RWC 2015: Mike Brown’s solution for England - we must all aim to be the world’s best in our own positions
Brown had divided opinion by giving a curt interview to journalists after the loss to Wales a fortnight ago
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Your support makes all the difference.Mike Brown has set the standard for England’s World Cup review with a pithy appraisal of where the beaten host nation’s players stand in the global pecking order. Asked for the principal lesson he would take from the tournament that ended at the pool stage with Saturday’s 60-3 win over Uruguay, the Harlequins full-back said: “Individually we need to all strive to be the best player in the world in our position.
“Looking at the New Zealanders, most of them would get in a World XV, and that’s what I’ll be aiming to do. Because at the moment, if you’re honest, what one of our players would be in a World XV? Which one of our players would be in a [British & Irish] Lions XV? Not many. I could probably push a couple in there. That’s what we should all be aiming to do.”
The first nominations Brown put forward for future honours were “the young lads in the back three”, led by Bath’s 21-year-old Anthony Watson, who scored two of England’s 10 tries at the City of Manchester Stadium.
“I honestly feel those wingers can be the best wingers in the world,” Brown said. “I am in awe of some of the stuff they can do at this age. If we all focus on that individually, it will come together as a XV on the pitch. I’d sum England’s problems up as the breakdown, discipline and not pulling away from teams when we’ve got them on the edge. If we work on those we’ll be a class team.”
Brown had divided opinion by giving a curt interview to journalists after the loss to Wales a fortnight ago – honest and from the heart or unprofessional, take your pick. At 5am on the day after the 33-13 beating by Australia, he wrote a “thank you and we’re sorry” message to supporters and posted it on Twitter and Instagram.
It may have been that sense of initiative that helped him enjoy a magical moment of public acclaim in the 66th minute of Saturday’s match. When his introduction from the bench was announced to the 50,000 crowd, they gave him a huge and sustained ovation. No one quite knows the type of person making up these capacity Rugby World Cup crowds, but whether they are rugby club aficionados, wandering patriots or big-event fans for the day, they appeared to acknowledge Brown as a figure of defiance and quality, even if his step into touch had been the first error of England’s eventual humbling by Australia.
“I got a great reception,” he said, “and if there have been a few away supporters who chipped in [on Twitter] with their thoughts – some vile comments – they’re not real rugby supporters, that’s not what rugby’s about.”
Sport rarely stands still and as Brown returned south he was planning today’s reunion with his club-mates at Harlequins. It is believed few if any of the front-line England World Cup players will take part in this weekend’s opening Aviva Premiership fixtures, but Brown insisted he has a lot to look forward to, not least marriage to his fiancée Eliza next summer.
“I definitely feel like I have another World Cup in me, if everything goes well. Look at the New Zealand guys – Ma’a Nonu got his 100th cap the other day, and Conrad Smith is just turning 34. That’s the age I’ll be at the next World Cup [in 2019] so definitely I want to continue this journey with an incredible group of young men.
“I want to get back in with Quins on Monday, set new goals, and get picked by whoever is in charge of England for the Six Nations, and for the Lions [in 2017].”
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