Chris Robshaw: Using past pain to drive England's Six Nations bid

Matt Majendie 13:48 30/01/2014
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  • Minutes after the final whistle of Chris Robshaw’s last foray in an England shirt, the pain was obvious to see on the England captain’s face.

    He had just overseen a remarkable comeback against world champions New Zealand, the hosts at Twickenham bouncing back from a 17-point deficit to nearly pull off one of the great England wins only for the All Blacks to turn the screw in the final minutes of an enthralling 30-22 victory.

    Personally, Robshaw’s badly bruised eye was virtually swollen shut but that was not the pain he spoke of in the aftermath. Instead, it was the mental and emotional pain eating away at him after such a narrow defeat.

    When England’s players reunited in the past week with many of the same players from that match-day squad for that November international, Robshaw was quick to remind his players of that pain, to instill in them the sense of avoiding that same sentiment.

    Robshaw still recalls the gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of his stomach as he sat in the changing room afterwards at Twickenham moments after the final whistle. The pain has subsided to some degree.

    Ten weeks on from the loss, he casts his mind back to the November internationals, which saw victories over Argentina and Australia. 

    “We improved as a side last autumn as seen by the win over Australia, which we failed to do a year ago," Robshaw said. "Plus, we need to give credit to the players for clawing back a 17-point deficit against a side as good as the All Blacks.”

    But such is the mindset of England with coach Stuart Lancaster and captain Robshaw, once again appointed for the upcoming Six Nations, running the World Cup winners close is no longer deemed sufficient.

    “We need to look at how we got into that position and look at the accuracy and clinical nature of sides like the All Blacks and South Africa, and the manner in which they convert chances so well whenever they have them,” says Robshaw. “That’s what we’re aspiring to.” 

    The target has switched hemisphere from the south to north for the coming weeks. A resurgent England can realistically aspire to be Six Nations champions but their rivals will be equally confident.

    England have no time to ease into the championship, starting against France at the Stade de France on Saturday, a French side that has undergone something of a facelift from last year’s Six Nations, in which they started as favourites but ended up rock bottom with a solitary victory.

    Robshaw said: “Going to Paris is massive in itself. That’s a big hurdle to start with before thinking about anyone else. Look at the French right now – we’ve seen their forwards and backs in recent weeks in the Heineken Cup. They’re a big threat but every team in this tournament is that.”

    Two Six Nations ago to now is an indication of how far England have come. They were struggling – unimpressive and unconvincing in their wins over Scotland and Italy before being defeated at Twickenham by Wales.

    The visit to Paris marked something of a watershed, as England came away with a narrow 24-22 victory before trouncing Ireland in their final game, setting the springboard to what has been a resurgent national side ever since.

    They ended up as tournament runners-up to Wales, a feat that was repeated a year ago although, whereas the achievement was one of joy in 2012, it was the total opposite a year on.

    England had a superb tournament throughout before coming massively unstuck against Wales at the Millennium Stadium. 

    Robshaw said: “Last year was very disappointing. We went to Cardiff with hopes of winning the Grand Slam and the championship but we didn’t come up with it, and that was tough to take. The guys move on but we need to remember that feeling.

    "You remember the hard ones more than the wins – you learn from them, learn some hard lessons. But similarly we need to move on – we can’t be haunted by that.”

    This time around, Robshaw makes no secret of his, the players and coaching staff’s aspirations. “We’re here to win it but that’s easier said than done,” he says. “It’s a ferocious tournament.”

    In conversation, you can see why Lancaster selected Robshaw as his captain in this new-look England. There are no grand gestures or predictions, no great praise, just a reality check on the task ahead.

    This pragmatic approach seems to seep through every pore of the Harlequins flanker. Only briefly does he let his guard slip. Recently appointed captain once more, the conversation turns to how being skipper of his national side makes him feel.

    He said: “It’s difficult to describe how it feels. It’s a massive honour and a very privileged position to be in. To lead out your country at Twickenham, in particular, that’s huge. It’s not like a burden but you make sure you’re playing well. As captain, you have to first of all justify your position in this season first, and that’s the hardest thing.

    “You keep your eye on certain things but there are so many other leaders on the field now, it’s easier. People are putting their hands up massively in that regard.”

    Collective leadership is something Lancaster has encouraged since taking over as England coach after the last World Cup and it appears to be working. So how highly does Robshaw rate England, how good can they be as a team and, further afield is World Cup victory a realistic ambition in a year’s time?

    He says: “I think we’re knocking on the door, very much so. Every tournament we keep getting better and as players we understand each other on and off the pitch. We all know each other well from playing week in week out in the Premiership but it’s not as simple as throwing us all together. It takes time.

    “As for the World Cup, when Stuart Lancaster took over this job, he said he wanted to go into the World Cup with good odds on us. So we need to kick on now, and this is a massive Six Nations in that regard. We certainly want to be in contention at the World Cup.”

    The acid test for such world domination begins on Saturday in Paris. Robshaw, for one, will be hoping the sentiment will be one of pleasure rather than pain come the final whistle.

    FIVE GREAT ENGLAND CAPTAINS

    1. Martin Johnson – He may not have had great success as a head coach but Johnson remains England’s most successul captain losing just five of his 39 games in charge – a percentage of 87.17 – and leading his country to their sole World Cup success in 2003.

    2. Will Carling – Until Johnson came along, Carling was England’s most successful skipper and certainly the most experienced, captaining the side on 59 occasions – the first aged just 22 – and winning 44 games in all. In that time, he led England to three Five Nations Grand Slams. 

    3. Bill Beaumont – The former lock captained his country on 21 occasions during which he tasted defeat on eight occasions in a period when England struggled for form. Yet he still inspired them to the Grand Slam in 1980 against the odds and, as a result, was chosen to lead the Lions.

    4. WJA Davies – His international career may well have been more distinguished had it not been for World War I when he was a naval officer. Ironically born in Wales, he captained England to Grand Slam glory in two of his three seasons in charge losing just one match as skipper – to South Africa.

    5. Eric Evans – England had not enjoyed a Grand Slam success for 29 years when Evans led them into battle in the championship. The hooker inspired them to glory in an unbeaten season. In 13 games at the helm before retiring, he enjoyed nine wins and two draws.

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