Dallaglio laments poor preparation
Dallaglio has criticised England's attitude between World Cups
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Monday, 03, Sep 2007 01:01
Lawrence Dallaglio has hit out at the preparations England have made over the last four years as the team travels to France to defend the Rugby World Cup.
The veteran number eight, who was part of the England team that won the Webb Ellis Trophy in Australia four years ago, says the sport's organisers "were still basking in the success of 2003… for two or three years afterwards".
"The planning process for this World Cup has only just started really," Dallaglio told the BBC's Inside Sport programme.
"It should have started the day after the last one.
"But I still believe we have a credible chance of defending the trophy."
Despite voicing his concerns over the preparation methods employed by the national side, which culminated in the sacking of former coach Andy Robinson last November, Dallaglio claimed there was still a chance England could retain the title.
Robinson oversaw a remarkable decline of the national side, when they plummeted from the top of the world rankings to sit outside the top five.
England are now seventh, behind the likes of Ireland, South Africa and Argentina, but Dallaglio claims the side still has the tools to mount a realistic challenge in France.
"We are world champions and know very definitively what we've got to do," he continued.
"I don't think it is all doom and gloom. When I turned up in the England squad… I was pleasantly surprised by the faces that I saw in the room.
"I looked around and saw Jonny Wilkinson there and thought 'you've always got a chance with him in the team'.
"I think on paper we've got a much stronger team than perhaps people are giving us credit for."