World Cup News round-upClive Woodward yesterday accused sections of the Australian media of being "idiots" as he awaited the verdict this morning of the Rugby World Cup judicial hearing in Sydney into two charges of England misconduct during the game against Samoa last Sunday.
England's head coach, having conceded "an error" was made in sending on Dan Luger as an unauthorised replacement in the closing moments in Melbourne, flew overnight from Brisbane to Sydney as part of a five-man England delegation, admitting he was upset at the anti-English tone of certain media outlets which, he believes, are taking ritual pom-bashing to new depths.
"I lived in Australia for five years and 99.9 per cent of Australians are fantastic people, but one or two idiots ruin it," said Woodward. "I've a lot of good Australian friends who keep ringing me saying sorry. It's not a reflection on Australians, it says more about the people writing the things directed at the English."
The Australia number eight, Toutai Kefu, who has missed the World Cup through injury, is among those urging the tournament organisers to throw the book at England following the confirmation a misconduct charge has been brought for wilfully ignoring touchline officials, as well as one involving the fitness coach Dave Reddin, who had an altercation with the fourth official Steve Walsh.
Reddin waved Luger on to the field in defiance of the fifth official, the Australian Brett Bowden, who had told England to wait for a break in play. A fine and/or a touchline ban for Reddin remains the likeliest outcome.
The misconduct charges overshadowed the announcement of England's starting line-up for the final pool game against Uruguay on Sunday, which features only four of Woodward's first-choice XV. And if ever there was a clue England's campaign is not progressing serenely, it was Lawrence Dallaglio's name on the team sheet to face Uruguay.
Normally a player of Dallaglio's stature would sit this sort of game out. Instead, as Clive Woodward has made clear, the luxury of choice has been withdrawn.
To be fair to Dallaglio, he has not been alone in making a slow start, but his profile and influence are such that people have been more alert to his pedestrian displays. England, to put it bluntly, will not win the World Cup unless their experienced number eight starts to pull his weight.
Had he wished, Woodward could have softened the blow by reuniting Dallaglio with the captaincy which, until the News of the World intervened, was his fiefdom. Instead Phil Vickery will lead the side on Sunday. Dallaglio, Woodward said, had "had a couple of quiet games" and needed to "try and get a bit more involved". Woodward did add, nevertheless, he could not foresee changing his first-choice back row of Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Neil Back, assuming all of them are fit, a statement that sums up England's dilemma.
If their big men are playing poorly and Woodward has no plans to replace them, what price England for the World Cup?
"We're all very much aware no one in the team, including myself, has brought their A game to any of the matches," admits Dallaglio.
"It's easy to point the finger at me, but we're all a long way short of what we were in Melbourne and Wellington in June. The onus is on some of the more senior players to give the team a lead this weekend."
Hard-hitting number eight Jerry Collins returned to the New Zealand starting line-up yesterday as coach John Mitchell named his strongest available side to face Wales on Sunday.
Collins has played only once in the World Cup so far, against Italy, but returns to the side along with winger Joe Rokocoko and inside centre Aaron Mauger.
South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has handed Derick Hougaard the responsibility of guiding the Springboks through their testing final Pool C game against Samoa on Saturday and into the quarter-finals.
SOUTH AFRICA: J van der Westhuyzen; A Willemse, J Muller, De Wet Barry, T Delport; D Hougaard, J van der Westhuizen; C Bezuidenhout, J Smit, F Rautenbach, B Botha, V Matfield, C Krige (capt), J van Niekerk, J Smith. Replacements: D Coetzee, R Bands, D Rossouw, S Burger, N de Kock, L Koen, J Fourie.
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; D Howlett, L MacDonald, A Mauger, J Rokocoko; C Spencer, J Marshall; D Hewett, K Mealamu, G Somerville, B Thorn, A Williams, R Thorne (captain), R McCaw, J Collins. Replacements: M Hammett, K Meeuws, R So'oialo, M Holah, B Kelleher, D Carter, M Nonu.
ENGLAND: J Lewsey; I Balshaw, S Abbott, M Catt, D Luger; P Grayson, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, D West, P Vickery (Capt), M Corry, D Grewcock, J Worsley, L Moody, L Dallaglio. Replacements: S Thompson, J White, M Johnson, N Back, K Bracken, W Greenwood, B Cohen.
