The 2015 Rugby World Cup trophy — The Webb Ellis Trophy — on display at one of the World Cup venues.
Do you remember the frenzy that surrounded England’s rugby World Cup victory in Sydney in 2003? People who had never watched rugby union suddenly began to talk loudly about scrummaging technique. Thousands flocked to Trafalgar Square for the open-top bus parade. The landlord of our local pub even had a parrot that learned to shout “Jonny Wilkinson” at visitors. That’s when you know a sporting event has entered the public consciousness.
So just imagine the potential for the nation’s parrots when the 2015 tournament takes place on English – and Welsh – soil in the autumn. Rugby is coming home, as you are sure to hear someone say on ITV in mid-September. It is the sport’s best opportunity in a generation to appeal to those neutrals unsure if Danny Care is a scrum-half or a new-fangled type of medical insurance.
As the Olympics in London demonstrated, the country has a half-decent track record when it comes to staging high-profile sports events. It is no coincidence that many of the Locog staff who stage-managed London 2012 are involved again. Tickets to the bigger games have been in huge demand; one study suggests the event will boost the national economy by almost £1bn. Half a million overseas visitors are expected during the 44-day tournament, which features matches at 13 different venues in 11 cities. The Rugby Football Union hopes the tournament will play a part in helping to recruit an extra 25,000 adult players, plus thousands more kids, coaches and volunteers, to the sport in England by 2017.
So what could possibly go wrong? Well, that depends on your nationality. Not many Welsh supporters will be broken-hearted if England fail to escape Pool A, where they find themselves, for reasons related to the draw being conducted years prior to the event, alongside Wales and Australia. Even Fiji, the hosts’ opponents in the opening game on the night of Friday 18 September (avoid the A316 through Twickenham if you want to get anywhere before Saturday lunchtime) cannot be entirely discounted.
Ireland have a very promising draw and an artful coach in Joe Schmidt. South Africa will take some knocking over; even Scotland are improving this season. It is a rather tighter field than in 2003, when England secured a trophy they were widely tipped to lift, given the presence of all-time greats, including Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Jason Robinson and Will Greenwood in the same squad.
This time there is less certainty. Manu Tuilagi jumping into the Thames can be safely ruled out but, beyond that, no one is entirely sure. Even New Zealand, who will start as tournament favourites, know the margins are narrowing, particularly when they are playing in the northern hemisphere.
England will certainly be well organised under the command of head coach Stuart Lancaster this time. But what continues to elude them, pending a spectacular Six Nations, is the inner confidence to insulate them from the pressures of hosting what is sometimes called the third biggest sporting show on earth after the summer Olympics and the football World Cup. Lancaster hopes passionate home support will bridge the gap, citing the mood on the streets during the Euro 96 football championship as a precedent: “I remember Euro 96 vividly, particularly the sense of identity. We want to try and replicate that emotion and intensity. When I think of England at its best in sport – during Euro 96, or when they’re doing well in the cricket – there is no better feeling.”
To that end, Lancaster has set great store in strengthening the bond between the team, its heritage and the country as a whole.
If he needs the ideal template, he need only recall the fervid mood in the Millennium Stadium when England were thrashed by Wales in the decisive game of the 2013 Six Nations. England lost a rugby match but it felt as if they had tried – and failed – to take on an entire country.
That is precisely the sort of atmosphere Lancaster is hoping will be recreated at Twickenham. “The sense of the country behind the team is a very powerful motivator. We’ll do our best to make sure we deliver in a way that will make the country proud.” If the hosts can top their pool, anything is possible; if not, they may well have to beat South Africa and New Zealand simply to reach the final.
Either way, it is time to update our memories of that damp Sydney night in 2003, when Wilkinson’s extra-time drop-goal seemed to hang in mid-air for an eternity. The faces around the stadium at that moment could have inspired an HM Bateman cartoon entitled The Man Who Urinated In The Amber Nectar. Over the ball went and kids are still doing clasp-handed, clench-buttocked Jonny-kicking impersonations now.
This is the year to locate some new heroes and give the nation’s parrots some fresh material.
Try this for size New Zealand’s All Blacks are the team to beat and their Sonny Bill Williams is likely to be a crowdpleaser – he’s quick, strong and great at offloading the ball.
