Chris Robshaw is used to critics and the sharpening of knives over his personal performances and captaincy decisions. He has been vilified before and knows it will happen again.
Greater than ever, the spotlight is on the Red Rose captain as he gets ready to lead his nation at a World Cup, bidding to become the first Englishman to skipper his side to the ultimate glory on home turf.
This year has proved a coming of age for the 29-year-old, the doubters no longer questioning his leadership qualities or position in the starting line-up having played a starring role as England missed out to Ireland in winning the Six Nations.
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It is a far cry from the young lad who admitted that "rugby proved to be my escape", in his case an escape from the classroom, which proved to be an uncomfortable place for a dyslexic.
And rugby was also a release for this mother Patricia, who tragically became a single parent when Robshaw's father, Alan, died of a heart attack. Chris was five, and his mother had three boisterous boys on her hands with energy to burn.
"When Dad died it was extremely tough for me." he recalls. "Being young, I don't remember it as much as some of the rest of the family but it was really tough for me, my family and my mum, who gave us the most amazing opportunities. I'm sure we gave her plenty of moments and challenges and she was forever taking me places. She gave me that belief but also that work ethic."
His mother is a workaholic, running two nursing homes and stepping in to take the place of staff who call in sick. It's a work ethic Robshaw has seen at first hand and has been instilled in his approach to the game both in training and match time for both Harlequins and England, seemingly the quintessential player under the regime of England coach Stuart Lancaster.
He has left no stone unturned, speaking to the key figures in the 1991 and 1999 World Cup sides when the tournament previously ventured to English shores, and to the class of 2003, including Jonny Wilkinson who famously drop-kicked England to their only victory to date.
He said: "You want to speak to those guys to pick up every facet of information possible that can help you. A lot of them know what it's like to play in front of a home crowd. The expectation and excitement is going to be huge. It's about being ready for that."
For much of his early career, Robshaw was only ever on the fringes of the World Cup. He was in the initial training squad for the 2011 tournament only to be culled late on by then coach Martin Johnson. Rather than be embittered, he simply focused on forcing his way in and, in many ways, missing out was a blessing as England made a hash of it.
He was among the first new blood of the Lancaster regime, and there is a clear mutual respect between captain and coach: "He doesn't mind you speaking your mind and we've been able to have some very honest conversations."
Have those conversations stretched to the possibility that England could yet suffer the ignominy of being knocked out of their home event even before the pool stages are over? He added: "Look. we have great belief in ourselves as a side. We'll go out looking to top that group."
Despite a group of death including Australia and Wales. Robshaw has dared to dream of celebrating come the World Cup final. He said: "Lifting the trophy would mean the world to me. We're definitely aiming to do that. The boys who've played at past World Cups have told me what an incredible spectacle it is. I can't wait."
On current world rankings, they should make it through and Robshaw, who has turned to stand-up comedy and acting in the past to help better himself on and off the field, plans to leave no stone unturned.
On the eve of the tournament, it goes back to that dyslexic kid struggling for acceptance. that and his rugby taking him to the famous Millfield School renowned for producing a conveyor belt of English sporting talent. "The dyslexia and the rugby were the two reasons for me going there," he said. "As a kid I didn't appreciate it at the time being picked out but looking back it was extremely beneficial for me. They paired you up with similar people and you had that understanding."
Robshaw would love nothing more than be the man to be picked out to lift aloft the William Webb Ellis Trophy.
