense of pride amongst disconcerted England fans, and somehow repositioning the chariot back on course once again. If he succeeds in all of the above then there is a strong argument in support of his presence in the long term. If one man is able to have such a widespread positive impact with just 100 days at the helm, just imagine what he could do under permanency of contract.

“I want that pride back”….“We want excitement, energy, pride.” (Rowntree). It seems the trio tasked with managing England Rugby’s greatest ever comeback are singing from the same page, ready to do everything in their power to rediscover this very pride and energy and to introduce it back into the game, encouraging an army of fans to come onboard and find their voices once again.

Following the announcement that Martyn Thomas will next month stand down as acting chief executive the RFU has, assumingly, now begun its hunt to find a suitable candidate to fill the position on a permanent basis, as the organisation continues along a seemingly never ending path of inconveniently timed changes and restructures.

The CEO, who will in effect be the ultimate boss of Martin Johnson’s incoming replacement, is expected to be appointed on December 14th. The chosen candidate will, as a result, be required to think on their feet, given that their appointment will fall worryingly close to the announcement of the revised England squad in the New Year and, of course, England’s first Six Nations draw on February 4th against Scotland.

The role is not to be underestimated. This is, above all else, a business appointment and one which will require an individual capable of stepping onto the frontline, knowing that those around them are masters in the game of passing the buck.

Whoever is chosen will need to be prepared to dirty their hands, to uncover an endless number of skeletons that no doubt still lurk within the closet of the RFU and, perhaps more importantly, they must be equipped to endure the most turbulent of rollercoaster rides that the British press and a Nation of deflated fans will no doubt invite them onto.

Who then is the right person for the job? A number of candidates have been linked to the role, albeit speculatively, since Thomas’ announcement. There is, however. one person who, for whatever reason, has not been publicly associated with the post. This someone may well offer everything that the position requires, and then some; West Ham’s vice chairman Karren Brady.

Thrown into the mainstream spotlight perhaps more so than ever by Lord Sugar, Brady has one of the most impressive portfolios of sporting executive experience that the RFU could stumble upon.

Former managing director of Birmingham City FC, Brady completed the most impressive of 180s when she turned the club around from bankruptcy to recording a financial trading profit in just a year, and later to a stock market listing in only four years. From joining Birmingham City in 1993 to her departure in 2009, Brady managed to take a club which was struggling in administration with a diminishing fan base, and transform it into a business worth over £82million, reinvigorating its army of followers along the way.

Working her magic next on West Ham United FC, Brady led a major campaign to secure status as preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium. In doing so she has continued to make her presence felt as one of the UK’s most powerful and capable businesswomen with an enviable ability, complete with proven track record, of managing elite professional sporting outfits through even the most challenging of times, ensuring that they emerge at the end of the tunnel in a far better position than that in which they entered.

The incoming CEO of the RFU must offer the ability to manage and to lead by example. Moreover they will need to come free from baggage, with an open mind, uninfluenced by external pressures or by the personal motivations of any internal figure. Only then will they stand a chance of turning around an organisation which, sadly, has lost its way.

But more so than the attributes above, the RFU could benefit hugely from the presence of an individual who is likeable, personable and a walking, talking role model for the game; someone who can effortlessly uphold the values of discipline, professionalism and passion that England rugby does represent, but has recently managed to misplace.

It has often been said that is takes a strong-minded, resilient female to succeed to the highest of positions in business. This is arguably truer than ever within a male-dominated sports environment. Here we have an example of a woman who has done just this and, moreover, has done it without ever compromising her own values or losing the public’s respect.

While there are other candidates who too offer impressive experience in leading major commercial entities, perhaps most notably Steve Holliday of the National Grid who, of course, offers a passion and a long-standing enthusiasm for rugby as a factor weighing in his favour, I am surely not alone in thinking that this is a role which could well have Brady’s name written all over it.

Could the first woman in football prove just as handy on the rugby field?

