A Wimbledon to savour!

Another edition, the 126th to be precise, of the Wimbledon Championships has concluded for another year and the 2012 showpiece event will undoubtedly live long in the memory.
From British successes, heart stopping moments and phenomenal upsets, fairy tale journeys, rejuvenated elder statesmen of the game and copious amounts of good old English weather, more reminiscent of November, landing smack bang in June/July, encapsulates perfectly just how special the hallowed turf of Wimbledon really is.
Brian Baker's remarkable comeback after an absence of 6 years away from the tour, beset with injuries to his hip, elbow and a sports hernia resulted in five surgeries. This is a story that has captured the hearts' of the tennis community and his renaissance was in full swing at SW19 as he successfully navigated three rounds of qualifying before finally succumbing to defeat in the 4th round in his debut at the event, an astonishing accomplishment.
Agnieszka Radwanska's extraordinary run to the final, losing in a tight three setter to 5 time champion Serena Williams, turned plenty of heads with her subtle touch and finesse conquering the giants and power hitters of the women's game to reach her very first grand slam final. This was all the more impressive as she had never made it further than a quarter final in the majors.

The tournament's magic didn't cease there however.
On day three one of the biggest shocks of all time was handed out by one Lukas Rosol, a journeyman of the tour ranked 100 in the world. In 5 epic, dramatic, coolness personified sets of tennis the Czech downed the great, two timed Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal in the second round much to the delight of the vociferous 15,000 supporters rammed inside centre court under the roof.
An out of sorts Nadal had no answer to Rosol's relentless power and unerring accuracy which left the masses stunned. 'I still cannot believe it, it's like a dream for me' commented the victorious Rosol in his post match interview. Unfortunately the 'dream' came to an abrupt halt as Rosol was unceremoniously dumped out of the tournament the following round, however this was a match that he and many others will never forget.

After experiencing at first hand the intermittent showers the nation had to offer during my two week stint as a 'Dayhousekeeper', a ridiculous title and one that effectively is a fancy way of saying 'cleaner', meant the £100million state of the art retractable Centre Court roof was kept busy and justified its transfer fee, Andy Carroll take note.
Much controversy surfaced over the organisers' decision not to deploy the roof throughout but they maintained, as did many pundits, Tim Henman most notably, that it is an outdoor tournament. It was under the roof where so much drama unfolded and in particular with Andy Murray leaving it extremely late, 11:02pm to be precise, to see off the spirited challenge of Marcos Baghdatis. I know this as I was there to witness it through gritted teeth as it meant an even shorter window of much needed sleep... grrrrr.

In today's tennis much is made of the sheer physicality that is needed to be successful, making it even more difficult for the current older crop. Once again however, this most prestigious of tournaments threw a spanner in the works from the norm as the golden oldies came out in force. Five 30+ year old's made it to the second week, not bad eh? This was a far cry from this years previous two slams, the Australian and French Open, where a measly three from the two combined tournaments made it that far.

The nation's resolve was once again severely tested by home hero Andy Murray who survived the onslaught and brilliantly made his first ever Wimbledon final. The tournament had already been a breath of fresh air for British Tennis and probably much to the relief of LTA Chief Executive Roger Draper who has been given a temporary reprieve as the biggest group of Brits for six years progressed to round two. Draper, who has been rightly criticised for not producing enough top tennis players, was able to look on fervently as James Ward won his first ever Wimbledon match before then losing gallantly in the second round in five tight sets against seasoned campaigner Mardy Fish. The British women also tasted success as Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong advanced to round two and Heather Watson went one better by reaching the third round before falling to eventual finalist Radwanska.


Best of all for the Brits however came in the Men's Doubles as Wild Card pairing Jonathon Marray and Frederick Nielsen achieved the impossible coming through a whopping 4 out of 6 five set marathons disposing of 4 seeded pairings on their way to an incredible title against all the odds.
Never before had a wildcard pairing won the title and the 76 year wait for the... wait for it.... doubles champion, not singles, was now over ensuring that Britain tasted some success this summer.

