It is a bold
decision by England
team manager Martin Johnson to start us both. We have not begun
a match together since the Six Nations game against Wales in 2010, so
it is important that we strike up an instant relationship again.
The one big
advantage is that we know each other’s games inside out having played together
for so long when we were both at Newcastle.
With
hindsight, we could have played together for 40 minutes against Romania or
Georgia but training has gone really well. We have been trying out options and
plays and it has been pretty slick.
The decision
to play two fly-halves enables us to share the responsibility for kicking when
we are in our own half. It is great when you are playing fly-half and you know
you can throw the ball to another player who can kick and find the corners as
well.
We haven’t
chatted yet about who will be goal-kicking, but I am sure Jonny will do it. He
is the man in charge. If he wants me to do it then fine, but I think he is very
comfortable doing it.
I hope we
can also cause France a different sort of problem in attack by starting
with two ball-players. Obviously we will lose Mike Tindall’s ball-carrying
threat and his physical presence, but I will try to bring different things to
the party.
During
training we have rotated as first receiver, depending on certain phases, and we
have been chatting through where Jonny and I are likely to be at X, Y and Z
moves.
It is a ploy
I am already well used to at Leicester, as quite often Anthony Allen or Geordan
Murphy comes into first receiver. Jonny also does a similar thing at Toulon,
where he mixes it up with Felipe Contepomi.
While I have
played at 12 off the bench on a couple of times, this week I have done 95 per
cent of my work in that position.
The other
factor in making my switch easier is the fact that I have a great relationship
with Manu Tuilagi. He is young and he is still learning and is so willing to
take in information.
The way he
has grown into the scene, first with Leicester and now with the England squad,
has been so impressive and we know we can shout at each other or encourage each
other to equal effect.
If I was in
the French squad, I would probably look at the selection of a new combination
and try to exploit it. But Jonny and Manu are brilliant defenders and I am
confident we can cope with anything they throw at us down my channel.
I have
worked for four years to get to this position and I know I could not have done
any more in terms of preparation so it gives me an inner sense of calm. I also
completely trust the guys around me. The confidence grows from there.
The most
dangerous thing is the unknown quantity of the French side. It sounds like the
players have been coaching themselves this week.
Yes, they
might look as if they are in a state of disarray but what I have found is that
if players want to play for something, whether it be a coach, a desire as a
group to achieve something, or to prove people wrong, it is a powerful emotion
and can be the biggest catalyst to success.
We had it at
the 2007 World Cup when we were written off by everyone. I remember that we sat
down as a group and asked ourselves what we were going to do about our
predicament – our response was to fly out of the blocks against Australia.
I can
remember seeing the shock in the eyes of the Australians. We must not fall into
the trap that Australia did.
I would much
prefer to be playing a French side who had lost to New Zealand but won all
their other matches comfortably because at least we would have seen how they
were playing, how they were attacking and what shapes they were running.
Because we
haven’t seen any of that, they have no restraints on them any more and that
makes them the most dangerous side in the world.
The key will
be the first quarter. If we can build a lead and keep things tight, it will
test their resolve.
We may have
been a little bit less than 100 per cent in terms of our displays so far, but I
feel there is a performance waiting to happen.
A Rugby
World Cup quarter-final against France is the perfect stage.
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