The doctrine of the separation of powers, ascribed to French philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, establishes three arms of the state: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. Embedded into the UK constitution, it prescribes the separation of independent powers and responsibilities between these three arms, ensuring no branch interferes with, or enforces greater power over, another.

The separation of powers requires the presence of checks and balances to ensure that no arm works outside of its remit or goes beyond the powers delegated to it. Accountability is also essential; for every individual or organisation must be, where necessary, held fully accountable for its actions.

During the press conference which saw the resignation of Martin Johnson, Rob Andrew sought to explain the boundaries separating his remit and Johnson’s, in a bid to avoid following the former manager into the lion’s cage. His explanation was far from satisfactory.

If we are to apply Montesquieu’s doctrine to the RFU a fair few issues become apparent, most notably when we come to consider the role of Mr Andrew himself.

When Andrew’s ‘director of elite rugby’ post was repositioned into rugby operations director, his role became incredibly broad. Elite rugby is, he claims, now only one fifth of his role within the RFU, adding further confusion to his professional remit for many (perhaps this is because we are all too stupid and unfamiliar with business to understand it).

Nevertheless the man, who has witnessed the departure of three England managers since joining the RFU in 2006, is now facing a flurry of calls for his resignation, attracting an unprecedented amount of media attention far greater than even dwarf throwing, bar hopping or harbour jumping could generate.

Described by Rob Bagchi as ‘Twickenham’s Teflon man’, Andrew’s ability to dodge bullets and escape the negative limelight was witnessed even prior to his career with the RFU, being referred to by team-mates as ‘squeaky’ because of his flawless public image.

If Andrew is to stay, there seems only two sensible solutions moving forward: either he is to be held accountable for the team and for the players’ behaviour, taking full responsibility for the elite squad, or he is to step aside and assume responsibility only for the structure and operation of England rugby. Bringing back such a structure would mean the revival of the days of Woodward, Robinson and Ashton, encouraging clarity, defined responsibility and greater accountability.

We come then to the pending review of England’s World Cup performance and of the RFU’s internal operations. There has been a huge amount of criticism over Johnson’s resignation and the subsequent plans for an RFU review. At the forefront of this is the possibility that Andrew will be permitted input into, and no doubt considerable influence over, a review process which includes the evaluation of his own decisions and performance.

While the principle of accountability is often taught in reference to the political environment, the RFU is an organisation overflowing with its own internal politics and unearthed hierarchical battles. Johnson operated under what The Guardian’s Robert Kitson termed “the most dysfunctional employers in the country”, a set up which saw him take complete responsibility for the elite squad and refuse to make known the betrayal by two armies: the first brandishing the English rose and the second in suits with Andrew at the helm.

The Times’ Simon Barnes too discussed the RFU as an organisation “in a permanent state of political supernova, each individual operates on the principal of never being to blame for anything”…. “He (Johnson) was left exposed by the sort of sporting men who love power rather more than they do responsibility.”

Why is it, then, that with Andrew nothing seems to stick? A sharp image, an evident commercial awareness and the ability to throw around business talk like there’s no tomorrow have all, to date, worked in his favour and have enabled him to continually distract audiences, to establish himself as a voice of authority and ultimately to maintain a position in which he is untouchable.

Now it can only be hoped that the incoming CEO will be given the authority, free from external pressure, to determine for themself how they believe the structure of the department would operate most successfully and whether the position of professional rugby director should be reshaped or, at the very least, re-opened.

Steve James drew the most sensible of comparisons this week. When you compare the RFU to England cricket, the organisation’s ambiguity in structure and lack of accountability become all the more evident. England cricket coach Andy Flower is given clear responsibility for the players and for the game, with managing director Hugh Morris overseeing the organisation and having far less of an involvement in the professional game as Andrew proclaims to have for England rugby. Morris is the figure who shields Flower and in doing so leaves the coach to get on with exactly what he does best.

It will do us no favours to look back and question how such an alternative structure could have improved the status of England rugby prior to, and during, the World Cup. Nevertheless if the RFU now chooses to implement a more coherent, forward thinking structure, as is the case with its cricket counterpart, then England rugby stands a far better chance of removing itself from the puddle of misery it currently sits in.

Whether the RFU learns from history, political theory or from the rules of an entirely different ball game, by looking a little further afield, it just might find the answers it has been looking for.

Martin Johnson today announced his resignation as England manager:

“I think it’s in the best interests of myself and the England team that I don’t continue on into next year.”

When appointed in 2008 there was a certain amount of rebuilding to be done by Johnson following the 2007 World Cup; rebuilding which included the introduction of a host of new players. He spoke today of the huge strides the side had since taken on the field and in particular how these new faces had managed well within a new environment, making themselves known as valuable members of the team. Johnson also spoke of this season being the most successful that the squad has had, winning 10 out of 13 matches. This, together with Six Nations victory, will add to the achievements Johnson will take away with him as he departs in a way that few would have predicted nor would have wanted.

When today’s press conference drew to a close there remained a sense of unfinished business, business that few candidates possess the ability to put an end to, other than Martin Johnson himself.

In the words of Phil Greening, today seemed itself just like a game situation, with far more going on behind closed doors than even the British media was able to uncover or perhaps discuss. Greening referred with admiration to a man who has made an honourable decision, a man who he described as having protected everyone in his midst right until the very end.

Like Greening, many would believe that there is far more to the story than simply a decision by a manager to stand down following a less than successful World Cup. That story may well never be told by Johnson himself. He will instead, no doubt, be one of the few individuals today associated with the England rugby brand who will continue to uphold and respect the professional ethos of the game and protect the reputation of an organisation for which he has worked so hard.

Sir Ian McGeechan, director of rugby at Bath, is one of many to hold Johnson in high regard and to consider him to be the right person to head up England, in turn questioning the existence of an alternative candidate with the calibre capable of taking the squad forward just as Johnson was.

Johnson told reporters today how he believed that the England Squad had been portrayed in a negative and an inaccurate light. I can’t help but feel that he has been portrayed in just the same way. If Johnson is guilty of anything, it was a tendency to trust those around him.

“I warned the players if they open the door slightly, it will get opened. They did that.” These were the only words Johnson uttered that revealed even a hint of frustration towards those players, most notably Tindall, who have undeniably had a helping hand in his downfall. For the remainder of the conference Johnson spoke only in praise of the players, coaches and management groups, even disclosing that he would not have continued in his role had his coaching colleagues been removed by the RFU.

Regardless of how anyone feels about Johnson’s performance as England manager, his professionalism in refusing to criticise those around him and his ability instead to praise the efforts of players and staff alike should not go unnoticed, regardless of the fact that Johnson himself would probably never want this acknowledged.

The ability to maintain a sense of dignity, to uphold the professionalism of the game, and retain a sense of maturity and calm…now these are signs of a true leader; a leader who will long be remembered and prove incredibly difficult to replace.

‘Vindictive’ (Paul Ackford), ‘scapegoating’ (Austin Healey), ‘brutal’ (Mick Cleary, The Telegraph), ‘shambles’ (Mark Cueto)….however you’d term the record £25,000 fine and squad dismissal delivered last week to Mike Tindall by RFU professional rugby director Rob Andrew, it’s safe to say that this is not the way the player had intended to end his 11 year international career.

The man who led England for much of the past year in the absence of injured Lewis Moody, Tindall will now move from a position of seniority within the country’s elite player squad, to paying the ultimate price for being entrusted with the captaincy and setting an example of alcoholism and deceit in return.

The reaction of the RFU was in absolute contrast to Johnson’s near inaction in New Zealand at the time. The organisation claimed that Tindall‘s actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable of a senior England player, amounting to a serious breach of the elite player squad code of conduct. This suggests, as former England coach Dick Best noted this week, that there must be far more to the events in New Zealand than the public have been made aware of, or such severe action would surely not have been taken. Or would it?