And last but most certainly not least, the great Roger Federer winding back the clock to deliver a tennis masterclass against the plucky and emotional Andy Murray. Murray may have gained a few more fans with his on court endeavors and post match, tear ridden speech, in 4 sets to once again break the Scot's... oops I mean Brit's heart along with the 17 million viewers who tuned in to watch this wonderful event draw to a close. You run out of superlatives for Federer at times. A record equalling 7th Wimbledon, a record 17 Grand Slam titles and, perhaps best of all, he returns to the summit of the ATP World Rankings just one month shy of his 31st Birthday, not bad for an old timer.


So that is it. There will be no more strawberries and cream, well organised queues, overpriced pimms, traditional white attire and the elegance of grass court tennis for another year and I hope you agree that this one was really something special and perhaps one to savour....

Light at the end of the tunnel?

What a difference a few short months can make. After sitting pretty at the summit of the Test Rankings, England were brought back down to earth with a thump and almost faced slipping to third position with their annihilation of India last year seeming a distant memory.

Pakistan victorious

Andrew Strauss' England side concluded several forgettable and at times calamitous months of Test cricket in the Sub continent with a comprehensive 8 wicket win over Sri Lanka to tie the series 1-1.
To a casual onlooker this may appear as an acceptable scoreline as England notoriously don't travel well, however let us not forget what preceded these events where a dejected and woeful England were comprehensively thumped by Pakistan in an uncharacteristic 3-0 whitewash.

Strauss's individual, as well as the team's collective batting performances, were dire at times as they repeatedly failed to post substantial and challenging totals. The tour was littered with several scores under 200, a far-cry from their huge totals recorded away to Australia and home to the former number one ranked team India, and when England did post their solitary strong innings of 327 they compounded it with a dismal 92.
This inconsistency, lapses in concentration and lackadaisical attitude that was so abundantly clear throughout the tour must be stamped out by Head Coach Andy Flower ahead of the upcoming appetizer home test against the West Indies and before the feast that is South Africa this summer.

Over the years England haven't fared particularly well in the Sub Continent having only won 8 of 27 away test matches, but for the supposed 'Number one' ranked test side to be beaten so heavily isn't acceptable. There were no standout performances, no gritty, defiant innings or confidence in the side. Instead they were compounded with batting collapses, poor strategies and abysmal dismissals.

Strauss fails again

Even Strauss's indispensable captaincy has been called into question, just a few months after being one of the bookies favorites to acclaim the 2011 Sports Personality of the year accolade. Though Strauss's position shouldn't be in any doubt, an immediate return to form is a must not only for England, but for one of the most successful English captains of all time it is imperative to recapture the form of 2009-10 and lead from the front, ahead of the forthcoming challenge against the Proteas.

For want of a better phrase, 'every cloud has a silver lining', England can reflect on one consistent positive throughout this tour..... their bowlers. Their dependable attack and unswerving commitment restricted both Pakistan and Sri Lanka to scores beneath 400 with Graham Swann, James Anderson and Monty Panesar, who has been somewhat in the cricketing wilderness for the past few years, particularly impressive.

Monty on song

If only their fellow batsmen could have returned the favour, as they did in Colombo, who knows perhaps Andy Flower's men may have not tasted defeat in their Sub Continent exertions. Perhaps a wee bit presumptuous but ever the optimist tis I.

A return to a more friendly, welcoming and familiar environment will meet the returning English who have ended the tour on a good note but will be left to lick their wounds somewhat.
They will undoubtedly be confident that they can rewrite the wrongs of the past few months, as is expected for a number one side, despite it being far from the most assured lead with South Africa and potentially Australia breathing down England's necks.

Every potentially great side experiences the odd rough patch, but what separates sides who have potential and those that maximise potential is how they bounce back from these setbacks as Australia did to India in 2001 and the West Indies did in 1979. So how good is this England side? Will this really test their metal? And can they bounce back, learn from their mistakes and assert some dominance over the chasing pack?
Whatever the answer is, there are undoubtedly exciting times ahead for Test Cricket which is very much alive.

University Match Report (3)

 Honours even in heated Derby

The 2^nd teams of UCB and Birmingham City play out an entertaining draw in a feisty encounter at Moor Lane. 

Richie Mills on 7th March 2012.

The penultimate game of the season took place this Wednesday at a cold and blustery Moor Lane where local rivals UCB and BCU clashed for the second and final time this season.
Despite their superior league position of 4^th to 6^th respectively, UCB weren’t taking anything for granted having lost their only previous encounter 2-1 in a tight affair in October.

UCB (In blue) vs BCU (Orange bibs)

1^st half:
As the game commenced, a frenetic start ensued with both teams quick to put pressure on the opposing team, with great effect.
The strong wind was proving a menace to both sides, though perhaps UCB would have been disappointed for not making the most of the conditions being slightly in their favour, for 45 minutes at least.
Several long range efforts reigned in, peppering both goalkeepers who proved they were up to the challenge with assured displays.

However it was the ‘Cakes’ who picked up the pace, sparking the game into life. The opposing defence were split open by Goalkeeper Smelkov’s long range goal kick, albeit strongly aided by the wind, and the ball found its way to striker James Dixon, facing a 1 on 1 with the keeper.
Unfortunately the front man was unable to convert thanks to a smart save.

This proved to be the highlight of a first half that, despite the score, was proving to be a thrilling and engaging affair plagued by strong defence, hard tackles and limited opportunities.

Half time team huddle

2^nd half:
The second period got under way and immediately UCB flew out of the blocks, following neat build up by using both flanks, the ball was worked towards the opposition area. Winger Rob Veskamie whipped in a delightful delivery which was met by a firm, looping header from substitute Rob Da Cunha, who saw his effort fly narrowly wide.
The momentum was clearly with UCB, who were exhibiting real conviction and efficiency with their passing game by retaining the ball effectively and in turn making inroads into their adversaries half.  Sporadic breaks seemed to be the only outlet for BCU who were consistently rebuffed by the stout defence of centre back duo Sean Ebbs and Max Brown, who were solid throughout.

Despite UCB being on top for the majority of the 2^nd half, it was City who were presented with a golden opportunity to level matters in a rare escapade into their rivals’ half. Following a sliced defensive clearance, the usually organised defence were stretched into disarray and from 10 yards out the City striker should have buried the inviting chance presented to him but he blazed wide.

This appeared to galvanise BCU, who attacked once more with fresh vigour and fluidity by forcing consecutive corners, leading to a goal mouth scramble which was somehow eventually hacked clear to safety.

Goalkeeper Valen Smelkov

An audacious 30 yard strike was well saved by Goalie Smelkov who was looking extremely assured between the posts and following his clearing kick and crisp passes, the ball fell to centre back Max Brown who struck a crisp drive on the half volley narrowly wide, but the danger had not passed.

The Cakes attempted to weather the storm but the increasing pressure and possession told as once again following a rapid counter attack the UCB defence was finally unlocked. Following neat interplay the ball was worked towards the number 10 striker, who this time didn’t miss, by rounding keeper Smelkov and tucking the ball home for a 1-0 lead.
The goal was just about deserved after several prolonged minutes of pressure.

In spite of this setback the 4^th placed side were undeterred and subsequent to several minutes of fleeting advances into the opponents half from both teams, Captain Ashley Cox smashed home the loose ball from close range to make it 1-1 after the resolute City defence failed to clear their lines. This event sparked delirious celebrations from the entire team, much to the delight of the 4 person strong UCB supporters and to the dismay of the BCU followers.

The game was becoming increasingly physical with both sides on the receiving end of thumping challenges; some fair some not so much. As the match entered the final 5 minutes of normal time, the encounter threatened to bubble over as heated exchanges became more frequent as the BCU team were repeatedly frustrated by fruitless attempts to break down UCB’s defensive wall.

As the game drew to a close, the Cakes were under siege from a final City thrust that yielded two unsuccessful corners that came to nothing. One last surge from BCU proved futile and with the final whistle it appeared UCB were the happier of the two despite having just as many chances in a deserved 1-1 draw.

UCB Man of the match Tom Weatherhead commented that: "considering the conditions, we couldn’t ask for much more. Credit where credit is due they battled hard but a draw was a fair result but perhaps we could have nicked it!"

The result leapfrogs the 2^nd’s over their 3^rd team rivals in the BUCS MARS Midlands 5C league, though the latter have two games in hand.
To round up the week’s action the UCB 1^st team battled to a hard fought 1-1 draw with Worcester’s 2^nd team and the Women’s team enjoyed a 2-1 away win to Oxford.

Team lineup:
Valen Smelkov (GK), James Meddler (RB), Max Brown (CB), Sean Ebbs (CB), Ashley Cox (LB), James Nolan (RM), Rob Verskannie (CM),  Louis Grant (CM), Tom Weatherhead (LM), James Dixon (FW) Brad Potter (FW), Rob Da Cunha (CM).

University Match Report (2)

Men’s Badminton team ‘Serve’ up a treat against Lincoln

UCB edges past a resilient Lincoln 3^rd team thanks to a slice of good fortune to close the gap on the league’s top three.

Richie Mills – February 15^th – Maltings sports hall.

Fresh off their impressive 5-3 win away to Staffordshire 2^nd’s the week before, the Men’s Badminton team repeated the feat in a 5-3 home victory over Lincoln 3rd's.

Ahead of this encounter both sides had accumulated solitary wins this season, though in UCB’s case they were unfortunate not to have snatched wins at home to Lincoln’s 2^nd team and away to Newham University College respectively, which highlighted the importance of this particular match with both keen to grab their second triumph of the year in a difficult league.

D. Yeo (far side) vs Lincoln player

UCB started as slight favourites due to their higher league standing and led by Captain Darren Yeo it was the home side that made the brighter start in the singles with both Captain Yeo and Alex James, recording comprehensive wins in the first set of the best of 3 set match.
James, coincidentally plays in the Yorkshire league, proved to be UCB’s trump card by inflicting a ruthless and efficient demolition of the opposition’s first and 2^nd seeds with a score line of 21-6, 21-9 and 21-0, 21-6. On both occasions his challengers cut dejected figures after being on the receiving end of two powerful performances, but all was not lost.

Lincoln, however, did not look discouraged.
Despite dropping the first set 21-13 against Yeo, he was admirably pegged back by the opposing player, whom eventually took a thrilling, marathon like second set 26-24 to force a decider with the momentum appearing to be with the travelling team.

Nevertheless Yeo, who looked rather disconsolate following that epic 2^nd set loss, was undeterred, proving his mettle by racing into an early lead in the final set before sealing a convincing 21-9 win. This proved to be crucial as unfortunately the captain’s exertions from the first match had visibly taken its toll and eventually succumbed to a gallant 15-21, 18-21 defeat, giving UCB a slender 3-1 lead heading into the doubles encounters.

UCB doubles (Near side)

Regrettably the doubles pairings of Ooi Yuen Chen and Kent Tan, Matt Richards and Louis Lee were unable to emulate their fellow singles players’ achievements. The home teams doubles partners were on the receiving end of 21-11, 21-10 and 21-15, 21-19 defeats against a strong Lincoln outfit.

Crucially though what eventually determined the whole tie was Lincoln’s inability to field a full six man team and as a result handed the win to UCB. What may have proved a fruitless day, turned out to be a gratifying conquest against the rather unlucky visitors.
This sentiment was echoed by home team captain Darren Yeo commenting that ‘We played quite well today against a good team and we won... just.’ The words of a joyous and somewhat relieved man you can probably imagine.

Team Photo

With the season winding down, further successes may be on the horizon with their season concluding encounter against their winless local adversaries Wolverhampton at home on February the 29^th.

Team Sheet:

Singles: Darren Yeo and Alex James.

Doubles: Yuen Chen and Kent Tan, Matt Richards and Louis Lee.

University Match Report (1)

Courageous Cakes Conquer Wasteful Worcester

UCB

UCB’s Netball 2^nd team oust the Worcester 4's in a hard fought victory to move up to second in the Midlands 6A league at the Maltings Sports Hall.

University of Worcester

Richie Mills on February 15^th 2012.

The Women’s Netball 2^nd team took to the court ahead of the 2:00pm kickoff in an understandably boisterous and confident mood against Worcester’s 4^th team. This was due in part to their comprehensive 33-18 win in the reverse fixture just two months before in addition to their superior league position.
This assertive manner was increasingly evident as the home side flew out of the blocks, demonstrating swift, fastidious plays which proved to be too much for the opposition who were engulfed by wave after wave of clinical attacks.

Worcester fought valiantly to turn the tide but with the conclusion of the first quarter, they were staring at a daunting 6-1 deficit. The stellar defensive exertions of goalkeeper Holli T were crucial however in thwarting Worcester’s sporadic advances into their half which may have led to a less one-sided first 15 minutes of play.

Worcester restarted play refreshed and reinvigorated with three quick surges towards the Netball posts but were repeatedly foiled by the home team’s persistent defence, although admittedly weren’t helped by poor shooting. They were then made to rue their missed opportunities thanks to goal shooter Emma B’s quick thinking followed not long after by the best move of the match.
The Worcester defence was cut to ribbons in a move involving the entire team and as a result were left trailing in UCB’s wake to take an 8-1 lead.
The game entered a period of indiscipline and errors from both sides before Worcester were once again denied through a combination of strong defence and reckless shooting.

This was becoming a familiar recurrence as once again the home team countered on the break with two quick scores in succession, taking the tally to 10-1. With the clock counting down to the end of the second quarter, Worcester caught UCB unawares by grabbing two surprise goals to bring proceedings to a close at 10-3 with one half gone.

Sophie Andrew appeared to be nursing a niggling injury and was replaced by Amy W at centre. Perhaps more telling though was the decision to appoint Worcester's erratic goal keeper to the position of goal shooter! To those casual netball fans, such as myself, this may have come as quite a shock as to me it appeared Iker Casillas had just switched to striker in Karim Benzema’s place! Though not literally....
This intrepid move brought instant results as the new goal shooter caught the ‘Cakes’ cold with 3 of the next 4 goals.
Coach Jane Abbey’s team had to weather the storm somewhat under a barrage of improved Worcester play. A much needed and timely UCB recovery ensued which culminated with long range efforts from goal attacker Chloe Green and a quick fire treble from sharp shooter Emma Brown for a 15-7 3^rd quarter lead.

The previous quarter’s efforts were beginning to take its toll on both teams with a few more uncharacteristic loose passes, but crucially the more efficient and organised Brummies were able to make their opponents lament their wastefulness. The home side were controlling the tempo of the game against a side whose only attacking ploy was to pump it forward to their goal shooter with every opportunity. Both sides traded scores before another flowing move gave UCB a 10 point cushion at 21-11 as their rivals defence parted like the red sea.
With the clock winding down, the win was all but secured. Though the scoreline was a comprehensive 24-14 UCB victory, the game proved to be a hard fought, and at times, arduous encounter that saw the home side   leapfrog past local rivals Birmingham City into 2^nd place in the league table.
The player’s player of the match was awarded to goal attack Chloe Green who weighed in with an impressive 9 goals with the captain’s pick going to wing attack Olivia.

A transitional year is in place for this side, upon entering a new league, but with five wins from seven games, their confidence will surely be growing and with team performances like this the University of Harper Adam’s unbeaten run will surely be severely tested come February 29th!

Team Sheet:
Goalkeeper – Holly T, Goal defence – Amy S, Centre – Sophie Andrew (Amy W),
Wing Defence – Emily H (Emma W), Wing Attack - Olivia , Goal Attack – Chloe Green,
Goal shooter – Emma Brown.  

Is American Football the dullest sport in existence?

It is likely that this topic may upset a certain amount of people and for that I apologise, however I felt it had to be said.

With the most recent NFL (National Football League) season drawing to a close, the New York Giant's claimed the Superbowl trophy, to some known as the 'Greatest show on earth', and were proclaimed as 'World Champions'. 

Firstly when dubbing this title the 'Greatest show on earth' did they realise that there are in fact hundreds of other sports which are far more enjoyable, interesting and not so mind-numbingly dull. The sport seems to have a superiority complex which is just one of the many reasons why this sport is so irritating to me.

Secondly, 'World Champions' has to encompass the entire planet, not just the United States of America. Perhaps there is a reason why practically no other countries play this tedious and monotonous sport as nobody sees it as a worthwhile sport to take up! 

Never have I witnessed a more over hyped, commercialized, stop-start affair than the Superbowl. Despite there being only 2 minutes left of the final, I found myself switching to an alternative channel as it took almost 10 minutes to complete, talk about your gigantic waste of time. 

Now to my reasoning behind why i find this sporting spectacle so dreary.
First off the constant ebb and flow of the sport is so very wearisome as one play can last on average a few short seconds. There is no momentum, no fluidity or speed to the game. A game that should last 60 minutes, can take up to 4 frankly boring hours of play.
According to a Wall Street Journal study of four recent broadcasts, and similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field during an NFL game is about 11 minutes.

The average NFL game contains about 120 actual plays which takes an average of five to six seconds each. That means that only 5% of the game is action and 95% of the game is a borefest of standing around, going off and on the field and endless commercials. My god these are some supremely fit athletes... Not! 

For further details see here. http://commonknowledge.hubpages.com/hub/football-stats-prove-its-so-boring-you-can-almost-call-it-baseball. 

Where were we? ... Ahhh yes another reason why I think American Football is very dull.
In a game situation the Quarterback receives the ball and will attempt to throw it to one of their players, gaining perhaps a few meters at a time. That is all it is.... throw.... and catch. The 'Greatest show on Earth' I think not. 

All of the 'plays', where there are apparently thousands to choose from, are run by the miked up coach calling the shots on what decisions to make but he might as well say, 'throw the ball down field to the guy on the right not the left this time, that will bamboozle them!' or something of a similar persuasion. 

It is bad enough that the constant advertisements, that plague american sports, are on every other minute or so but due to the constant stoppages and time outs the studio panel of experts frequently divulge new, detailed and informative tactical advice on where the team is going right or wrong. This in itself frustrates me still  further with the over the top ongoing analysis that never ceases to end.
If this happened in our beloved football, television viewers would miss half of the game, with Gary Lineker's face popping up every five minutes to discuss that missed chance or what one player is doing effectively. What a farce!

Another irksome part of the game is the constant histrionic showboating of obnoxious self indulgence. It is understandable to want to celebrate after scoring a goal, hitting a century in cricket, scoring a try or in this case a touchdown. But to celebrate a completed play almost 50 yards away from the end zone is just ridiculous. Ohh wait back to the studio panel to analyse that play to death and talk about that celebration yeah! Yawn!

Other noteworthy points involve the physical attributes of the players. Most professional athletes are pristine and prime specimen athletes. They lead ascetic lives, are constantly trying to push the bar higher in terms of fitness and strength and follow stringent nutrition routines.
On the other hand many NFL athletes are encouraged to be as large, and for many so called athletes, as fat as possible in an attempt to block the other team from stopping their players. 

Peak of human condition.....

Take former player William Perry. Here is a player who is 6 foot 2 but weighed a monstrous 382 pounds or over 27 stone. Which ever way you look at it, this man is extremely obese and may cause him severe health problems further down the line, yet this is encouraged by fans and teams alike. Not the best message to send to young children.

Last but not least, padding. I don't have much to say about this apart from, man up and take it like rugby players do, (but they can keep the helmets because of the high tackles) that is all.

I may have come across here as having negative feelings towards this sport. Well I do. I honestly find watching snooker, curling or perhaps even dressage as more exciting events, as there is no showboating, commercials, not nearly as stop start and none are wearing pointless padding. 

Thoughts? 

  

Will England ever dominate the world of rugby again?

In the aftermath of the 2011 Rugby World Cup the future of the English Rugby team looked bleak, desolate and in terms of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) anarchic. The RFU has undoubtedly endured prolonged times of turmoil, though for half a dozen months now it has undoubtedly reached it's peak and is the laughing stock of sporting governing bodies. 

 A calamitous English side returned home to a scathing nation who demanded so much, yet received oh so little. Their off-field antics dominated the headlines as their on-field performances were just so dire and inept after being knocked out to a poor French side in the quarter finals. The French themselves had lost to the might of Tonga, population 104,058, who's entire participation at the event was in jeopardy due to issues over funding and in fact players had to rely partly on donations (1. http://tvnz.co.nz). This is a far-cry from the millions funneled into the French Domestic league and National side,however 'Les Bleus' are not facing a disarrayed RFU or wholesale changes to their relatively settled squad.

With the Six Nations on the horizon, you may be forgiven for not remembering England's triumph which seems a very distant and forgotten memory, though in reality just 8 months have passed since then from the World Cup, when former England manager Martin Johnson's men were lifting the coveted Six Nations Trophy. What a monumental difference less than a year can make.

Is there a way to turn the tide?

Stuart Lancaster 

Interim coach Stuart Lancaster believes so. By injecting the squad with copious amounts of emerging and youthful athletes. A total of 15 players included in the Six Nations provisional  2 man squad were not on the plane in the disastrous campaign to New Zealand and 13 players from the unsuccessful touring party have been ejected, most notably Mike Tindall, Nick Easter and Mark Cueto.

Lancaster emphasized they were embarking on a 'a new era for English rugby' and giving 'players the opportunity to be part of the journey for 2015'. (2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport). Bold words from the Interim coach who may yet be superseded after this year's Six Nations.
His confidence is echoed by U-20 coach Rob Hunter who insists the 'Red Rose has never had it so good as he heads into the RBS 6 Nations with a squad packed full of Premiership experience'.
(3. http://www.rbs6nations.com). His point is justified in England's impressive run to the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship semi-finals, runner up in the 2011 edition where 17year old star fly half George Ford at the age of just 17 won the accolade of IRB junior player of the year award (4. http://en.wikipedia.org) and to top it all off they have accumulated two Grand slams in four years in the U-20 Six Nations.
(5. http://www.rbs6nations.com). Undoubtedly these are encouraging signs that England may be top of the rostrum again in the not so distant future.

Their optimism, however, may not be shared by the English rugby public as six out of seven English clubs failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the Heineken Cup which was the joint worst collective showing by English teams in the tournament's history (6.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport). Compare this to English teams heyday where from 1999-2004 Heineken Cup triumphs were recorded four times on five occasions, so perhaps this is an indication that for the foreseeable future, England rugby won't be basking in multiple successes let alone dominate world rugby.(7.http://www.ercrugby.com).  

The days of Clive Woodward's all conquering England are long gone, but will they be seen again?

With back to back wins over Australia and then a Six Nations triumph, there was widespread optimism over England returning to the big time, before being brought back down to earth with a thump in the World Cup. 

