Woodward: I wouldn’t pick one Pom for Boks
25 Nov 2008
World Cup winning England coach Sir Clive Woodward was scathing in his criticism of England’s coaching structure following their 42-6 defeat to the Springboks.
Woodward described Saturday’s result at Twickenham, the biggest ever defeat for England at home, as “humiliating” and “hugely disappointing”.
Woodward, who built a formidable team in the early 2000s and one that went on to win the 2003 World Cup in Australia, said the scoreline was an accurate reflection of the Springboks’ dominance and pointed the finger at the coaching and the management of the team.
“What’s happened since 2003? Where has the development of players gone?” Woodward told the BBC.
“I never thought I’d see the day that any team would come to Twickenham and win by 40 points, or put on 40 points,” added Woodward.
“These things don’t happen by chance, it wasn’t a freak result. We seem to be so far off every South African player; I couldn’t pick one England player I’d put in the South Africa team – that’s a scary thought.”
Woodward questioned whether coach Martin Johnson is getting the right support from the England hierarchy, in particular, RFU director of rugby Rob Andrew. He was also lavish in his praise of the manner in which the Springboks recovered after an indifferent start to their tour.
“They have gone away, regrouped and they were just fantastic at the weekend and it was quite humiliating to be there, to be frank,” he said.
264 Comments
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25 Nov 2008, 13:52 pm
#249 rangerman: Paris, 2007
SA 36, Eng 0, there was about 25 minutes left and the English fans ran for the train, in their droves, I kid you not
25 Nov 2008, 13:54 pm
#8 Test:
Even with many foreigners in their Premier league,they can still field a formidable team(name-wise)..The likes of
Lampard
Gerrard
Ferdinand
Rooney
Hargreaves
J.Cole
A.Cole
J.Terry
These guys are world class players
Decent players like:
Brown
Carrick
Bridge
Carragher
Crouch
Jenas
Owen
Beckham
Dafoe
Add good youngsters coming through like:
Walcott
Wright-Phillips
Young
Agenlaho
Bentley
But they are still ****….I dont kno….
But i cant say the same for their rugby teams…Their league are filled with foreigners..AT THE END of the careers…Poor competition like the Powergen Cup etc..Not up to standard…They are in deep trouble..
The likes of Borthwick/Cipriani/Stevens/Flutey/Abendanon/Noone/Tait/Simpson-Daniel/Care/Ellis etc are hardly world class…Poor if u ask me
Only Sheridan/Wilko/Strettle are world class….and even there im stretching it…
Sad but true
25 Nov 2008, 13:55 pm
#250 JL1: plentsch. i thought the walk around after was top class. the opposite corner seemed like a saffa retreat, the vibe looked good but the view wasnt as good as ours.
#251 JL1: never left a game early in my life, never will.
25 Nov 2008, 13:55 pm
#249 rangerman:
you are right and they probably go overboard, but they expect accountability.
if its not provided, goodbye.
25 Nov 2008, 13:58 pm
#251 JL1:
i think thats pushing the wheelbarrow out way too far, i was there too and saw the odd fan leave with 5 mins to go.
25 Nov 2008, 14:01 pm
#254 cab: they need to find balance imo.
my motm was JPP. but having said that, the whole team played like men possessed.
watching the replay, i noticed JS standing on the sidelines looking like a male lion surveying his territory. i kid you not, i have seen that same look on a male lions face and it isnt arrogance, just confidence.
i was also a bit dissapointed that they didnt show more of PdV’s reactions. they focussed on him when he was still obviously worried…….like in the first ten minutes, but no desk banging later
25 Nov 2008, 14:10 pm
#256 rangerman:
yep, JP outstanding, back of the whole EOY tour imo.
#256 rangerman:
JS had a particularly strange smug look afterwards too when interviewed with arm around ricky januarie, not sure what it was all about, perhaps a bit more humility in victory, we’ve been snotted their in the past too, but maybe they just very proud of their performance, rightfully so.
25 Nov 2008, 14:13 pm
#257 cab: ja, cab i think he was very gracious but happy and well he should be.
JPP is up there as one of my favourite players. this guy is all grace and ease, he looks like he is barely moving but boy does he move.
anyways, gotta go. have a good one.
25 Nov 2008, 14:14 pm
#257 cab: Maybe just happy knowing that the English media would be eating lots and lots of humble pie
25 Nov 2008, 14:26 pm
#258 rangerman:
cheers ranger, he does move, deceptively so, strong too.
#259 stodders:
definitely more than a hint of that.
25 Nov 2008, 20:43 pm
#11 Sharksgirl: No sharks girl, their league is not teh strongest – their marketing team is the strongest because it has the most money thrown at it.
26 Nov 2008, 07:10 am
#110 Big Hit:
NZ got close?1. Drop kick in extra time’s not a close game?
26 Nov 2008, 07:50 am
#209 Big Hit: and Jerry Collins turning out for a lower division club side after the world cup, was that the mark of an arrogant player ???? or do you just pick and choose your moments ??? hell you wanna see arrogance, arrogance is awarding half your team knighthoods for winning a farkin rugby tournament… now if they had saved the world , then yeah, give them a knighthood, but a farkin knighthood for winning a rugby tournament… THATS ARROGANCE !!!!!!!!!!!!
26 Nov 2008, 07:55 am
#237 Big Hit: much like all you poms closing ranks around Barnes when you know as well as we do that that was the most diabolical performance by a ref anywhere, let alone a WC 1/4 final…. no penalities against a team defending against 70% possession ??? boy , all the pom supporters were quick to jump to his defence, and I can guarantee the uproar if it was England on the end of a bad reffing performance like that… hell look what happened with the definite no try in the final… or your never ending bleating about the refs being in the AB’s pockets, seems Barnes was in nglands, knowing full well they would never have made the final if he had reffed consistantly and fairly….
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