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What a week of mixed emotions!

I heard that I was not to be in the starting XV for the crucial match against Scotland on Tuesday morning even though I had been in the team that trained on the Monday – a sign I took to mean that I had secured my place for the match on the Saturday.

Of course, I was disappointed – particularly as I thought I had played well in the previous game against Romania. Still, as a professional in a team sport, you have to come to terms with these kind of disappointments, stay positive and continue to be a supportive influence in the team – and hope you get the chance to prove the selectors wrong!

The first half of the game against Scotland, viewed from the bench was extremely frustrating as we were unable to establish the kind of control at lineout and scrum that is so crucial. We were also guilty of giving away six penalties before the match was very old which also cost us dear.

I got the call to take the field with about twenty five minutes of the match remaining and the score 12 – 3 against us and I was delighted that my first contribution from the kick off was a clear out to give Jonny the chance to land a drop goal to reduce the deficit to six points.

We knew that we would be on the plane home after the match if we were to lose by eight points or more and so there was renewed effort to cut out the previous mistakes at scrum and lineout.

More players from the sub’s bench were introduced and they injected more pace and urgency to the play and, after a Jonny penalty, we had reduced their lead to just three points with eighteen minutes to go.

Our lineout was functioning much better and with four minutes to go Toby Flood, another off the bench, decided to kick for position near their try line rather than kick for goal.

We secured the lineout possession and created a powerful forward drive to take us even nearer their try line. When the ball was delivered to the half backs Toby saw that Chris Ashton had space wide out and threw a long pass to give him a dash for the corner and the try to secure victory. Toby nailed the conversion from the touchline for good measure.

We now know that we will face France in the quarter finals next Saturday. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this French team will play as badly against us as they did against Tonga. I play with and against these same players every week in France and, believe me, they are capable of producing a performance that will be good enough to defeat any side in world rugby. They cannot play as badly as they did against Tonga a second week in succession.

I am taking nothing for granted. I just hope that I make the starting line up against them and we produce a performance worthy of our collective talents that wins us a place in the semi-finals.

Keep the faith

Cheers, Tom

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After a week in which we were subjected to all kinds
of unwanted publicity from the media there was no doubting
the resolve in the England camp in preparation for the game
against Georgia – a side not unlike Argentina in the way they
demand you to match them for physical intensity
and commitment.

So much of the outcome of any game depends on the collective spirit of the team – something that Ireland demonstrated to such thrilling effect in their unexpected but deserved victory over Tri-Nations champions Australia the night before.

Believe me, no-one in the England camp felt that the game against Georgia was going to be easy. In the last World Cup they nearly caused a huge upset against Ireland in the group stage and I know from personal experience the quality of some of their team who play for the top clubs in France.

I was delighted to get the opportunity to start in the second row with Simon Shaw – another bungee jumper but more on that in a bit! Our games complement each other as a pairing.

I had the responsibility of making the lineout calls and I was very happy with that department of our game. We secured all our own ball and it was this lineout possession that led to a decent proportion of our six tries. The scrum was also solid – especially given the fact that their two props are highly rated in world terms.

Our backs played with more confidence and penetration but we were all unhappy with the number of penalties we conceded at the breakdown. The score line indicates a comfortable victory but our bodies will testify to the fact that it was a bruising encounter.

It has to be emphasised that that there are no really “easy” matches in this World Cup and no-one will be allowed to indulge in complacency prior to next week’s game against Romania.

And in case you were wondering, I was one of the group who went bungee jumping from Nevis Bungy – the third biggest drop in the world. I had experienced bungee jumping before – when I was 18 – not 18 stone!

I defy anyone not to feel …., let’s just say petrified!!! But it is a huge adrenaline rush. The freefall lasts four seconds but it seems much less. After, pure elation. So, I did it a few more times!

Keep the faith

Cheers, Tom

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Unless you have visited New Zealand it is very difficult to appreciate just how high a priority rugby is in the nation’s entire way of life. In England football dominates the media. In New Zealand, football is irrelevant. The biggest challenge to Rugby Union in New Zealand is Rugby League!

In the late 1990’s I was fortunate to play rugby in New Zealand for Otago Boys High School and was selected for the New Zealand Schools team in 1997 prior to going to Leeds University to do a Physics degree.
I have since re-visited the country twice on England tour in 2003 and again in 2008 – both times were big learning experiences!

The England travelling fans will soon discover how passionate the entire country is about rugby and I hope we can give them a lot to cheer about to enable them to hold their own in the banter they are bound to experience from the New Zealand public!

However, the New Zealand fans might not be quite as confident after the way that Australia defeated them at the weekend.

Cheers, Tom

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Quite a frantic few days in Dublin as injuries to squad members meant that almost as soon as I had settled down on the subs bench I was on the field to replace flanker Hendre Fourie. This meant a change in our usual formation with Courtney Lawes moving to the flank and I took up my second row position in the scrums.

Unlike the RBS 6 Nations fixture in Dublin we were much more aggressive in both attack and defence and thoroughly deserved our first victory there since 2003!

I was happy with my contribution in respect of my tackle count around the fringes of the rucks and mauls and the way in which we operated in the lineout to secure our own ball and nullify the threat from Ireland – keeping our try line intact for the entire game.

Although there are far fewer line outs in the modern game, they are a vital area for gaining and exerting supremacy. Keeping possession of the ball is key and the lineout provides you with a chance to really put pressure on the opposition and set up attacking options for both forwards and backs.

Currently it is Louis Deacon’s job to call the line out moves for England. It is a big responsibility which demands a cool head as it is an area of the game that depends so much on precision, with everyone needing to know their role at every particular line out when it is our throw. ( I perform that role for my club, Stade Francais – and to make things even more complicated I have to do it all in French! )

My sympathies are with the Irish flanker David Wallace, who will miss the World Cup with a bad leg injury sustained in the match. He has been outstanding for both Ireland and the British Lions in the last few years.

Cheers, Tom