England Rugby Getting Stronger, Slowly But Surely

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

If you had muttered to Martin Johnson at the beginning of the tournament that his team would finish runners up in the Six Nations, and as the leading try scorers, he would have taken it.

Throw into that the best points for and against, and hence differential, had they managed to overcome but a solitary point loss to Ireland, and it would not be Guinness that was being drained at no doubt record levels around the bars of the north.

Quite simply, even considering the capabilities of nations such as Ireland and Wales, England is a country that should catch the notice of the world’s powers now.  Surely when a Tri Nations colossus arrives in Twickenham next, one would think that there will be no record thrashings on offer.

Naturally, one does not want to get to excited.  But one feels that we shall only see an upward path from this England team.  England is not France, not a team prone to varied misdirection.  The 2003 World Champions have not begun to touch the summit that they have seen more than once, but the portents certainly are there.

Many people, incorrectly, credit Clive Woodward for creating one of the great England teams we have ever seen—which the 2003 World Cup winning vintage certainly was.

A team that has won 35 Five/Six Nations titles (10 of them shared), more triple crowns and grand slams that any other nation; has a history and a tradition that Johnson would do well to remind his men.

But Woodward and Jack Rowell before him did compile formidable records between them.  In a ten year period they won the European title every second year and lost only 30 matches.

So essentially, the expectations of this proud country and their fans are of a standard where belief expects more than the 28 losses suffered since 2004, and no silverware.

It shows the current mindset of this team when celebrations were so high after winning the Calcutta Cup, which England used to win playing with one arm (with greatest respect to Scotland).

Two wins to finish the season against Scotland and France, after thrashing Italy early in the tournament.  Two losses, to last year’s Grand Slammers, and this year’s edition of champions. 

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