Loughborough had mighty imprint on 2003 World cup victory
RARELY has the Loughborough influence been more prominent than during RWC2003 when Sir Clive Woodward deliberately surrounded himself by trusted colleagues from the University who all sung from the same hymsheet.
Woodward’s two most important lieutenants were former Loughborough captain Andy Robinson, who was in overall charge of the forwards, and defence coach Phil Larder.
Robinson had been recruited from Bath in 2000 having coached them to the Heineken Cup title two years earlier and was to serve with England until 2006. Larder, a Phys Ed graduate in 1965, played for Broughton Park and Sale before switching to League where his main impact was as a coach for Widnes, England and Great Britain before Woodward engaged him to start working with the England rugby side from 1997 onwards.
The Loughborough influence didn’t finish there. Simon Hardy, another graduate and former first XV hooker, had established himself as a specialist lineout coach and Woodward turned to him in 1998, the start of an 18-year spell with England.
Then came fitness guru Dave Reddin. ‘Otis’ completed a Masters in Sports Science at Loughborough between 1987 and 1991 and was one of Woodward’s first appointments when he took over in 1997.
Meanwhile Dave Alred was studying for a PhD in goal kicking and performing under pressure at Loughbrough when Woodward asked him to hook with England and their young fly-half Johny Wilkinson, left.
Overseeing al these appointments as chairman of Englan Rugby another great man
of Loughborough, Fran Cotton. That constitutes a mighty Loughborough imprint, and bear in mind out on the pitch, calling the shots at lineout time, was yet another Loughborough man in lock Ben Kay.
Finally, if you were watching the 2003 final on TV, the commentary came from John Taylor and Steve Smith, two other Loughborough superstars.