Was this not just a prime opportunity for RFU to make the ultimate statement by taking a player who, admittedly has done wrong, and choosing to ban him from a side which was, in reality, never again going to request his return?

It was always unlikely that Tindall’s name would feature in England’s 2012 team list; making an example of him was simply an opportunity for RFU to be seen to be taking control of the uncontrollable.

It is a sad day when a player who has earned 75 caps sees his international career ended by public annihilation. It’s an even sadder day when that player’s punishment is actually no more than an opportunity for RFU to stomp its feet and flex its muscles.

By invoking Tindall’s removal from the squad the RFU is seen to be punishing unacceptable behaviour, upholding the rules of the game off the field and communicating a powerful message to players and management alike. All of this is achieved without having to remove a player who will have any great impact on the future success of England rugby. Perhaps if it were Lewis Moody or Toby Flood in this scenario, it would be an entirely different end to the story.

Even more frustratingly than any of the above is the delayed reaction of the RFU in penalizing Tindall. The result of which is to ensure that the chaos which surrounds England rugby is remembered for just a few more weeks than was ever necessary. In fact it wasn’t until Andrew handed down such a ridiculously excessive penalty that I felt any shred of sympathy for Tindall; now I’m unsure which of the two I find more intolerable.

All in all the RFU has done a fantastic job of making an example of a player who is useless to the future of England rugby. Andrew meanwhile has attracted prolonged attention from the British media, made a mockery of the disciplinary system and probably put himself in the firing line along the way. Someone give the man a gold star.

One of the World’s greatest ever forwards, a captain who oozed passion and leadership, a player who had the ability to inspire a team to achieve greatness and a man acknowledged by many as the driving force behind England’s 2003 World Cup victory, Martin Johnson, as a player, will be regarded for years to come as one of the sport’s all time greats.

But events over the past few weeks and months, and now the authoritative words of Rob Andrew, have cast considerable doubt over the legacy that Johnson will leave as a manager and as a leader.

Having begun his role as England manager with a degree of hesitation, Johnson is said to have never actively pursued the position himself. Nonetheless he was seen as the answer that a nation had been searching for.

He brought a wealth of experience to the role but so too did he bring the mindset of a former player, one who trusted his team mates and enjoyed many a memory with them, both on and off the field. I would imagine I’m not the first to suggest that this trust is something which helped lay the foundations for the position he finds himself in today, with the influence of existing relationships bearing far greater impact on his ability to manage than anyone had ever anticipated.

Johnson’s decision to abstain from publicly disciplining Mike Tindall immediately has been criticised almost as heavily as Tindall’s behaviour itself. Moreover, when compared to the severerity of the penalty enforced by Andrew, Johnson’s relaxed attitude has created the greatest routine of ‘good cop, bad cop’ the game has ever seen.

Where then has the criticism of Johnson’s disciplinary action, or lack thereof, stemmed from? The questionable future of lucrative sponsorship deals from the likes of Nike, o2 and Range Rover have undoubtedly added fuel to the fire and left England Rugby in a somewhat unstable position commercially. It is difficult, even for the greatest of Johnson’s supporters like myself, to ignore the relationship between the manager’s loose hold on discipline, the players’ behaviour and subsequent negative media attention and public perception. Therefore the removal of Johnson, as a figure who is implicated so heavily in this ugly mess, would surely go some way towards silencing sponsors.

When you combine this perceived lack of control with murmurs of ball tampering, illicit gum shields and harbour jumping antics, Johnson’s position seems virtually untenable.

The Express’s Steve Bale wrote this weekend of the England squad, under Johnson’s direction, as a failure both on and off the field. Whilst I’m not quite as comfortable as Bale is in regarding the side’s performance as a failure on all accounts, for there are a number of players who I would deem as having continued to perform consistently and professionally, it is difficult to argue against the notion that Johnson should look back upon the way he managed Tindall’s behaviour with, at the very least, a twinge of regret.

