Jason Robinson talks about England disappointment

Posted on Mar 19, 2013 in England

By Paul Smith, Sportsbeat: World Cup winner Jason Robinson has warned Stuart Lancaster he must make his beaten England side a stronger attacking force.

Robinson, who scored in the victorious 2003 World Cup Final and was also part of the last England team to claim a Six Nations Grand Slam in the same year, was left bitterly disappointed by his country’s defeat to Wales in Saturday’s championship decider in Cardiff.

Wales were 30-3 victors, as Alex Cuthbert scored two tries while England could respond only through a solitary Owen Farrell penalty.

As well as losing the Six Nations title and missing out on a Grand Slam, Lancaster’s men have been criticised for scoring just one try in the last four games of the championship, and Robinson insists improvements are needed.

“It’s a horrible statistic to have only scored one try in the last four games,” said the man nicknamed ‘Billy Whizz’ who scored 30 tries for England. “The days of just turning up and relying upon a good set-piece and penalties to get you goals are long gone.

“If you want to win the big prizes you have got to have a team that can create something.

“Failure is part of success and sometimes you have to go through these things to make you stronger.

“England and Stuart Lancaster made a massive turnaround but in order to really kick on we need to get this attacking side to our game right.

“As an ex-player who loved to take people on, that is what I want to see more from the England team.”

Rugby World Cup winner and British & Irish Lions legend Jason Robinson is an HSBC ambassador. Jason was attending Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens tournament running special coaching clinics for participating schools courtesy of HSBC. For more information visit www.rpns7.co.uk

New four-year Elite Player Squad agreement

Posted on Jan 18, 2013 in England

A new four-year England Elite Player Squad agreement has been reached between the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Players’ Association and Premiership Rugby. The new agreement comes at a time when England’s stock is high and they are regarded as a good bet in sportsbook review to complete a 6 Nations championship clean sweep.

The EPS agreement covers England senior, Saxons and Under 20 squads until June 30, 2016 and includes confirmation of squad and match fees and performance bonuses.

Together with the existing eight-year Heads of Agreement between the RFU and Premiership Rugby, it ensures a stable future for club and country beyond the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

RFU Chief Executive Ian Ritchie said: “This agreement is another major step forward for the RFU, players and the clubs, and I would like to thank the RPA and Premiership Rugby for their cooperation and for reinforcing the partnership we enjoy.

“One of the strengths of the English game is that we have enshrined in contract the release of players from their clubs which gives Stuart Lancaster and his coaches confidence in their availability. Now this new agreement has been reached, we have stability and everyone pulling in the right direction through to the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and beyond. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the clubs for allowing us to add an additional player to the senior EPS for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations.”

RPA Chief Executive Damian Hopley said: “In agreeing this new four-year deal on behalf of the EPS, all parties wanted to ensure that we built on the foundations and progress made by Stuart Lancaster and the squad in the last 12 months.

“The new contract duly recognises the efforts made by all 33 of the Senior EPS as well as the increasing overall value of the players to the RFU and their partners. We look forward to working collaboratively with the England squad and the RFU to deliver these rights, and I would like to thank the England Players Committee for their invaluable and professional input throughout these good natured negotiations.”

Premiership Rugby Chief Executive Mark McCafferty said:  “We are delighted to be playing our part in giving Stuart Lancaster and the England team everything they need on the road to 2015 and we look forward to the continued support of the players and the RFU to ensure Aviva Premiership rugby goes from strength to the strength.

“We’ve shown flexibility in allowing Stuart to make seven changes to the EPS this month and to add a 33rd player to give him increased options following the law changes for international rugby rugby to increase the match day squads to 23, as is already been the case in Aviva Premiership rugby.”

Stuart Lancaster launches Natwest RugbyForce

Posted on Jan 14, 2013 in Rugby News

Stuart Lancaster today launched NatWest RugbyForce, a nationwide programme developed in partnership with the RFU, which will aim to help nearly half of English community rugby clubs become stronger businesses over the next five years.

The England Head Coach will act as a NatWest RugbyForce ambassador in England from 2013 onwards, looking to raise the profile of the initiative and encourage community clubs to register to take part.

NatWest RugbyForce helps local rugby clubs to improve their facilities with the support of volunteers and the community, with a long term goal of making clubs more financially viable businesses.

Now in its fifth year, 2013 will see an enhanced programme which will enable all registered clubs to receive online guidance and support to help make their NatWest RugbyForce Weekend a great success. In addition, over the next five years up to 50% of clubs will get access to planning workshops and funding to help make improvements to their facilities.

