Clive Woodward – ‘The England Vs Wales Game Should Have Been Played Last Week’
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No breaks.
Former England boss Clive Woodward says Eddie Jones’ team got overturned by Wales last night partly because “every team raises their game” when they take on England.
Writing in his Mail on Sunday column, Woodward questioned whether Jones, an Australian, and defence coach John Mitchell, a New Zealander – properly understand that.
“England got turned over partly because every team raises their game against them and they couldn’t handle it.”
“I just wonder if the main coaches, an Australian and a New Zealander, have a proper grasp of this. Every team ups it when they play England — you have just got to live with it.”
The World Cup-winning coach also thinks the game should have been played last week, and that both fallow weeks should be abolished in order to replicate the Rugby Wold Cup.
“This match should have been played last week though, England should have been hosting Italy this weekend and Scotland the weekend after and the Six Nations should abolish the fallow weeks in the tournament.” Woodward added
“If the northern hemisphere teams are really serious about winning the World Cup then the competition should replicate what is going to happen in Japan later this year. To win that tournament you have to play every week and having a two-week break is not what the World Cup is all about — they are missing a trick.”
“They seem to want to spread it out but teams need to get used to playing Saturday, Saturday, Saturday and picking up the odd knock like you do in the World Cup.”
“Plus clubs are playing in the Premiership and Pro14 without their top players so I would get it down to five weeks and do it as a block – but commercially it doesn’t suit.”