Six Nations 2016: Ex-captain Chris Robshaw just glad still to be in the England crew

After four years leading his country, the Harlequins flanker knew his World Cup contribution had not impressed the new England coach Eddie Jones. Now thriving in a blind-side role, he tells Chris Hewett he’s raring to go in the Six Nations

Chris Robshaw is proud – and relieved – to wear the England shirt (Getty Images)

Following the World Cup omnishambles in the autumn, Chris Robshaw quickly realised that the least of his future problems would be the sleeping arrangements at the England team base over the winter. He did not want to lose the captaincy or the privileged accommodation that goes with it – to go from four-poster to bunk bed – but the more pressing concern surrounded his place in the squad. Without that, he wouldn’t be in the hotel at all.

So it was a relieved Harlequins flanker who returned to the familiar corner of Surrey a little over a week ago to begin preparing for England’s testing little visit to Murrayfield on Calcutta Cup business in five days’ time. His club form had underpinned his claim to a place in the Six Nations party – since switching from the breakaway position to the blind-side role, he has been one of Premiership rugby’s star turns – but Eddie Jones, the latest national head coach, had not been entirely kind about him during the global tournament. In fact, he had been highly critical.

“I didn’t really know where I stood,” Robshaw conceded. “With Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team all going, no one really knew what to expect. There was a period of limbo. Then, when Eddie came in, we sat down and chatted. He outlined what I needed to do and told me to go away and do it.

“You always hope you’ve done enough, but it was great to get that phone call. You want to play at international level, don’t you? This is where you try to be as a rugby professional.”

Robshaw spent four years as captain under Lancaster: he was given the role ahead of the Northampton back-rower Tom Wood as soon as the under-the-radar technocrat from inside the Rugby Football Union succeeded Martin Johnson, the all-conquering captain with global union profile, as red-rose boss and he barely missed a game between the narrow victory over Scotland in early 2012 and the embarrassingly premature World Cup exit last October. In that time, he was England’s busiest and most effective player with disconcerting regularity – just what were the rest of them doing out there? – while never looking like a natural open-side operator.

To use the parlance of the age, he was a “six and a half”. There is more than a little irony about the fact that Jones, a self-confessed hater of the “half” on a back-row forward’s shirt, has two more players of the same ilk in his training group for Edinburgh, but that is no longer of concern to Robshaw. He, at least, can look forward to a run in his optimal role.

Has he reached any conclusions as to what went wrong at the World Cup, now he can look back on events from distance? If truth be told, he remains mystified.

“There were a lot of players putting all the work in, myself included, but it wasn’t quite clicking,” he said, searching in vain for a meaningful answer. “You were committing completely to training, but for some reason you weren’t quite the player you had been.

“It takes a bit of time to get it out of the system, to get back to enjoying your rugby. You go through tough spells in sport, and that spell was certainly tough. But I knew I wanted to be a rugby player as a kid at school and that I wanted to play for England – to be a part of it through good moments and bad. So I had 10 days away from it all, sitting on a beach in a different part of the world and relaxing, and then came back fresh.

“Also, I spoke to a number of people: Conor O’Shea [the Harlequins rugby director], who has looked after me better than anyone in my whole career; Sean Fitzpatrick [the World Cup-winning All Black, who is a big noise at the Twickenham Stoop these days]; my clubmates, friends, family, loved ones… everyone played a part. But it is all well and good other people helping you. In the end you have to get yourself out of it. You have to say ‘OK, enough’s enough, let’s go out there and perform’.”

As a senior Test hand, Robshaw has spent enough time around the new skipper, Dylan Hartley, to know what the combustible Northampton hooker might bring to the job, provided he keeps the tin lid on his temper.

“I fully understand Eddie’s reasons for making the change; I respect his choice and I’ll give Dylan all the support he needs,” Robshaw said. “He’s been around a long time too and he knows how it works. My advice to him? It’s a fantastic role and a huge honour, so just enjoy it. I’m extremely proud that I had the opportunity to do it. Now that I’m not, it will take time to adjust. But this is a new chapter for me – a chance to right some wrongs and repay some trust.”