Woodward backs Twickenham's firework spectacular

England have played and beaten both New Zealand and Australia in the last 13 days, not that more than a handful of Twickenham's 75,000 spectators could have been absolutely sure of the identity of either touring side in the minutes before kick-off. Fireworks costing tens of thousands of pounds are now a regular part of the "holistic experience" in the rugby union corner of south-west London, and they leave the stadium so completely shrouded in smoke that the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band could take the field and not be exposed until after the anthems.

England have played and beaten both New Zealand and Australia in the last 13 days, not that more than a handful of Twickenham's 75,000 spectators could have been absolutely sure of the identity of either touring side in the minutes before kick-off. Fireworks costing tens of thousands of pounds are now a regular part of the "holistic experience" in the rugby union corner of south-west London, and they leave the stadium so completely shrouded in smoke that the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band could take the field and not be exposed until after the anthems.

On a serious note, this new-fangled pre-match entertainment has annoyed a substantial number of Twickenham regulars, who not unreasonably wonder why a game on the cusp of financial viability should spend such lavish amounts on gunpowder and down-market operatics. But the Rugby Football Union is digging in its heels, and yesterday, the England manager Clive Woodward felt compelled to defend his employers' questionable notion of family fun.

"I have been coming to Twickenham for a long time now, and I cannot remember an atmosphere like this," Woodward said. "We are a huge sporting nation and when we really want to get behind something, we do. The fireworks, the whole build-up, makes a massive difference in my opinion. I know some people would prefer to see a marching band, but the players want to run out into a real spectacle. What the people are doing behind the scenes is brilliant. It's real theatre."

Woodward believes union is gaining ground on other major team sports in England, not least because the national side is performing well enough to be considered short-odds favourites against South Africa tomorrow. Indeed, a comfortable red rose victory might well return them to the top of the world rankings, for what it is worth, for the first time since February. "I have no statistics to hand, but I am extremely optimistic about the future of rugby in this country," he said. "It's all about pushing it forward now."

Computers do not win rugby matches, despite the fact that Brad Johnstone, the former Fiji and Italy coach, once described England as a team of "robo-cops". Woodward is therefore absolutely right in ignoring widely published predictions of a 16-point plus English triumph over the struggling Boks. "Last week's game against the Wallabies was decided by a single point," he continued. "That is the scary reality of international sport."

The Springboks would look a whole lot scarier themselves if Mark Andrews, the experienced lock forward from Natal, was in their second row, where most of the rugby world believes he still belongs. But Andrews is Newcastle bound – yet another high-class South African keen to ply his trade in the English Premiership rather than rumble through another southern hemisphere season. Rudolf Straeuli, the Springbok coach, has taken a prickly approach to the subject all week, and if his new engine-room pairing of Jannes Labuschagne and A J Venter fail to prosper against Martin Johnson and Ben Kay tomorrow, he will be unhappier still.

Andrews was thoroughly unrepentant yesterday. "I just love the attitude at Newcastle," he said. "I admire the things they are trying to do there. Marius Hurter [another World Cup Springbok, who headed for Tyneside in 1998] told me that Newcastle have some brilliant youngsters who perform like maniacs at home, yet do not truly believe they can win away. I hope this is an area in which I can help, by instilling the attitude that it doesn't matter where you are playing."

Newcastle completed the signing of another southern hemisphere representative player yesterday; James Christian, a 24-year-old hooker who has played National Provincial Championship rugby for Auckland and was once a member of the renowned New Zealand Academy – a set-up good enough to have hammered England in Invercargill four years ago. The Falcons, unsteady up front following the summer departures of George Graham, Doddie Weir and Pat Lam, have now upped the ante on their rivals at the foot of the Premiership and guaranteed a relegation scrap of unprecedented intensity.