'I don't think we did our due diligence in terms of looking at them closely enough... it was very amateur'
Dean Richards has admitted England had no idea what to expect when they ran into New Zealand’s force of nature winger Jonah Lomu in the 1995 World Cup semi-final.
It is more than 24 years since the then 20-year-old flyer wrecked English hopes in South Africa with a devastating display as the All Blacks surged into the final with a 45-29 victory in Cape Town.
On Saturday, the two sides will meet again at the same stage of the competition in Yokohama, a fixture which will rekindle painful memories for one of the men who wore the red rose that day. Richards played at No8 for England and witnessed the destruction at close hand.
“We didn’t know too much about the New Zealanders and they had got a young lad called Jonah Lomu, who had started a little bit in the previous games, but nobody had really known about him or knew his capabilities or anything.
“He was unbelievable on the day and I don’t think we did our due diligence in terms of looking at them closely enough and also what he had to offer. It wasn’t like today where you have the games readily accessible. You didn’t have analysts.
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“Anything you watched was something that you looked at yourself or sourced yourself, so it was very amateur in the way that we approached it. Yes, we may have discussed Jonah Lomu, but that was probably as much as we did do.”
At 6ft 4ins and 18st 10lbs, Lomu, who sadly died at the age of 40 in 2015 after his body rejected a kidney transplant, was not a conventional winger, but England were soon to discover he was brutally effective. Within two minutes, he had handed off winger Tony Underwood, blasted his way past centre Will Carling and literally run over full-back Mike Catt to touch down on his way to a four-try haul.
Courtney Lawes has his say on Brodie Retallick's infamous 2014 gaffe ahead of the England versus All Blacks World Cup showdown https://t.co/Yv721ljUFH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 25, 2019
Asked about Lomu’s display, Richards said: “He didn’t really affect me because I didn’t get anywhere near him. I felt sorry for Tony Underwood, Mike Catt and those boys who could get near him. Had it been today, the impact wouldn’t have been as great because we’d have been prepared a little bit more for him. But that’s not taking anything away from Jonah because I thought he changed the way the game was played.”
New Zealand had effectively wrapped up the game long before the half-time whistle sounded with No8 Zinzan Brooke landing an outrageous long-range drop goal into the bargain. Richards said: “After 20 minutes, the game was lost, wasn’t it? It was all about getting some sort of credibility back. We scored four tries in the end, but the game was lost well before then.
“And to rub salt into the wound, Zinzan dropped a goal from the halfway line which, as a No8 , he’s taking the p***, isn’t he? Fair dos, I’ve always wanted to drop a goal from the halfway line, but to do it in a World Cup semi-final as well…”
Richards, now director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons, will be an armchair viewer this time around and is willing England to do what his generation was unable to in 1995. Asked what Eddie Jones’ team will have to do to win, he said: “Be accurate in everything they do.
“As soon as you drop off an attack or as soon as you throw a loose pass, they’ll capitalise on all your errors, they really will, and you have to stand up physically as well. You can’t take a backward step. England have to play and be at their best. I think they’ve picked a team that can beat the All Blacks and if they perform, then they can win.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Jim Hamilton previews the England versus New Zealand World Cup semi-final in the latest episode of Don’t Mess With Jim
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments