Sir Clive Woodward Talks - James Simpson-Daniel
Sir Clive Woodward
By Kath 19/2/04
February 19 2004
Sir Clive Woodward England's Head Coach talks to Zurich's Andrew Titheridge about James Simpson-Daniel, Steve Borthwick and England v Scotland.
For immediate release: 19 February 2004
Issued on behalf of Zurich
Report with Sir Clive Woodward
Speaking to www.zurichpremiership.com
Andrew Titheridge: Clive a player who has been knocking on the door
and had the odd couple of games, although he seems to be beset with injuries -
is James Simpson-Daniel?
Clive Woodward: He is actually back, he did a fitness
Tuesday, I think that he came through it. If he is fit I hope that he will play
for his club Gloucester, they have got a game in the Zurich Premiership this
weekend.
I think that at a push he could play for us this weekend but I wanted to go on a
settled team, to bring in James for this game would have been a big ask of him
as we have got hardly any preparation time this week and I think that we need to
move on with a settled team this weekend. So I hope that he will play for his
club this weekend and he will be right in contention for
the game against Ireland.
Andrew Titheridge: Steve Borthwick was given a two week ban for an
incident that happened in the Zurich Premiership match between Bath and London
Wasps - will he have to work his way back into the side or will he automatically
get in?
Clive Woodward: No there is nothing automatic you take your
chances when you are given them. I feel sorry for Steve Borthwick, a two week
ban for the actual offence probably meant that they thought he wasn't guilty
because it was a pretty serious charge and it will be a couple of weeks that he
will be disappointed to lose. He will be disappointed because I know that he was
hoping to be involved this weekend, and that's why along with Worsley I delayed
the team announcement.
Borthwick is not a dirty player, he just came into the ruck the wrong way round,
and it actually looks a lot worse on the TV than when you were at the game. If
you see the reaction of Dallaglio and he was on the receiving end, Lawrence just
got up, shook his head and got on with the next lineout. If something really
serious had happened you can tell by the other players
reaction. I feel sorry for Borthers, the disciplinary guys do a great job and I
have always supported them, so he has got his too week ban and unfortunately
misses out this weekend. These things happen, I don't know who Bath are playing
the following week but clearly we will be down their again watching him and the
usual suspects!
Andrew Titheridge: The game on Saturday is late afternoon, the pitch
will be slippery, Scotland will come out all guns blazing, they have got nothing
to loose and they are playing the World Champions. But can England cope with
everything that the Scots will throw at them?
Clive Woodward: I wouldn't say that we can cope with
everything but we are a very experienced side now despite where we play and at
what time we play and we will have to play France at nine o'clock at night and
in Scotland it is only 5.30pm. I am hoping that the pitch up there is in good
shape, it normally is, we have a saying that we will play anyone, anytime,
anywhere. We like playing at Twickenham and we prefer to play at home and we are
looking forward to playing Ireland.
We haven't played at Twickenham for a long time now in a full international but
we are also looking forward to going up to Scotland, it is always more
challenging playing away from home. My mindset is that you have to put all the
ballyhoo that goes on before all the England Scotland games and all the passion
stuff, it is something that we have got buckets of but we just talk about what
are going to do on the pitch.
We have got to go out and play, we did some very good things against Italy but
we also did one or two things that we need to improve upon. The game has moved
on massively and it is just about fifteen on fifteen and getting it technically
right and I am pretty sure that we will do that at the weekend.
ENDS