“England go into the match to win with many expecting them to lose – the pressure is on Wales to deliver. For Wales, who are almost at full strength, losing would do untold damage to their psyche.”
“He has carefully and meticulously planned every single thing he has done since taking on the role, but even the best-laid plans cannot account for what you don’t control. As a coach you are judged by the team that takes to the pitch. Account may be taken of injuries when looking at individual matches, but the record books only record results and there will be no second chances come the world cup.”
“To suggest there is no pressure on England to deliver is wrong. They must expect to win, but winning against the odds will boost their preparation and breed confidence within the squad. Add this to the potential of winning minus the injured players would also bring the competition within the squad to new levels, which can in turn take the team to a far higher standard.”
“He will want to win but win using the ball and possession his forwards provide. He knows he has the ammunition and the players to fire the bullets but can he get them all out on the pitch at the same time? That’s the million-dollar question.”
“So whether it is in the first battle in the Millennium Stadium or the 2015 QBE Internationals against France and Ireland in August, he will be looking to win through the implementation of his game plan. You are as good as your players, but nowadays you rarely have a full complement to choose from. If England can get 90% of their best players fit come October they will be in a great place.”
The quotes are taken from an exclusive interview with QBE Rugby, please click here to read the full interview which is due to go live this evening.