LONDON: Clive Woodwardhas said England’s stunning victory over New Zealand has made them the team all other sides will want to avoid in today’s draw for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Woodward, who coached England’s World Cup-winning side of 2003, also said the shock win had rescued Europe’s Six Nations from being regarded as a “second division” international tournament
England produced one of the greatest performances ever seen at Twickenham to beat reigning world champions New Zealand by a record 38-21 on Saturday and so end the All Blacks’ 20-match unbeaten run.
New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and France are the top four seeds in today’s draw but Woodward said none of them would want to be in the same pool as 2015 hosts England.
“It was a great, great victory for the English team,” Woodward told BBC Radio Five’s Sportsweek programme yesterday.
“The scoreline absolutely reflected the performance,” he added of an England victory that followed narrow defeats by Australia and South Africa in the preceding two weeks.
“They have some great players in there -- Joe Launchbury (lock), Tom Wood (blindside flanker), Chris Robshaw (captain and openside flanker) -- who were world class yesterday (Saturday).
“They had lost the previous two. This was a real David and Goliath effort. They came out and threw the kitchen sink and New Zealand got completely rattled. Every phase of the game they won,” insisted former England centre Woodward.
“It makes the draw fascinating given England have just demolished New Zealand. The top four sides will not want to be playing against England.” AFP
