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| | Thursday, 7 November, 2002, 11:12 GMT Woodward aiming for first win  Woodward is aiming for a debut win over the All Blacks Rugby Special has highlights of England v New Zealand on Sunday, BBC Two at 1550 The last time Clive Woodward was on a winning side against the All Blacks was in 1983. Then an England side captained by Leicester's Peter Wheeler won 15-9, their sole try coming from lock Maurice Colclough. His experiences as coach have proved less successful, drawing one and losing four, the most memorable being Jonah Lomu's one-man demolition job in the 1999 World Cup finals.
Not that the statistics seem to bother Woodward - the eternal optimist - who says previous teams cannot compare to the one he will send out on Saturday. "I can't remember the game in 1983, but as far as this team is concerned, I think we have moved on from our last game with New Zealand," he told Grandstand. "In two of the games we didn't have nearly a strong enough team available, but our record doesn't really bother me." "To me this is just another game, you may not believe me but it is." The Test also gives Woodward the chance to blood a few youngsters ahead of next year's World Cup. Leicester flanker Lewis Moody makes it into the team ahead of club colleague Neil Back, while Gloucester winger James Simpson-Daniel gets another crack at Jonah Lomu.
The pair last met in May, England running out 53-29 winners over the Barbarians with Simpson-Daniel outpacing Lomu to score the try of the game. And Woodward believes this current crop of youngsters are among the finest England has ever produced. "I think all these players are emerging because of the professionalism of the game," he said.
"The players have always been there, but now they are progressing through the ranks. "I'd also like to think, from an England point of view, that we have had the confidence to promote players aged 19 and 20 past regimes have not." And where previous regimes have chosen to play a tighter game to steal a win, this England coach will not compromise his team's style for a one-off result. Win or lose, it appears that Woodward's primary concern is that his team plays an open and expansive game. "The biggest thing for me is that my team goes out there and plays," he said. "I want to see my side go out and play a fast, dynamic game. "Winning is important, but I want to make sure the players don't hide, that they go out and perform." | |
See also:  06 Nov 02 | International 06 Nov 02 | International 05 Nov 02 | International Top Grandstand stories now: Links to more Grandstand stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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