Ashton: rugby players can learn from the cricketers

By William Taylor

Former England coach, Brian Ashton says that Martin Johnson’s men can take inspiration from the country’s cricketers if they are to be successful.

Writing in his column in The Independent, Ashton noted the impact that Eoin Morgan has had on the side, and said England could do with a rugby player in his creative mould.

He wrote: “Eoin Morgan strikes me as a cricketer of this (creative) type, with the courage to cry freedom, to go exploring in a dangerous environment in the knowledge that the first mistake might well be the last.

“As the England World Cup squad is concerned, no name jumps off the page and makes me think: ‘There is our Morgan – a man blessed with the intuition and self-belief to change the nature of a contest.’”

Ashton coached England at the last World Cup, taking them as far as the final, against the odds, where they were eventually defeated by South Africa.

And he believes the side are better equipped now than they were back then, but warns that their rivals will be too.

“These contenders are much better prepared this time round. So they should be, for the circumstances are entirely different.

“It is equally true to say that the range and tempo of the world game has moved on since 2007. The narrow, supremely bloody-minded rugby we ended up playing four years ago will not be good enough to reach the latter stages of this tournament.

“They still have to find a way of prospering against the stranglehold defence, especially in the midfield channels. Only then can the wider attackers be released into the less populated defensive areas.”

Those in a English Shirt begin their World Cup challenge with a tricky opener against Argentina in Dunedin tomorrow.