THC Science

England Rose

England Rugby is the name of the English national rugby union team. The current captain is Lawrence Dallaglio, the coach is Sir Clive Woodward. They are the current World champions, having won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship and have won that championship and its predecessors more times than any other side with the most Grand Slams.

They first played in 1871 against Scotland under Scottish rules (the RFU had not finished their first set of laws). The Scots won by 1 goal to nil, but England beat them in a return match the next year. By 1882, games had been organised against both Ireland and Wales, and a Four Nations tournament began. England dominated until the great schism with Northern clubs that led to the founding of the Rugby League. Many of the strongest teams and players were lost and the national squad was weakened, and the Welsh became the dominant force in the Four Nations.

Meanwhile, the game had spread throughout the British Empire and tours to and from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa were organised. In 1905, a New Zealand team toured the British Isles, beating England 15 - 0. Two more tours followed in the next 20 years, by which time the All Blacks were seen to be the best team in the world.

England didn't do any better against other southern hemisphere opposition, drawing with South Africa in the first test between them in 1906, and losing to Australia in 1909. Although the French had been playing rugby since the 1870s, they were still a weak side and didn't join the Five Nations Championship until 1910. By then England were the dominant team both before and after the First World War and for much of the inter-war period. France remained poor, and in 1932 were forced out of the Five Nations tournament due to poor organisation and accusations of professionalism. Tests against southern hemisphere teams were rare, though in 1935 England memorably beat the dominant All Blacks, thanks in part to Obolensky's famous try.

France returned to the Five Nations Championship in 1939 though the Championship was postponed again until after the war. France gradually improved and finally won the tournament in 1959, and the following three years. The England team were winning the occasional tournament, yet failing to establish any kind of supremacy, apart from in the mid 1950s. The 1960s saw the first regular tests against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with the southern hemisphere teams winning the vast majority of them.

The 1970s did not see an improvement in English fortunes, with the Welsh team becoming unstoppable in their Golden Age of rugby. Yet England somehow managed to beat the southern teams, with victories over South Africa in 1972, New Zealand in 1973 and Australia in 1976, albeit losing twice to them in previous weeks.

The early 1980s saw Rugby Union become more of an international sport, and for the first time England played Romania, Japan and the United States. These were often the only teams that they beat as they lost more games than they won, despite Bill Beaumont’s Grand Slam win in 1980.

In 1987 the first World Cup was held but England went out to Wales in only the quarter finals. In 1991 England lost to New Zealand in their pool, but defeated France in the quarter-finals and Scotland in the semi-final. After criticism for playing boring rugby dominated by forward play and kicking, Will Carling's team played a running game in the final against Australia but lost 12 - 6.

In the last decade of the century, the England team often had some of the best players, such as the Underwood brothers, Jeremy Guscott and Will Carling but were never a truly great team. In 1997 Clive Woodward became coach and England managed to draw with New Zealand at Twickenham. But after dozens of injuries to key players and others crying off, the abortive tour down under saw a drastically under-strength England record a humiliating 76 - 0 defeat to Australia.

England narrowly failed to win the grand slam four times. In the 1999 Five Nations, England had won every game, but lost 32 - 31 to Wales. In 2000 England did all the hard work only to lose to Scotland at Murrayfield in the final game. The same happened in 2001 when they lost to Ireland at the last game at Lansdowne Road. In 2002, England were outplayed by the French.

However, England's fortunes began to change when a very young squad (captained by Phil Vickery) defeated a full-strength Argentinian team in Buenos Aires in the summer. It came to be seen as a turning point in English rugby. In November, England successfully defeated the three giants of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa at Twickenham in three weeks.

In 2003 England continued to dominate and won the Grand Slam for the first time since 1995. This was followed by away victories over Australia and New Zealand. Going into the World Cup of 2003 they were justifiably favourites for the title and beat Australia by a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in extra time.

Current players

The 2004/5 elite squad is as follows:

Strip

They play in white shirts, white shorts, and black socks with white tops. The badge on the shirts is an emblem of a red rose, instead of the Three Lions of the football and cricket teams.

Captains

List of principle captains (others who have captained the side when these were injured are in parenthesis).

Coaches

Dick Greenwood

...

List of players with 50+ caps

Jason Leonard (114 caps)
Rory Underwood (85 caps)
Martin Johnson (84 caps)
Lawrence Dallaglio (73 caps)
Will Carling (72 caps)
Richard Hill (flanker) (71 caps)
Rob Andrew (71 caps)
Neil Back (66 caps)
Matt Dawson (65 caps)
Mike Catt (65 caps)
Jeremy Guscott (65 caps)
Brian Moore (64 caps)
Peter Winterbottom (58 caps)
Wade Dooley (55 caps)
Jonny Wilkinson (52 caps)
Will Greenwood (52 caps)
Kyran Bracken (51 caps)
Austin Healey (51 caps)

Planet-Rugby has a listing by number of caps.

