RFU - Please get SCW back into the England setup

First topic message reminder :

Team GB - 29 Gold Medals under SCW leadership.

This guy should be made a Lord for what he has given to England & GB

The man is a living legend and IMO the RFU would be foolish not to sign him up before a rival union tries to secure his signature.

Jimpy

I'm not sure thats relevant. You seem to be suggesting that public schools expel pupils who don't make the grade in a sporting context (this article is about sport, after all) - I doubt any school can 'pick and choose' who they expel, surely the grounds for expulsion would be similar regardless of the institution.

I was not suggesting anything of the kind.

Whatever the process for exclusion/expelling in the private sector, ultimately (for right or wrong) the responsibility of failing kids falls on the state. And if you think that a sports board can ignore its wider environmental context, then you may be dreaming.

Portnoy wrote:Jimpy

I'm not sure thats relevant. You seem to be suggesting that public schools expel pupils who don't make the grade in a sporting context (this article is about sport, after all) - I doubt any school can 'pick and choose' who they expel, surely the grounds for expulsion would be similar regardless of the institution.

I was not suggesting anything of the kind.
Whatever the process for exclusion/expelling in the private sector, ultimately (for right or wrong) the responsibility of failing kids falls on the state. And if you think that a sports board can ignore its wider environmental context, then you may be dreaming.

Thats how it came across and it would appear, not just to me.

"Please get SCW back into the England setup..."

With a couple of weeks training, he'd be first choice at inside centre.

Casartelli wrote:"Please get SCW back into the England setup..."

With a couple of weeks training, he'd be first choice at inside centre.

Really? I thought he was English?

anotherworldofpain wrote:

Casartelli wrote:"Please get SCW back into the England setup..."

With a couple of weeks training, he'd be first choice at inside centre.

Really? I thought he was English?

You'll be suggesting next that the All Blacks have never fielded a player of dubious New Zealand heritage before. Perish the thought.

If he were to come on board now would England stand a better chance of winning the Webb Ellis cup in 2015?

Please play nicely

HERSH wrote:If he were to come on board now would England stand a better chance of winning the Webb Ellis cup in 2015?

They would if England had a group of world class players.

They did in the 90s and up until 2003 when most retired or lost form to injury. Team GBR won loads of medals because they have some of these best athletes in certain sports.

I cant see how either has much to do with Woodward.

Even the way some of you portray your belief in the relevence of his impact regarding organisation etc would have a long term not a short term benefit.

It took two RWC terms to win in 2003 and that was with available players of a much higher quality than are around now.

Oh dear. Best give up now then.

No point having SCW around on a mega-salary sitting around shuffling papers when not playing with his own nuts.

We've got no players of any merit. And no hope of catching up.
Woe, woe, woe and thrice woe.

He was partly responsible for turning those players into class acts though, and very forward thinking in how he pushed the team forward. Its a bit like saying Dave Brailsford is just lucky that he took charge a few years before a world class group of cyclists fell in his lap.
It takes a bit of both.

I dont think hes a magic bullet now mind.

Peter, I remember that it wasn't all green fields when he was in charge. The players revolted several times over international conflicts.

maestegmafia wrote:Peter, I remember that it wasn't all green fields when he was in charge. The players revolted several times over international conflicts.

Actually they revolted over pay, which probably had more to do with the RFU board and executive who were undoubtedly disgusted at the idea that the players wanted to be treated like professionals. The fact that Sir Clive wanted an elite set up and wanted them to act in a professional manner and give their all is reflected in the fact that they wanted the pay to be commensurate with that input. Also worth pointing out that Sir Clive managed to get all these issues sorted despite having to work very hard against the system to do so, if anything the player revolt probably helped him to put the squeeze on the board.

In fact most of the 'it wasn't all green fields' has more to do with the conflict between Sir Clive and the board who hadn't (and arguably still haven't) come to terms with professionalism. That he succeeded despite that is something he deserves credit for in my opinion.

I don't think the current crop of players coming through is any worse than those that played in 2003 at a similar stage in their careers. The problem is that they won't be grizzly old veterans until 2019... 2015 should be for this team what 1999 was for the 2003 team. However, with the right input those no reason why they can't correct many of the mistakes Sir Clive made in the run up to 1999 and do a better job.

Lord Woodward