England have been warned that Wales’s World Cup injury issues could make them collectively harder to beat. Andy Farrell, England’s backs coach, said Warren Gatland will use the absence of Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb as extra emotional motivation and does not believe Wales’s challenge has been seriously weakened.
Farrell knows all about Gatland’s methods having been part of the coaching panel on the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour and rejects the idea that England’s Pool A task has just become easier. “They’re not down,” he said. “Some people would say it weakens them a little bit, but we don’t see that. Warren will probably use it to encourage a backs-against-the-wall mentality which will strengthen and galvanise them even more. The team coming together is more important than any individuals.”
There is also respect within the England squad for the recalled scrum-half Mike Phillips, another Lion who toured with Farrell two years ago, and Dan Biggar, who is set to take over the Wales goalkicking duties from Halfpenny.
“It’s unfortunate what has happened and I feel sorry for both Welsh players,” Farrell said. “Leigh would be a big loss to any side, he’s a great player and will be sadly missed in the competition. But they’ve now got a couple of guys who have got their opportunity and will want to take it with both hands. An angry Mike Phillips will want to prove a point after missing out in the first place.
“And while Leigh’s a phenomenal goalkicker, Dan Biggar is very good too. He’s very confident about taking shots from anywhere; they’ve got a pretty good replacement there.”
Farrell is also adamant England’s scrum will come good during the World Cup, despite a couple of less than convincing warm-up displays. “There’s no concern whatsoever,” he said. “We know we’re a world-class scrum. I think the rest of the world knows we’re a world-class scrum as well. We’ve had a couple of games where some guys have played the first or the second game and there’s always going to be work on all areas of the field. The scrum is a massive weapon as far as we’re concerned and I see it being no different at this World Cup.”
The World Cup-winning Springboks lock Victor Matfield, meanwhile, is to join Northampton after the World Cup. Matfield, who has played 123 Tests and is South Africa’s most-capped player, is 38 but the Saints hope his vast experience will rub off on their younger forwards. “Victor is one of the outstanding forwards in world rugby,” said the Saints’ director of rugby, Jim Mallinder.
“He has been at the top of the game for well over a decade now and his selection by South Africa for a fourth consecutive World Cup shows he remains a force to be reckoned with.
“We believe he has a lot to offer the club, not only on the field, but also off it in terms of his leadership qualities and experience.”
There will be no fresh start for the former England fly-half Andy Goode, who has retired because of injury without taking the field for his new club, London Irish. Goode, who enjoyed productive stints with Leicester, Worcester, Wasps and Natal Sharks, scored 2,147 points in a 17-year career but has failed to recover fully from surgery he underwent after leaving Wasps in May.
The 35-year-old won 17 caps for England, shared in five Premiership title successes and won the Heineken Cup twice as well as the Anglo Welsh Cup. “To represent England 17 times is something I’ll look back on with pride. I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed playing for every team and I’m really disappointed I can’t continue my career at London Irish,” he said.