The NatWest RugbyForce Weekend on 15th & 16th June remains a central part of the initiative, as an opportunity to encourage club members and the local community to come together for a weekend of DIY.

England Head Coach and a NatWest RugbyForce ambassador Lancaster, said: “Rugby clubs are at the heart of their local communities and we know that they need support to sustain themselves,  not only for the next couple of seasons but also for the years to come. Many England players started their careers at these clubs and NatWest RugbyForce will help clubs to help themselves by giving them a long term vision and enabling them to think like a business to attract and retain members.”

Paul Dunkin, NatWest Sponsorship Manager said: “Thanks to our enhanced community partnership with the RFU we are proud to launch Natwest RugbyForce with Stuart as its ambassador and announce additional support for the programme which furthers the RFU’s commitment to help clubs become more sustainable. Delivering RugbyForce under NatWest in England also enables us to help support and promote the programme locally through our NatWest branches across the country".

RugbyForce was created by RBS in 2009, underpinning the RBS 6 Nations sponsorship to demonstrate the bank’s support to the grassroots of the game. The programme is delivered across the four home nations by the relevant RBS Group division which operates in each market (NatWest in England and Wales, RBS in Scotland and Ulster Bank in Ireland).

The RugbyForce programme forms part of the partnership announced by the RFU and RBS last November, focused on supporting the grassroots game, as part of the RFU’s commitment to strengthen its member clubs.

Visit www.rfu.com/NatwestRugbyForce for further information and to register for the 2013 NatWest RugbyForce programme.

Grewcock backs England coaching set-up

Posted on Oct 9, 2012 in England

By Paul Smith, Sportsbeat: World Cup winner Danny Grewcock is backing Stuart Lancaster’s new-look England to achieve positive results when they face the giants of the Southern Hemisphere.

Head coach Lancaster will be joined on the training ground by coaches Mike Catt and Andy Farrell, with the latter finally agreeing to a full-time contract having performed a temporary role at the last Six Nations.

Grewcock, part of the triumphant 2003 World Cup squad, believes England now have a strong coaching set-up to go with their developing young squad as they prepare to face Fiji, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand at Twickenham in November.

He praised the work of Lancaster since taking the helm following a poor World Cup campaign last year, and welcomed the addition to the back room set-up of his former Bath team-mate Catt.

"Post World Cup there was a lot of bad press about the team and Stuart has turned that around quite quickly," said Grewcock. "He has got a good young group of players."

"That’s the thing in England, we have never been short of the talent it’s just trying to get them all pointing in the right direction and I think Stuart seems to have done that.

"I think it is a really exciting team and Stuart has got a good bunch of guys together.

"Catt worked with the boys on tour and is a player who is well respected, who has been there and done it in the past for England, and I think he has showed his talents as a coach with London Irish.

"Farrell is another guy really well liked by everybody. His coaching credentials in only a short space of time are pretty high with the work he has done with Sarries.

"It’s a young squad but I think they are capable of getting some good wins against the Southern Hemisphere teams."

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Tom Croft not considered for selection for England’s autumn internationals

Posted on Oct 2, 2012 in England

England flanker Tom Croft will not be considered for selection for England’s autumn internationals despite being close to a return from injury.

Croft has been out since April with a neck injury suffered playing for Leicester Tigers.

In the past few weeks his rehabilitation has stepped up a level, but he is still awaiting a return to full training.

That could come before November – when England start their four-match autumn series against Fiji – but Red Rose head coach Stuart Lancaster has ruled Croft out of contention.

And Croft himself admits an England return isn’t in his thoughts, with his priority a return to club duty.

"I’m on track of where I’d hope to be at this time," said the 26-year-old.

"We are still a little way off but it is just part of being a rugby player. It is frustrating at the moment watching the boys on the pitch, gearing towards a game at the end of each week and I’m stuck at the gym.

"It would be nice to get back fit and actually have something to train for at the end of the week.

"At the moment I am basically avoiding contact as much as possible.

"I missed the summer tour and that was a very frustrating time in my career but there are silver linings you can take. It could be a lot worse and it gives me the chance to get my body back in some sort of decent nick and hit the ground running when I come back.

"England is not a concern of mine at the moment, my concern is getting back for Leicester and back playing well."

SSE Rugby Energy  is dedicated in helping clubs across England save money on their energy bills. To find how your club can start benefiting from these savings log-on to www.SSErugby.com