Sir Clive Woodward on The Claire Balding Show

Sir Clive Woodward, one of the nation’s most recognisable faces in not only rugby, but sport.

The 58-year-old former Loughborough University student, who guided the England Rugby team to their 2003 Rugby World Cup, has since retired from coaching rugby and taken a role as British Olympic Association’s Director of Elite Performance.

The former Leicester Tigers centre was a key-figure in team GB’s remarkable success at the 2012 Olympics, as he added a record medal tally to the William Webb-Ellis Cup and an ever-growing list of accolades.

The Cambridgeshire-born knight featured on The Claire Balding Show this weekend, on BT Sport 1, to talk about a number of topics, which included the current state of English rugby, age, risk-taking and success and finally, the ever-growing number of coloured boots in football and rugby…

Firstly, and resoundingly, Sir Clive voiced his dislike for the ‘overseas rule’ surrounding English rugby.

The rule has come to light in recent weeks with the proposed move of Toby Flood at the end of the season from his current club Leicester to a more lucrative contract in France. However, the salary rise has come with a price, as – according the RFU’s rules – players must not be selected for England duty who are playing club rugby outside of the country.

“If I was still head coach of England I would be stamping my feet pretty hard and saying, “Why are we doing this?” Logically I can’t see anything different to playing in Paris or Toulouse than playing in Exeter or Leicester.”

“I think it’s the wrong move, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. It almost gives the England coach a bit of an excuse; “Oh I couldn’t pick this player or that player.” That’s not what International Rugby is about. You should be able to pick anybody who qualifies for your country to play for your team.”

Flood was the only person to be replaced in England’s Six Nations squad, as his former Leicester understudy George Ford – now applying his trade at Bath – comes in to take his place. A further seven players were added to the EPS squad from the Saxons, to cover England’s ever-growing list of injuries.

Following on from this, Claire directed the conversation to Clive’s managing days, and his thoughts about age; whether successful managers should be over a certain age:

“I think if you’re good enough and got the right knowledge the age shouldn’t matter. It’s more of a culture thing and I think one of the great breakthroughs for football could be to do something no-one has ever done, to start with a really young manager who you think has got the talent. That would be amazing to see, where he has no fear factor.

“He could do something really special by having the sheer courage to do things differently.”

Finally, on a much lighter note, Claire quizzed Clive on the sheer volume of coloured boots in football.

“It may sound really ridiculous,” Clive began, but “If I’m a referee if I see a guy going in with his studs up, will I see him in bright yellow boots? Yes. If I’ve got black boots that are dirty and camouflaged in all that green you may not see it.  In rugby, on the touchline you’re out of play, so if you’ve got bright boots on the guy on the flag can see it.”

“It’s about money and sponsorship, but in terms of winning, if you are really saying we want to win this game, why are we wearing these boots because there are some performance things you pick up. Are you going to win a game of football or rugby because you’re all wearing black boots, no, but all of these hundreds of things added up just might tip you over the edge when it’s a really tight situation.”

 

 

Credit: “Sir Clive Woodward was speaking on The Clare Balding Show, to see the full interview tune in to BT Sport 1 at 9pm on Saturday 11th January”