Other famous players

Paul Dodge
Dick Greenwood
Peter Jackson (1930 - 2004)
Brian Moore
Prince Alexander Obolensky (1916 - 1940)
Jason Robinson (1974 - )
Rory Underwood (1963 - )
Peter Wheeler

External Links

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:England Rugby rose.gif|right|England Rose]]
-'''England Rugby''' is the name of the English national rugby union team.  The current captain is [[Lawrence Dallaglio]], the coach is Sir [[Clive Woodward]].  They are the current World champions, having won the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
+'''England Rugby''' is the name of the English national rugby union team.  The current captain is [[Lawrence Dallaglio]], the coach is Sir [[Clive Woodward]].  They are the current World champions, having won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. They compete annually in the [[Six Nations Championship]] and have won that championship and its predecessors more times than any other side with the most Grand Slams.
+They first played in 1871 against [[Scotland]] under Scottish rules (the RFU had not finished their first set of laws). The Scots won by 1 goal to nil, but [[England]] beat them in a return match the next year. By 1882, games had been organised against both [[Ireland]] and [[Wales]], and a Four Nations tournament began. England dominated until the great schism with Northern clubs that led to the founding of the [[Rugby League]]. Many of the strongest teams and players were lost and the national squad was weakened, and the Welsh became the dominant force in the Four Nations.
-They first played in 1887(?) against Scotland.  They compete annually in the [[Six Nations Championship]] and have won that championship and its predecessors more times than any other side with the most Grand Slams.
+Meanwhile, the game had spread throughout the British Empire and tours to and from [[New Zealand]], [[Australia]] and [[South Africa]] were organised. In 1905, a [[New Zealand]] team toured the British Isles, beating England 15 - 0. Two more tours followed in the next 20 years, by which time the [[All Blacks]] were seen to be the best team in the world.
+England didn't do any better against other southern hemisphere opposition, drawing with [[South Africa]] in the first test between them in 1906, and losing to [[Australia]] in 1909. Although the French had been playing rugby since the 1870s, they were still a weak side and didn't join the Five Nations Championship until 1910. By then [[England]] were the dominant team both before and after the First World War and for much of the inter-war period. [[France]] remained poor, and in 1932 were forced out of the Five Nations tournament due to poor organisation and accusations of professionalism. Tests against southern hemisphere teams were rare, though in 1935 [[England]] memorably beat the dominant [[All Blacks]], thanks in part to Obolensky's famous try.
+[[France]] returned to the Five Nations Championship in 1939 though the Championship was postponed again until after the war. [[France]] gradually improved and finally won the tournament in 1959, and the following three years. The [[England]] team were winning the occasional tournament, yet failing to establish any kind of supremacy, apart from in the mid 1950s. The 1960s saw the first regular tests against [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]], with the southern hemisphere teams winning the vast majority of them.
+The 1970s did not see an improvement in English fortunes, with the Welsh team becoming unstoppable in their Golden Age of rugby.  Yet England somehow managed to beat the southern teams, with victories over [[South Africa]] in 1972, [[New Zealand]] in 1973 and [[Australia]] in 1976, albeit losing twice to them in previous weeks.
+The early 1980s saw [[Rugby Union]] become more of an international sport, and for the first time [[England]] played [[Romania]], [[Japan]] and the [[United States]]. These were often the only teams that they beat as they lost more games than they won, despite Bill Beaumont&#8217;s Grand Slam win in 1980.
+In 1987 the first World Cup was held but [[England]] went out to [[Wales]] in only the quarter finals. In 1991 [[England]] lost to [[New Zealand]] in their pool, but defeated [[France]] in the quarter-finals and [[Scotland]] in the semi-final. After criticism for playing boring rugby dominated by forward play and kicking, Will Carling's team played a running game in the final against [[Australia]] but lost 12 - 6.
+In the last decade of the century, the England team often had some of the best players, such as the Underwood brothers, [[Jeremy Guscott]] and [[Will Carling]] but were never a truly great team. In 1997 [[Clive Woodward]] became coach and England managed to draw with [[New Zealand]] at Twickenham. But after dozens of injuries to key players and others crying off, the abortive tour down under saw a drastically under-strength England record a humiliating 76 - 0 defeat to Australia.
+[[England]] narrowly failed to win the grand slam four times. In the 1999 Five Nations, [[England]] had won every game, but lost 32 - 31 to [[Wales]]. In 2000 [[England]] did all the hard work only to lose to [[Scotland]] at Murrayfield in the final game. The same happened in 2001 when they lost to [[Ireland]] at the last game at Lansdowne Road. In 2002, [[England]] were outplayed by the French.
+However, England's fortunes began to change when a very young squad (captained by [[Phil Vickery]]) defeated a full-strength Argentinian team in Buenos Aires in the summer. It came to be seen as a turning point in English rugby. In November, England successfully defeated the three giants of [[New Zealand]], [[Australia]] and [[South Africa]] at Twickenham in three weeks.
+In 2003 [[England]] continued to dominate and won the Grand Slam for the first time since 1995. This was followed by away victories over [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. Going into the World Cup of 2003 they were justifiably favourites for the title and beat [[Australia]] by a [[Jonny Wilkinson]] [[drop goal]] in extra time.
 == Current players ==

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Revision as of 21:47, 25 August 2004