Will Jo Yapp follow in Martin Johnson's footsteps and lift the Women's RWC?
Photo: Getty Images
16 SEPTEMBER 2006
By Karen Bond
Three years ago English rugby enjoyed arguably its finest hour when Martin Johnson became the first northern hemisphere captain to hold aloft the coveted Webb Ellis Cup after defeating Australia on a wet November night in Sydney.
That night still evokes some great memories among fans and players alike, but on Sunday another England captain could get her hands on some silverware as they face New Zealand in the IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 final in Edmonton, Canada.
If Jo Yapp and her team can upset the form book and hand the two-time defending champion Black Ferns at Commonwealth Stadium their first Women’s RWC defeat in 14 matches, then England will become the first nation to hold both titles at the same time.
“That would be absolutely great,” Rochelle Clark enthused when rwcwomens.com caught up with the England prop in the build up to her first Women’s RWC final. “It would be awesome to have the double world champions.”
Sue Day, by contrast playing in her third Women’s RWC and second successive final, understandably echoes this sentiment as she revealed that England coach Andy Robinson was at their farewell at Twickenham and several players have emailed their support.
Painful memories
“That would be quite something wouldn’t it?” acknowledged Day, the leading England try scorer in the tournament with six – four of which came in their 74-8 pool defeat of South Africa. “We will certainly aim for that to be the case come Sunday night.”
Day certainly does not want to have to experience the pain of another final loss, the wing having played in England’s 19-9 defeat by the same Black Ferns in the 2002 showpiece in Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium.
“The abiding memory of that game is not winning,” she told rwcwomens.com. “The hurt from losing a World Cup final lasts a very, very, very long time and I will be taking a bit of that out on the pitch with me.”
Even so England are, in the eyes of the media, considered to be the underdogs for the final, such has been the impressive form of the Black Ferns in the tournament with 179 points scored and only 17 conceded in their four games en route.
England coach Geoff Richards acknowledges this expectation and while he has the ultimate respect for his opposite number Jed Rowlands and the Black Ferns, he believes they are prepared and have the inner belief that they can triumph.
Inner belief
“Look they are really good,” Richards told rwcwomens.com. “They are a terrific side, they are well coached, they have a very strong squad, they are strong all over the park, they have got size and strength up front and they have got size and speed in the backs.
“They are very formidable opponents, but we have got a pretty good game plan and I think we are going to be fighting for every inch on Sunday.
“We are not given much of a chance by the media and the pundits, and at this present point in time there is probably only my 26 players and our management staff that actually believe we can win.
“If we do win I think it would the culmination of four years hard work, or probably six years hard work, and everyone has worked so hard for this. I don’t think we could have done anything differently or done anymore than we have done.
“At the end of the day for the players it is in their hands, they know what they have got to do. They have just got to go out there and perform and I am sure they will go out there and do that on Sunday.”
Forward battle
If England are to produce a performance worthy of being world champions, then Clark will have an important role to play in a pack that will need to be at their very best to get one over the powerful and skilful Black Ferns’ forwards.
The hurt from losing a World Cup final lasts a very, very, very long time and I will be taking a bit of that out on the pitch with me.
England wing Sue Day
“It is going to be really tough, but I am really looking forward to the challenge,” admitted Clark, whose family have arrived in Edmonton for the final. “It is a very confrontational position. You have just got to go out there and give it your biggest shot and hope you’re good enough to take your opposite number on the day.
“I am expecting it to be very physical. My one-on-one battle is going to be very, very hard. I hope I can come out on top, but I imagine it is going to be one of the hardest games in my life to play in this game.”
Of course Day hopes the forwards will not keep the battle to themselves and provide some good ball to allow the talented array of backs on both sides to provide a great spectacle to highlight the merits of the women’s game.
“I am hoping it comes out to the backs! That is the kind of rugby I like to play and to be honest I am pretty sure that is the kind of rugby both teams like to play, so I will be expecting an exciting game of running rugby.”
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