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Back: England have the depth for World Cup challenge
Neil Back believes Eddie Jones’ England have the strength in depth to challenge for a second World Cup title.
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Back was part of the England side that defeated an Australia team then led by Jones to claim the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in the country’s history in 2003.
After crashing out of the competition in the pool stage on home soil in 2015, England have enjoyed a magnificent turnaround under Jones.
They have won two Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2016, and claimed a 3-0 Test series victory over the Wallabies in Australia.
And, as England prepare for a tilt at a third successive Six Nations success, Back is confident England have the squad to dethrone world champions New Zealand in 2019.
“What Eddie and his captain have done over the last couple of years is incredible. They’ve got a huge belief in each other and huge confidence, which is a massive thing,” Back told Omnisport.
“When they are the tunnel they will be thinking ‘play to our best and we will win this game’, which is huge for any squad.
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“We have got tremendous strength in depth and you need that to capture the ultimate prize of the World Cup. You need two or three, or in some positions four-deep in terms of options for each position.
“One thing England have got to learn as a group is if so-called key players – I’m thinking such as Billy Vunipola – if they are out of the side you have got to have that complete faith in whoever comes into the side to replace them.
Round One predictions… #NatWest6Nations pic.twitter.com/ubzHrW70fc
— NatWest 6 Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 28, 2018
“I know England squads I have been involved with you have your recognised starters, but if they were not available we would have complete faith in the player coming in. Every player must have that belief and confidence in the player coming in.”
There have been questions as to whether Jones is right to stick with hooker Dylan Hartley as captain.
Hartley has found form difficult to come by with a struggling Northampton Saints team, however, Back has faith in Jones’ judgement.
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“The most important thing is Eddie thinks he is the right man. What you have got to remember is it is difficult to shine when your team is not performing consistently well,” added Back.
“The fact is, if you have the ability and belief, it is actually easier to play at international level because you only have to concentrate on your job.
“You look at Dylan’s performances under Eddie, he has performed consistently well and that is all Eddie is concerned about.
“Not everyone can play for the top four clubs in the Premiership and if they play elsewhere, they may not shine as much as teams that are winning week in, week out.
“But as long as they are good enough and perform at international level – which Dylan has – then you stay in the side. Eddie recognises his leadership skills and his mental toughness and I think the players recognise that as well.”
Join World Cup 2003 heroes Neil Back, Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood at the award winning Wolf Run obstacle challenge in East Sussex on 28th April. Get your pack together with the buy four get one FREE offer – www.thewolfrun.com
Great to be back with the boys again after far too long. Sick-note Greenwood was moaning about his sore achilles, so the team had to carry him as usual. We’ll need to do a bit more training to drag him around the course again on 28th April @TheWolfRun #ad pic.twitter.com/SCh3ld6oAy
— Neil Back MBE (@NeilBack) January 29, 2018
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments