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England's way ahead - fast and Lewsey

Six Nations: Messages from former comrades stir mixed emotions as ex-soldier gives Woodward a fresh option

Nick Townsend
Sunday 23 March 2003 01:00 GMT
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By any judgement, it was a fairly radical career change, although three weeks ago Josh Lewsey, late an officer of the Royal Artillery, was beginning to question the wisdom of electing to compete for an England rugby shirt rather than continuing to serving his country in uniform, believing that he was facing international oblivion. As his former comrades are embroiled, or certainly within range of the immediate field of combat, in the Gulf, the 26-year Wasp will surely view his contribution to yesterday's Calcutta triumph with conflicting emotions.

What cannot be denied is that his desire to fulfil himself on the rugby field has been fully vindicated, with the full-back's full-blooded approach to the contest endearing himself to the Twicken- ham crowd for the second successive match. In the week leading up to the game he was the recipient of numerous emails from the men serving in the Middle East. The congratulations will no doubt appear, MoD permitting, in ever-greater numbers once word travels of a performance which should confirm his World Cup presence – next Sunday's Grand Slam decider in Dublin notwithstanding.

Whichever area of the field you surveyed, particularly in a combative first half in which Scotland defended resourcefully to restrict England to just one try (deposited almost inevitably by Lewsey), the England No 15 was involved, his explosive speed and direct running contrasting with the all-dancing, twisting, teasing approach of the man he has replaced in that position, Jason Robinson.

Will Carling, the former England captain, has regularly advanced the theory that Robinson should move to the wing, claiming that England only play to 60 per cent of his potential when he is at full-back. Carling got his wish here yesterday, although the Sale Shark, despatched to the position that he used to occupy in rugby league at Wigan, where he secured 171 tries and 15 trophies, did so partly to accommodate Lewsey.

In fact, Robinson was restricted admirably by Scotland in the first half, in which he contrived to find himself in the sin-bin for the first time in his international career after taking out Kenny Logan. It was only when he moved to outside-centre when Dan Luger appeared and took his place on the wing in the second half that Robinson began to run all over the by-now out-argued Scots, scoring two tries to finish off the visitors and inflict yet more punishment on their coach, Ian McGeechan, who had the temerity to attempt to lure him over Hadrian's Wall before he made his cross-code switch.

Yet if the game ended with Twickenham saying: "Here's to you Mr Robinson", and acclaiming the industry of the remarkable Richard Hill, the first encounters were all about young Lewsey. Emboldened by the fact that he is 15 stone, he drives in where others may consider it politic to take a more circuitous route. It was quite appropriate that Lewsey should complete an incisive move, with the ball changing hands swiftly across the threequarters, before his dive for the line took him clear of the Scottish defence.

It was his seventh try from only his eighth cap, and followed the pair he scored against Italy here a fortnight ago.

However, what caught the eye almost as much was the superbly executed tackle with which he floored the lock Scott Murray, who was on the point of scoring close to half-time.

Beforehand, considering events elsewhere, you wondered whether there might be the slightest lack of appetite for the game; whether minds like Lewsey's might be at least marginally distracted. Ridiculous thought. Lewsey offered nothing but total concentration and dedication, and he was not alone. Clive Woodward maintained beforehand that "the war hasn't altered our focus", and you knew that it is not in the Scottish psyche to contemplate any reticence in their play.

The result was a first period which produced three sin-bin offences, although, in truth, you felt that the miscreants – Andrew Mower and Simon Taylor of Scotland and Robinson of England – were more guilty of reckless overenthusiasm rather than premeditated malice.

Scotland triumph at Twickenham roughly once a generation, but England's most avowed opponents clearly believed there was the hint of an opportunity here yesterday – despite the sceptics' declaration of non-contest, England's results in this campaign have not been matched by their performances. An important weapon for the visitors was considered the callow colossus Nathan Hines, Australian-born and hence with anti-podean aggression implanted at birth. There "to put some devil in the pack", according to Jim Telfer, Scotland's director of rugby, but even he proved powerless to prevent his team's second-half capitulation. Telfer had cast pre-match doubt on the durability of England's thirtysomethings, with the estimation that "having younger forwards can work to our advantage". But that was to ignore the fact that Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard and Neil Back were all returning refreshed.

And when it comes to a debate over legs, they don't come more electric than those possessed by Robinson, Lewsey and Ben Cohen, who scored the 20th touch-down of his career. Ultimately that factor, the irrepressible power of the England forwards and Jonny Wilkinson's kicking – before his retirement from the fray – proved conclusive.

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