We do, of course, discuss all of the above with the power of hindsight and without the benefit of information which has evidently come to light in the past two weeks. But, in acknowledging our own naivety in relation to Tindall’s behaviour, we should also appreciate that the events of that illustrious evening were probably just as much of a mystery to Johnson then, as they are to us now. Whilst he may well have been wrong in dismissing initial allegations as alcohol fuelled antics to be expected from rugby players, he was acting without knowledge of the full story and let us not forget that the narrator was, on this occasion, a very dear and trustworthy friend.

Some weeks ago Martin Johnson and Mike Tindall sat side by side as bullets from the British media were fired left, right and centre. Deflected with ease, Johnson did as all great managers should do and shielded Tindall from the onslaught, directing questions back to the game in hand. Now it seems that this very relationship is the one which will prove most costly to a leader who did little more than to place his trust in the hands of one of his oldest players and friends.

The Daily Mail’s Patrick Collins wrote this week: “Johnson may be a generous friend but I suspect he is also an implacable enemy and I doubt he will ever forgive the lout who betrayed him. And neither with English rugby.”

I’m unsure whether it will be Martin Johnson or a nation of passionate rugby fans who will prove more forgiving in the long-run but one thing is for certain; with the anticipated departure of an experienced manager, the absence of a capable performance director, and a potential 2012 squad of players who look, in places, nothing short of royally pissed off at the mess they find themselves in, the future of England Rugby is not looking so bright.

Still, I’m sure in a beer or twos time everything will seem just fine.

Settling somewhere between a period of post-World Cup patriotism and a rumble of anticipation in the lead up to the Heineken Cup, is the recurring debate as to the legitimacy of the tip-tackle.

Entrenched inevitably within this is concern over the inconsistent regulation of an engagement that warranted a yellow card, with no subsequent disciplinary hearing, for Stephen Jones during the Scarlets-Ospreys RaboDirect Pro12 match last weekend, but comparably resulted in the sending off of Wales skipper Warburton in arguably the most important match of his life to date.

Should there then be an opportunity to distinguish between a tip-tackle made unknowingly without malice and one that is made with deliberate malevolence and intentional excessive force? Many would say yes.

However, if Warburton’s maturity of response to Rolland’s decision is anything to go by, in which he acknowledged and respected the ruling given, then it would seem the player’s own answer to the above question would be no; the mindset of the player when making the tackle need never be considered, for the tackle itself is all that should be required to warrant disciplinary action.

Conversely, many would argue that a player’s lack of malice should go some way towards negating liability. The difficulty with this conclusion is how, and to what extent, are referees to rule on a player’s mindset in making a tackle? 

Of course, this is a debate that commentary teams engage in on a regular basis, communicating a perception that a player did or did not intentionally carry out an illegal tackle or involve himself in foul play. But while this is to be expected of the voices in our ears on a match day, it is a consideration which, when undertaken by a referee, moves worryingly into the realms of attitudinal assessment and not simply an assessment of the play which took place on field.

With such inconsistency in regulation it seems inevitable that we will continue to see decisions made which trigger controversy; decisions which lead to the criticism of referees who are doing no more than seeking to ensure the rule book is adhered to.

While lack of clarity in regulation is undoubtedly a huge aspect of the debate, so too is the way in which players respond to the absence of clarification in rules and procedure.

Gwyn Jones this week set the scene suitably when he asked readers to consider the game at a lower level; a scenario where a young player, in a youth squad, makes his debut in a derby match and is met by the force of an opponent’s tip-tackle. While Jones focused on the recipient, a scene which sees a young player moving through the air to land on his head, the same attention should be paid to the opposing power-house who has either unknowingly misjudged the situation or, dare we say it, has naively decided to hedge his bets that inconsistencies in penalty enforcement may just cause the decision to fall in his favour.

Whilst the legitimisation of these tackles is neither the preferred nor the expected solution, communication that offers clarity and encourages and facilitates consistency is.

If there was ever a time to issue a clarification in the line which should be taken across the board then now, as we prepare to do battle in the Six Nations and return to support our Welsh regions at a European level, is most certainly that time.

