DADDY OF ALL BATTLES
Hartley sacrifices his family life in pursuit of an England revival
NO ONE ever said it was going to be easy. As England prepare for a seismic encounter with the RBS 6 Nations champions this afternoon, Dylan Hartley has revealed the sacrifices behind their quest to recover from the World Cup debacle.
When Eddie Jones was appointed as head coach late last year, he promised to drag the players out of their comfort zone and he has been true to his word — emphatically so.
If his team fall short in this championship, it won’t be through lack of commitment and hard graft. They are being pushed to the limit. Fitness levels are just the start; skills and execution and tactical assurance are also locked into the Red Rose agenda.
At Twickenham today, Ireland will face men who are giving up a lot of what they hold dear. Jones has placed extra demands on Hartley and Co, and they have responded.
Hartley said: ‘Eddie wants to create an environment where it’s exclusive and a sacrifice to be here. I have a six-month-old baby and I find it hard being away from her, but you create an environment of sacrifice.
‘We don’t have a day off any more. We have this thing called a recovery day. On a Tuesday afternoon you can’t get in your car, drive two hours to Northampton, seize up in your car then drive back Wednesday night and say you can’t train because your hips and back are tight. Wednesday morning we go to the swimming pool together and have stretch classes together.
‘The more time we spend together, the more we create a club environment. So naturally you form bonds with people you probably wouldn’t if you were having to go home.
‘If you don’t want to be here, put your hand up and say. For me, as a captain, having players that make those sacrifices to be here and buy into it — that’s 99 per cent of the job done.’
After naming his line-up to face the title-holders in this regime’s first home game, Jones credited Hartley with leading the clear-up of an almighty mess. ‘He’s brought the team together,’ said the Australian.
‘ It was well documented the team probably wasn’t very close after the World Cup. He’s done a fantastic job getting everyone together, trying to get everyone to understand how we want to behave, how we want to play, how we want to train and what are the key values of the team.’
There is undoubtedly a sense of collective purpose about England at present. They appear united and focused, but Hartley played down his part in the repair work which has necessarily taken place. Instead, he said it was largely down to a shared dedication to the cause.
There are so many changes taking place within the England setup. The selection overhaul has been overtaken by a cultural one. Several peripheral innovations from the Stuart Lancaster era have been hurriedly cast aside. Yet, one of the more subtle shifts has been in the way less attention is being paid to the opposition these days.
Every year, the Southern Hemisphere elite arrive on these shores and display minimal regard for the details of what England and the other home nations are doing.
They are content to concentrate on themselves in the belief that if they get it right, no obstacle they are confronted with will prove insurmountable. England seem to be taking a similar attitude.
Hartley (below) was not losing sleep about who Ireland were selecting or how they were likely to play, on the basis that a home win will be assured if everything goes to plan. It is a slight but fundamental change in outlook.
‘We can’t go out there worrying what they’re going to do, what moves they might do here,’ said the captain. ‘ Yeah, there’s analysis; we can look at patterns and trends, but 90 per cent of training is focused on ourselves. Under Eddie, there is definitely a big focus on ourselves.’
Under Eddie, there is also a big push to unsettle the opposition. The build-up to this pivotal contest has been characterised by jibes from London aimed at Dublin. The Irish have tried to dodge the incoming fire and remain true to their low- key principles. Joe Schmidt, Ireland’s Kiwi coach, is not a centre-stage figure like Jones.
But whatever the public rhetoric, this is surely England’s game to lose. After victories in Edinburgh and Rome, they are back at home with a point to prove to their own public after the World Cup meltdown. They have two momentum-building wins set against an Irish draw and an agonising defeat. They have ample potential to add layers to their game, while the visitors seem content at times to settle for a one-dimensional approach.
Ireland will challenge the hosts’ lineout, they may stand firm at the scrum early on and they will pose a heavyweight threat in midfield. Their aerial potency is renowned, while also derided at times. But with so many Irish injuries disrupting their plans, England hold the aces.
Eventually, Jones’s men should claim set-piece control. They have a ball-carrier in Billy Vunipola who is more devastating than anything the opposition can muster and a rookie, Maro Itoje, with the potential to rapidly make a name for himself. Jones will hope for signs of breakdown improvement and of heightened cohesion generated by the creative hub of George Ford and Owen Farrell.
But most of all, he will expect more sacrifice and success. The former is a given, the latter highly likely.
We thank God for this opportunity ! I’ll do my best to do the shirt justice tomorrow Maro Itoje @maroitoje