JASON ROBINSON scored England’s only try in their World Cup victory over Australia in 2003.
Here, the former winger remembers that day – and gives his opinion on the current team’s chances in the tournament…
Twenty years, gone in a flash… is it really that long since the life-changing moment when I scored a try in the World Cup final? Where on earth has the time gone?
Even now, two decades on and all of us long retired, I look at the footage and think ‘wow, that was me, a kid from a council estate in Leeds with no history in rugby union.’
There are times it still seems surreal and being the only Englishman to score a try in the final, the only time we’ve won the World Cup, is a great, great honour.
Funnily enough we’re having an anniversary dinner in London in a few weeks, which will be the first time we’ve all been back together since then.
Still barely a day goes by when someone isn’t sharing their memories with me… where they were, what they did, their own stories. Not just in this country, all over the world.
I’ve lived off the back of that night in Sydney, the biggest try of my life, since 2003, so I think the time has come for an Englishman to score another. How I’d love to see it.
Mind you, the way some are talking, it will be at least 20 years before that happens. In fact if you believe them, Steve Borthwick’s team won’t even get out of the group.
It’s true England are in shocking form going into their Pool D opener against Argentina, who beat them in the warm-ups and are actually favourites to win in Marseilles on Saturday.
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Injuries, suspensions, a lack of identity, a lack of confidence… it’s hardly the sort of stuff that inspires you to think this is our time again.
But however many others have written them off, I certainly haven’t and can actually see lots of similarities between this squad and the one we had in 2007.
Coincidentally that was in France, too, and although England went into it as holders, plenty didn’t think we’d get out of the group – even more when we lost 36-0 to South Africa.
Every man and his dog was on our back, but we stumbled though and on to the quarter-finals, where we beat Australia, and suddenly the whole thing turned on its head.
Sometimes it only takes one match, one win. That’s how quickly momentum – a huge thing in rugby – can change.
I’ve lived off the back of that night in Sydney, the biggest try of my life, since 2003, so I think the time has come for an Englishman to score another
Jason Robinson
We beat France in the semis, reached the final and by then they were all back on the bandwagon.
Now don’t think I’m saying it will be easy for this lot to do the same, this is the most tightly contested World Cup ever…but they could.
This isn’t a bad England team, at some stage it WILL turn around. They just have to stick together and not point fingers. Each player knows their level and what they’re capable of.
When I was in teams that weren’t performing, I’d take it personally.
Borthwick wouldn’t need to tell me anything about attacking rugby. I’d demand it of myself.
So although England haven’t been playing well, there are plenty of leaders… men like Maro Itoje, Ellis Genge, Joe Marler and Ben Youngs.
Don’t forget most of this squad played in the 2019 World Cup, when the semi-final win over New Zealand was the best I’d EVER seen an England team play.
So we know the talent is there, and the good thing is that while Pool D isn’t a walkover, potentially they could have an easier ride to the semis.
Then anything can happen.
There are seven or eight teams who could win the World Cup, the most open in history, and that includes England.
There will be upsets but hopefully Borthwick’s team aren’t one of them, because there’s no doubt this is a tough time for rugby and the sport desperately needs a boost.
That’s why I think this is the most important World Cup since 2003 and not just for England, but also Wales and Australia, who aren’t where they want to be either.
I’ve always said when you win, you’re never as good as everyone says, and never as bad when you lose.
We showed what can be achieved that night in Sydney, and four years later we silenced the critics again. How fantastic it would be to see this squad do the same.
*Jason Robinson is a brand ambassador for Asahi Super Dry, official beer of the Rugby World Cup 2023
