From ENFORCER to TEAM SWOT
Lawes ditching his hard-man image to be a master tactician
WITH his tattoo-covered body and liking for the pain game, Courtney Lawes has forged a reputation as one of world rugby’s most destructive players. But England’s engine-room enforcer now spends more time swotting up on his lineout homework than working out how to hurt opponents.
The Hackney-born son of a nightclub doorman has inflicted his fair share of damage on opponents since making his Northampton debut as a teenager, before going on to gain international recognition aged just 20.
But a string of debilitating injuries — including a run that saw him damage knee ligaments, fracture his shin and dislocate his elbow within the space of a few months — has seen him take a more measured approach to the game, while at the same time adding finesse to his set-piece work.
The results are bearing fruit. Lawes has taken over the role of England’s lineout tactician from the injured Geoff Parling and his partnership with Joe Launchbury, 22, has been one of the successes of England’s Six Nations campaign to date. A 91.5 per cent success rate is testament to that.
With 19 lineout takes already in the tournament, Lawes has firmly established himself as the king of that particular jungle and it is clear the hard work is paying off.
‘I probably do four or five hours of lineout homework a week,’ he said. ‘I look at theirs and ours and at what we can improve. After training I take away a laptop and go and work. Is it more homework than I did at school? Oh yeah, definitely.
‘There’s a perception that some people can or can’t run the lineout. Geoff had been running it for years so people perceived he could run it. But I stepped in and it’s going well.
‘You’ve got to have your lineout working. If you play in some games where the lineout is not working, then you appreciate how important it is. That’s why I do as much homework as I can and make sure it’s running well.’
It is unlikely Lawes will ever shed his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the game. Why would he want to? But at 25 years old and with 28 caps under his belt, his game has matured to the point where he can now be called an all-round performer.
‘I’m enjoying my rugby again and it’s coming naturally, which is the most important thing,’ he said. ‘I can now go out there and not worry too much about making big hits and trying to be the man around the park. I can just do my own thing and I know that I’ve got the skills to at least have a good game.’
Asked if he had to change his game to reduce the amount of injuries he was suffering, Lawes said: ‘You have to. Even when I was fit, I was struggling with a bad shoulder or something like that. If you can limit that by not trying to make the biggest hit every time, it does help.
‘You never want to stop playing when you’re injured but, when someone tells you it could potentially be career-ending if you snap your leg, you just have to bite the bullet and get on with it. Thankfully, it [the shin] is done now and, touch wood, I’ll stay fit and continue playing well.’
Playing well is an understatement. Lawes’ partnership with Launchbury has rapidly evolved into one of the most potent weapons in England’s arsenal and, fitness permitting, could reap rewards for another six or seven years. Their duel with Alun-Wyn Jones and Jake Ball could go a long way to deciding the outcome of today’s clash at Twickenham. ‘I don’t think you can get a better second row than Joe in terms of physicality and the work around the park, in combination with his athleticism. I’m an athletic player, but not the same as him. He has that perfect balance. He has the talent. He’s an enforcer, isn’t he?’ Wales have put much store on the fact their starting line-up today will contain 12 Lions while, in Owen Farrell, England will have just one Test Lion in their ranks.
‘I think we are an exceptional team,’ added Lawes. ‘The boys on the bench and on the pitch are ready to go. We are always prepared.
‘Yeah, we’re all young but, at the same time, we have so much experience and have been through a lot together as a team, which is a great thing that Stuart has done.
‘He has been brave, he has got the young boys in and said: “Look, you can stand up to the rest of the world”.
‘I think we have done really well and our experience, especially last week, is going to kick on now.’
Courtney Lawes, Tom Youngs and Joe Marler represented England at an event for QBE, official insurance partner of England Rugby. QBE is supporting the development of rugby through the QBE Coaching Club. www.QBErugby.com