12 September 2007

England RU Counties XV manager Jim Robinson is confident that his team are in precisely the right frame of mind to wrap up their three-match programme in the FIRA/AER Festival in South West France with a victory over France Amateurs at Saint-Paul Les Dax tomorrow evening (Thursday, September 13, 6pm).

The Counties team have beaten Russia and Spain in their previous two games, but it was the mood of the team after the 21-15 win over Spain at Morlaas on Monday as much as the 12-try opening win that inspires Robinson’s optimism.

“We’re taking into this final game of the festival a desire to play good rugby, with high performance and high tempo and to stay committed to those values that the players have taken on board so well.” he says: “We’re also going into the game with a determination to deliver a performance that reflects their skills and their attitude.

“They’ve set their standards at such a level that when they came off the field having beaten a team recently promoted to 20th in the IRB rankings, they were disappointed with their performance. The great thing was that the coach on the way back from the game was totally silent despite us having just beaten a team so highly ranked in world standings.

“I thought that silence spoke volumes for their combined ambitions.

“The Spanish team was very competitive and their coach Ged Glyn clearly thought that his selection would be good enough to beat us. They put a lot of pressure on us in preventing us from playing the expansive style of play that is new to our players.

“It was also very satisfying that they stuck to the processes that we’ve been working on. I did not think that Spain would be able to defend for the full 80 minutes and I was confident that we would eventually make the breakthrough.

“That the time was short when we finally got the two tries that brought us the win simply underlined the fact that the team has plenty of character and also a belief in the style of play we have been working to develop.

“We missed some kicks at goal, at times we were imprecise and also inaccurate in some of our decision-making, but despite being below par, we beat the 20th best team in the world and I’m pleased with that and looking forward confidently to our final match.”   

For the France game, Tristan Roberts makes his third start in the absence of the injured Alastair Simmie, while Redruth pair Darren Jacques and Glenn Cooper team up in the front-row with James Tideswell, one of four Stourbridge players in the squad, another being No 8 Jim Jenner, who captains the side.

England Counties XV: F Neale (Blackheath & Kent); T Jarvis (Stourbridge & Gloucester), C Malherbe (Wharfedale & Yorkshire), K Dench (Otley & Yorkshire), N Royle (Fylde & Lancashire);  T Roberts (Cinderford & Kent), C Aikman (Halifax & Lancashire); D Jacques (Redruth & Cornwall), G Cooper (Redruth & Cornwall), J Tideswell (Stourbridge & North Midlands), T Bason (Blackheath & Kent), Richard Snowball (Otley & Yorkshire), M Payne (Henley & Oxfordshire), J Kellard (Blackheath & Kent), J Jenner (Stourbridge & Gloucestershire) capt.

Replacements: C Rowland (Stourbridge & Somerset), D Bick (Blackheath & North Midlands), D Cooper (Durham University & Durham), D Archer  (Henley & Hertfordshire), J Doherty (Wharfedale & Yorkshire), P Mooney (Otley & Northumberland), J Smales (Tynedale & Northumberland).

Issued by England Counties Press Officer Tony Simpson (07764 336708)

Note to Rugby writers/Sports Editors:Tony Simpson will be with the England Counties XV during their trip to France and can be contacted on 07764 336708 or tonysimpson@rfu.com for interviews with the players, coaches or management.