FROM HEARTACHE OF LOSING THE WORLD CUP FINAL?
frustrating — it wasn’t soul destroying. But that was a pretty painful defeat for England against the Springboks in Japan. They have had their own kick up the backside… but now is the time to respond. They are a younger group than we were and need to concentrate on re-producing the focus, energy and excellence that blew New Zealand away in that epic semi-final. Learn the lessons from that, win in Paris, and we could really see them blossom.
I WAS back involved with my club Newcastle Falcons within six days of returning from our World Cup final defeat against South Africa in France. I was young, only 22, so maybe I didn’t understand the consequences of it and the impact it could have had on my career. Because we’d got to a World Cup final, there was a fair bit of expectation when we returned to the England camp a few months later… but there was certainly no hangover. You’re cut up afterwards, of course you are, but rugby takes over again and you get back into your day job.
When you see guys like Jonny Wilkinson, who you lost the final with, it can be quite difficult and there’s no doubt you think about it for a long time. But it definitely didn’t affect our Six Nations campaign in 2008. We didn’t do too badly — finishing second after losses to Wales and Scotland. It was our coach Brian
Ashton’s last year in charge, so we were in a bit of transition, especially as veterans such as Lawrence Dallaglio, Mark Regan, Andy Gomarsall, Jason Robinson and Mike Catt all left the squad after the 2007 tournament. But this current England team is quite young, and none have retired this time around. Most of these players are in their mid-20s, so it’s a completely different scenario. We would have addressed the disappointment — and Eddie Jones will address it too — but you don’t sit there for days on end talking about it.