The news of Wales and Lions star Gavin Henson putting pen to paper on an eight month deal with the Blues hit headlines last week, falling flawlessly somewhere between the events in New Zealand and the pending finale of the player’s Channel 5 declarations of undying love; a well played move of PR genius it must be said.

The spotlight was, for a split second, removed from the heroics of the Welsh squad and manoeuvred onto the Cardiff region, which had undoubtedly been sitting impatiently on this embargo, ready for it to land comfortably inside the barriers of the Heineken Cup deadline.

You would be forgiven for thinking that since parting with Toulon at the end of last season, Henson’s foremost priority has been the search for the perfect woman; alas, the search for a new club to call home has also been on the agenda, albeit less publicly.

Any rumours of a return to Welsh regional rugby for Ospreys have now been ridded and cast to the side, along with memories too of the player’s Saracens cameo.

Henson has, in fact, not played Welsh regional rugby since March 2009. Part of the preliminary 45-man Wales World Cup squad, the 29-year old was, according to fellow team members, in great shape in Poland. This demonstration of good form and renewed commitment to the game was soon dissolved however, when injury during Wales’ victory over England in August removed the opportunity for him to play any part in Wales’ progress in New Zealand.

The longstanding Blues-Ospreys rivalry has weighed heavily on many a mind since the Blues announcement last week. Nevertheless, Henson has declared himself as delighted to be back in Wales, and ready to present himself as ‘Blues through and through’ upon his debut. Just how ready the fans will be for his return, however, is another matter altogether.

Just weeks ago I sat in a room filled with dedicated Welsh fans, a big proportion of whom had evidently followed the Blues for their entire lives. Tom Shanklin’s Testimonial Year launch was a chance to predict and evaluate Wales’ chances going into the Rugby World Cup. A panel, which included Blues players Xavier Rush and Paul Tito, provided some brutally honest answers to questions posed about the state of Welsh rugby today and its prospects for years to come. Implicit in this, and in the celebration of Shanklin’s contribution to rugby, was analysis of the future of the Blues.

One question stood out above all others that evening; if you could choose any player to join the Blues, who would it be. As expected, murmurs of Dan Carter were quick off the mark but, more unpredictably, were the answers from Bob Norster and Gareth Edwards who, out of all the players in the world, named Henson as the individual they would welcome to the side; responses which were greeted with anything other than open arms by Tito and Rush. It seemed any presence of Henson within the side would be received with resentment and, in Tito’s case, even consideration of departure.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense will now, in hindsight, feel confident that answers to the above question were made in the knowledge of Henson’s pending, or perhaps even confirmed, signing. The weight of that knowledge upon Norster and Edwards’ decisions will, however, never be known.

What we can be fairly certain of though, is that if players are willing to communicate such a potent dislike for Henson in a room full of people, they sure as hell won’t be holding back when the man himself reaches the changing rooms. And let us not forget that at least one of the boys in blue will be making way for the bachelor and having to learn to sit comfortably on the bench instead.

Regardless of Henson’s prospects with the region, there is one thing that is for certain; when Gavin Henson is present, people talk. His arrival to the Blues will, at best, present a versatile and powerful addition to the regional side, and at worst, be a somewhat brilliant profile raiser and magnet for bums on seats.

Either way, well played Cardiff Blues. Well played.

The versatility of 22 year-old Leigh Halfpenny and his proven track record of making something out of nothing were attributes which were always likely to stand him in good stead when it came to Gatland’s team selection going into today’s Quarter Final clash with Ireland. But the decision to name the youngster as starting full-back was a bold one.

Having made every start for Wales to date on the wing, at 5ft 10 Halfpenny, for some, falls short of the mark for the full-back position. Nevertheless, having gained a great amount of exposure from a young age in the number 15 jersey, he himself considers it to be a position of comfort.

