By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) – New defence coach Kevin Sinfield says he has seen up close the hatred Scotland and others have for England but says his players can thrive on it, starting with the Calcutta Cup against their oldest rivals to kick off their Six Nations campaign on Feb. 4.
Sinfield built a strong bond with former Scotland lock Doddie Weir, who died in November from Motor Neurone Disease.
He has undergone a series of extreme running challenges, raising over seven million pounds to fund research into the disease on the back of his friendship with former team mate Rob Burrow, who has also been struck down by MND.
Somewhat ironically, considering the worthy work he has been doing and how highly he is regarded by just about everyone who crosses his path, Sinfield has seen the enmity that exists when England are the opposition.
“I spent some time with some Scottish internationals over the last couple of years through some tragic circumstances and it’s not lost on me how much there’s a dislike for us,” he said after the release of England’s Six Nations squad at Twickenham.
“I understand that and I understand that that’s quite common across the other nations as well,” he told reporters.
Asked if he thought that “hatred” could lift England’s defence to a new level of intensity, he said: “I don’t just think it’s powerful defensively, I think it’s powerful right the way across. But if we think that we’re going to get a team ready to play because the opposition don’t like us … I think it’s much deeper and much more powerful than that.
“We want to win games because we want to represent our country the right way. We want the country to get behind us, we want to see this place full of white shirts.
“All of those little bits are important and it’s got to be much deeper than building a game plan around teams hating us.”
UNION FAN
Despite his rugby league background, Sinfield said he has always loved the Six Nations. “I’ve always been a rugby union fan, I love the sport. There’s nothing better than (being) sat at home on a weekend and watching the games,” he said.
“I’ve been here (Twickenham) a number of times to watch Six Nations games as well. That 2003 team (England’s Grand Slam and World Cup winners), there are some real heroes of mine in that team. What those guys did is incredible. I can’t wait for it.”
Sinfield’s experience in union is limited but after joining Steve Borthwick as his assistant at Premiership champions Leicester, the two quickly forged an effective partnership that has now been shifted onto the biggest stage.
“We’re pretty different,” he said of the new England coach. “Steve is probably all about the fear of losing while I’m the joy of winning so we dovetail pretty well.”
“Having worked alongside him now I understand his take on selection. He will always listen to my opinion and at the same time I always understand that his head is on the chopping block and he has to make the final call.
“Part of my role is to challenge, part to understand the rationale and part to check he has got all bases covered.
“I understand selection and how you spend most of your time on the last three or four picks. I think we are both looking forward to getting back on the grass, we miss that bit, we are looking forward to working with the quality players we have got.
“It is a really exciting time for us, when you look at that squad. There is a fantastic mix of everything and I can’t wait to get going, I can’t wait until the Scotland game.”
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ken Ferris)