England's all conquering 2003 World Cup Winners

It is difficult to compare sides and era's even from a decade ago. The game, in a professional sense, has progressed in leaps and bounds since then in terms of defences, physical and mental preparation, conditioning, nutrition and so on and so forth (8.http://www.speakerscorner.co.uk).
Perhaps the constantly disciplined and exemplary England side of 2003 would beg to differ, as several England players questionable activities at the World Cup, most notably Mike Tindall, James Haskell and the prolific Chris Ashton who's off field actions (9.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport) may hamper his England career with the disciplinarian Lancaster in charge. There are maybe a few too many prima donna's in the side that won't be tolerated by the new set up which is highlighted by excluding Danny Care and Delon Armitage for their drink driving and assault offences respectively.

A rebuilding process is currently in progress as it was back in 1997 with the appointment of Clive Woodward which completely radicalized the face of English Rugby from an amateur outfit into well-drilled and prime specimen athletes. By transforming the traditional practices of previous set-ups, introducing business principles, setting long term goals, paying attention to detail and planning the personal development of individuals in the basic skills, tactics and strategy of modern rugby, England were slowly but surely converted into the best team in the World from 2002-3. (10.http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport).
Nowadays over half a dozen countries have taken this even further with New Zealand leading the way. The hangover from 2003 it seems may have finally gone with the great servant of English rugby, Johnny Wilkinson, finally hanging up his boots giving the younger generation their own chance to shine but do they have the potential to be world beaters?

Graham Henry recently stated 'England are the World Champions at wasting talent' and the problem with English rugby goes as deep as the coaching of youth and club players to be too negative and not "Getting over the gain line from first phase". (11.http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport). The World Cup winning coach, not known for being outspoken, stinging attack on English rugby has highlighted a key issue, the breakdown. This must be addressed by Lancaster and his new coaches to allow quick ball and unleash the potentially exciting English back line littered with new faces which may inject a new lease of life or crash and burn which will see Lancaster's short reign come to an end.

England do have 'potential' but at the moment it is just that. A poor Heineken cup showing this season hasn't helped although this year's Six Nations will give a good indication of firstly, how this new look England side will perform (what brand of rugby) and how effectively they will perform. Secondly, whether or not Lancaster's zero tolerance approach will pay dividends and grant him the task of leading England on the road to the 2015 World Cup. This year's competition isn't the be all and end all, but newly appointed captain Chris Robshaw will be itching to silence the doubters, in this wide open competition.

England are a sleeping giant, according to South African World Cup winning coach Jake White (12.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport), and I for one agree with him. The gap between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere has narrowed, due to recent exploits in the World Cup, however there is still a clear gulf in quality, so can anyone bridge that gap? I believe England can, though not for the foreseeable future but fancy their chances over the the perpetual, mercurial French who are capable of the brilliant one moment and then are abysmal the next. Ireland's golden generation are ageing and it seems the youthful and exuberant Welsh side are the most likely to make an assault on the summit of the game.

Maybe Martin Johnson's all conquering side of almost a decade ago may never be seen again, it is too soon to say, although my gut feeling is that they will and when 2015 comes a calling this new side will be genuine contenders. Nevertheless it is an extremely long process becoming number one, as England cricket can testify to, and where the manager has to be given perhaps two World Cups as Clive Woodward was to see their plans come to fruition.
England can do it but it is easier said than done. 

References:
1) http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-world-cup/irb-threatens-tonga-sanctions-4363986
2) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2084879/Six-Nations-2012-England-squad-revealed.html
3) http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/19883.php
4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRB_Junior_World_Championship
5)  http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/championship-information_trophies_u20s.php
6)  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16674650
7)  http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/heinekencup/
8)  http://www.speakerscorner.co.uk/file/6254646af8c83cf7f1f806c0dc740a7a/sir-clive-woodward-motivation-leadership-teamwork-sport-peak-performance.html
9) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8803550/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-England-wing-Mark-Cueto-defends-team-mates-after-horrendous-off-field-coverage.html
10)  http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2003/nov/21/rugbyworldcup2003.rugbyunion
11) http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jan/29/graham-henry-england-waste-six-nations?newsfeed=true
12)  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/15910289