Halfpenny’s impressive form in the Pools, including a match winning try and an all around solid performance at replacement full-back against Samoa, has certainly set tongues wagging and has earned him praise from the likes of former Wales captain Gwyn Jones, who made no secret of his preference for Halfpenny at full-back. Regardless of this, the pressure from a Nation hungry for a taste of the semi finals and an in-form team sheet raring to hit the field at the first sign of weakness, meant that today’s performance was, if possible, more important than ever. 

The decision to opt for Halfpenny ahead of Lions’ number 15 Byrne and Hook was a controversial one; influenced potentially by Hook’s only recent recovery from a shoulder injury. Add to this Halfpenny’s ability to offer an additional kicking option and a strength over distance, and Gatland’s selection begins to make considerably more sense. 

The heightened atmosphere of a Rugby World Cup Quarter Final and the fickle Wellington weather meant the game could well have gone either way for the youngster. So too could the impact of an absence of Hook who, having played Test rugby at fly-half, centre and full-back, breathes familiarity and assurance into the game for fans. 

Flying in the face of the above concerns, Halfpenny provided a key presence on the field today, not to mention nailing a crucial long range penalty with ease, despite the challenging cake tin wind. In fact any predictions, even from the player himself, that Ireland would target him as a potential weak link, were eradicated by a convincing display of talent and versatility.

Stephen Jones spoke this week of the fearless mentality of the youngest players in the Welsh squad; something which, he said, allowed them to manage the ball competently and enjoy themselves along the way. Today we watched this play out, as some of the side’s youngest players exuded confidence and a sense of calm from the moment Shane Williams hit the try-line in the third minute.

The ability of Wales’ youngsters to produce match-winning performances and silence critics has not only validated Gatland’s controversial decisions, but it has, somewhat inevitably, induced questions as to the international futures of the likes of Stephen Jones and James Hook who, at 33 and 26 respectively, are suitably ancient in comparison to Halfpenny and his army of youth, forcing its way through the ranks.

Look out France, there’s a new full-back on the block and he’s got strength and resilience by the bucketload.

The past three weeks have seen more ups and downs for the England rugby team than the British weather forecast, as fans have winced their way through their morning sports pages, preparing themselves to absorb the off-field antics of the night before.

Sure enough, like a bad hangover, this week we hit rock bottom, as rumours of lies, adultery and alcoholism swarmed the England camp and forced a usually frosty and focused Johnson to express an element of disappointment and an acceptance, to some degree, of fault. 

When Mark Souster of The Times spoke this week about the state of play in the lead up to tomorrow’s game, he discussed the discipline of one of the most professional sporting outfits in the world. While discussions of a side’s discipline would fall as a given in the analysis of any game of rugby, addressing off-field discipline as of greater importance than discipline on the field, is a tell tell sign that England is a side being dragged to the ground by players whose priorities have fallen all out of line. 

Souster was entirely warranted in listing England’s alienation of just about everyone, and their lack of collective grace at present, as factors plaguing the side and causing it to fall out of favour with fans and the British media alike. While it’s also difficult to argue with Souster’s contention that the catalogue of incidents drowning the side is no fevered figment of the press’s imagination, it is hard to abstain from calling into question why such a discussion was necessary in the first place.

A worryingly disproportionate share of media coverage has focused on the behaviour of Tindall and co, upstaging what has been, thus far, a successful start to the competition for the side. You would, in fact, be forgiven for forgetting exactly what this side has accomplished to date and exactly why these players have made themselves household names.

Is it the players’ duty to maintain the respect of young fans and uphold the ethos of respect and maturity that smothers the sport? Yes. Is it Johnson’s duty to answer 9 out of 10 interview questions about players’ personal lives, leaving space for only passing comments on the side’s on-field progress? No.

While we should not for a second condone behaviour that makes a mockery of a sport which, by its very history and nature, embodies friendly camaraderie, respect and discipline, I, like many, would argue that if the priorities of the players have fallen out of line, then so too have the priorities of the fans and the press by failing to focus on the task at hand which, if I remember correctly, begins with a burly bunch of Frenchmen. 

