'The World Cup is all about the stash and the wedge'
Mickey Skinner had a message for the England class of 2023 delivered second-hand this weekend by Jonathan Webb, his former 1991 Rugby World Cup final teammate who is now an RFU council delegate on the World Rugby executive committee.
Webb, the former full-back who won 33 caps between 198 and 1993, played at two finals and he was in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage to make a speech at the capping ceremony in the French seaside town for Steve Borthwick squad.
All players, bar stand-in skipper Courtney Lawes who was left at the hotel following a heavy training session on Friday, and a multitude of staff – even legal eagle Richard Smith was present – were in attendance at Palais des Congres where they received their 2023 tournaments caps and participations medals.
Before they were all individually called to the stage to receive their mementos, Webb spoke about his experiences at the World Cup back in the amateur days of rugby and the message he was asked to convey from some of his colleagues on the 1991 team that reached the final at Twickenham only for them to get beaten by Australia.
“I’d like to give you my own experiences in two World Cups,” he said. “It will be a far cry from what you will experience in the next seven weeks but it should give you an idea how this great event has changed.
WATCH: The fright one England player had when the fireworks started in Le Touquet Paris-Plage on Saturday… #EnglandRugby #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/ZcBTlSik4U
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 2, 2023
“My first cap was in Rugby World Cup 1987. We played Australia in Sydney to a half empty stadium with no live TV coverage. I was on the bench with no expectation of playing given there were no tactical subs and full-backs traditionally never get injured. In fact I was eating a chocolate eclair when Marcus Rose was knocked unconscious and on I go, my first cap, all a blur.
“I subsequently lost my place and even gave up for a brief period before getting back to play again in the ’91 World Cup. We reached the final and that second opportunity was all the sweeter because having lost something you realise more deeply how much it means to you, so cherish every moment of these next few weeks.
“I did ask a few of the boys for words to say to you. The vast majority is unprintable. Mickey Skinner, some of you may remember, the great Harlequins flanker said, ‘Webby, the World Cup is all about the stash and the wedge’. I’m not sure about that.
“I prefer George Schultz – not a great rugby man but a great statesman. He was in the US Government for many years and he said trust is the coin of the realm. When trust is in the room, whatever room that is, the family room, the school room, the coach’s room, the office room, good things happen. When trust is not in the room, good things do not happen. Everything else is detailed.
“I trust you all but most important is that you trust yourselves, Steve and the coaches and play without fear. Today is the official start of your France 2023 Rugby World Cup journey. That cap that you will receive will recognise the sacrifice that you have made, your loved ones have made and teammates around you to be here.
“As for the medal, this will also represent something else. Each medal is made from recycled mobile phones collected with the help of community rugby clubs around the country. So each one is a special gift, a direct link to the clubs where we all started playing, the fans, the grassroots volunteers.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
37 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
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