Robshaw to add serious bite to bark
IF ENGLAND do go on to turn their World Cup campaign around at Twickenham tomorrow, the signifi cance of Chris Robshaw’s midweek walk on Wandsworth Common should not be overlooked.
The attack dogs have gone hard at Robshaw and his England team since the defeat by Wales last Saturday. The queue of pundits, past players and coaches willing to stick the knife in has been long.
England being England, they could have expected being Public Enemy No1 for the other 19 countries at this World Cup but all 20? At times, when the fl ak was fl ying at its hardest after his ill- fated decision to go for a lineout rather than kick at goal, Robshaw must have wondered whether his dream job of captaining his country at a home World Cup was worth it.
But on England’s day off this week, a walk with Rico, his Affenpinscher, restored his faith. “I took the dog for a walk yesterday and you get people coming up, cheering you on and willing you on. That’s what it’s all about. They’re the people you go out and fi ght for,” said Robshaw.
“As an international captain, I’ve learnt in the past you take the rough with the smooth. You need to absorb it and use it. That’s the best way. You want to prove a couple of people wrong.”
Coach Stuart Lancaster said “My message to Chris is you just play a 10/ 10 game and everything else will look after itself. He’s a tough guy and he’s resilient.”
England need that same quality tomorrow as they seek to avoid the ignominy of becoming the fi rst host nation to fail to make the knockout stages. “This is when teams come together, when you see how close you are as a squad,” said Robshaw.
“We have an option. We can change things this weekend or we can let it linger. There is no point dwelling on it. Last w e e k e n d
was both heartbreaking and devastating – we let things get away from us – but in sport a week can be a long time. We have got that chance to put it right.”
There has never been a question mark over England’s unity and they have been in feisty form off the fi eld this week. But it is their ability to combine that passion with clarity of thinking that will decide their fate tomorrow.
It should help that they will be able to call upon Nick Easter’s vast experience off the bench in the closing stages of a game that could well be decided late on again. The 37- year- old Harlequin, who only joined the squad on Monday, is preferred on the bench to James Haskell .
But Robshaw will have enough on his plate in his back- row battle with David Pocock and Michael Hooper.
Robshaw coped well with Hooper at Twickenham last year when England triumphed but he has never faced off with Pocock, the world- class Wallaby limpet. “They have got two of the best breakdown specialists in the world. They say Pocock targets about 10 breakdowns a game and Hooper a similar amount . It’s a team responsibility how we deal with that,” said Robshaw.
If Lancaster’s future rests on the outcome of the game, Robshaw is no less exposed. This is a high- wire act with no safety net.
“It’s knockout rugby for us. There’s no second chance. It’s all on the line, ” said Robshaw. When you know that, it brings something out of the guys. It’s that backs- to- the- wall attitude.
“I know all the players are going to leave everything out there.”
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