As Wales prepare to blast their way into the Quarter Finals and face commanding fellow underdogs Ireland, a look back at the young guns already making their mark on the tournament suggests that this could be only the beginning of things to come for the Welsh side.

A commitment from Gatland to place belief at the hands of players with very little experience at International level is, to some, a sign of courage from a coach that values the future of the Welsh game more so than simply the task at hand and, to others, is a somewhat more foolish and unnerving hand to play.

With the likes of Faletau, North and Scott Williams all having proved themselves as forces to be reckoned with on the field and testing even the physical force of the Samoans with ease, Wales is a side undeniably showing great promise for the future.

At just 19 North is storming his way through the competition, earning the title of youngest try scorer in Rugby World Cup history and racking up an impressive 9 tries in just 12 international games along the way. Meanwhile Wales’ ‘Tongan ice man’, 20 year-old Faletau, has been flagged by commentary teams as one to watch from day one of this year’s World Cup. Williams too took no prisoners as he secured a hat trick of tries against Namibia, helping the side on its way to an 81-7 victory in the Pools.

Exposure to the competitive game at an early age has proven critical in laying the foundations to produce some of the World’s greatest rugby veterans. Commitment and discipline at a regional level is undoubtedly implicit in the development of players and, indeed, in the formulation of a side which stands any chance in competing with competence and strength internationally for years to come. But, in a game of far more than just rugby, are these young men really ready to play ball?

At best we are a Nation of believers, willing the country’s youngest talent to wow us and to run rings around our opponents’ most able and proficient players; at worst we are a fickle force which supports and believes only when we are in possession.

So when the game turns sour, will fingers be pointed in the direction of inexperience and youth or will the promise of success tomorrow validate the gambles made today?

When it comes down to youthful exuberance versus knowledge and experience, where would you place your bets?

With England’s preparations underway for their Quarter Final clash against France this weekend, the side will proceed in the knowledge that they may be forced to continue without the presence of a player who helped seal England’s World Cup victory eight years ago.

After leaving the pitch clutching his right forearm following England’s win over Scotland on Saturday, Jonny Wilkinson’s form rests uncertain both in terms of injury and in performance.

A player whose 1,177 Test match points tally for his country is bettered only by New Zealand’s Dan Carter, 32-year old Wilkinson has time and time again left his mark on pitches worldwide and made his name as one of the sport’s all time greats. But recent performance, including 11 out of 20 missed place kicks in Pools alone during this year’s World Cup, has placed a dark cloud over his future in the no. 10 jersey, in what will undoubtedly be his final World Cup.

This, together with the comparable force of Flood who is proving more and more popular with England fans with every match, not least because of his critically timed conversion against Scotland in the 78^th minute, is casting considerable doubt over Wilkinson’s chances away from the bench in the Quarter Finals.

And England are by no means alone in heading towards the Quarter Finals with the future of one of their key players hanging in the balance. The news of Carter’s groin injury has hit his New Zealand teammates and the entire hosting nation with an uncomfortable bang.

Described by Scrum V’s Jason Mohammad as the player who makes the side tick, Carter has positioned himself comfortably as the All Blacks’ navigator, the player who, despite not captaining the side, remains arguably the greatest voice of reason on the field.

Deb Robinson, New Zealand’s team doctor said herself that the news of Carter’s injury was both unexpected and a huge blow for all concerned; he had, until now in the competition, been injury free and in terrifyingly awesome form. Set to face Pool B runners up the Argentineans on Sunday, the side will do so knowing that any influence and guidance from the experienced Carter will come only from the sidelines, without any hope of a return to help steer the side to victory.

With the Welsh side announcing the return of Hook, Lydiate and Shane Williams from injury, they conversely look set to tackle the knockout stages in full strength; while Quarter Final opponents Ireland too look strong, feeling only the potential absence of hookers Jerry Flannery, Rory Best and second-row Paul O’Connell.

So with two of the World Cup’s biggest competitors looking set to head into the Quarter Finals without their most famous, point-scoring players, the question is, how heavily does the success of a side rest on one pair of shoulders?