Lewis Moody: Grand Slam could harm England's long-term hopes
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
World Cup winner Lewis Moody hopes England do not claim the Grand Slam now as it could see them peak too soon.
The 23-13 result against France on Saturday means Stuart Lancaster's side are just two games away from a clean-sweep in this year's Six Nations.
With the next World Cup coming in 2015, Moody, 34, is concerned the achievement could hamper England's long-term hopes.
"Part of me wants them not to win it because you have to maintain that level of high performance," he told the BBC.
"Winning the Six Nations is very important this year, they will do that, but the Grand Slam... We will see, but the team is moving in the right direction."
England - with the now retired Moody often playing an impact role as a replacement flanker - last took the Grand Slam in 2003 with an emphatic 42-6 win against Ireland, following several painful near-misses in previous campaigns.
Importantly, that victory came just eight months before the lifting of the World Cup in Australia thanks to a dramatic extra time drop-goal from Jonny Wilkinson against the hosts.
If the current players are to repeat that Grand Slam-winning feat, they have a much longer wait to try and follow that with a World Cup triumph, which would come on home soil.
Italy are the next visitors to Twickenham in a fortnight's time, with England's campaign ending in mouth-watering fashion a week later in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium against the reigning champions.
"It was not a massively impressive performance against France, it was just a really good win," former England captain Moody said. "Sometimes you just have to win and beat the team put out in front of you and at the weekend that happened.
"England re-grouped in the second half and showed some really intelligent play, there was a lot of coolness under pressure. They have the three wins back-to-back and they will beat Italy.
"It is then a big ask to win in Wales."
On a freezing day in west London which saw England battle back from a half-time deficit fly-half Owen Farrell continued his impressive form with the boot by adding 12 points, though he also twice got involved in physical confrontations with France full-back Yoann Huget.
The 21-year-old has been told to rein in his spiky nature by World Cup-winning head coach Sir Clive Woodward, but Moody chose to praise the aggression.
He said: "I like to see that my fly-half has a bit of passion about him. Owen is so consistent and he is a great performer, he has shown that with his kicking.
"But there are going to be times in a game when your emotions and passion to win is sometimes overtaken by your natural instincts. Owen is only a young man and that is bound to happen."
Comments
Join the conversation
SL wants England to be more than just 15 players on the pitch and so far his doing a grand job.
The standard this weekend was nowhere near as good as the first two, but give me the Six Nations over any other tournament going. Compulsive viewing from the first minute to the last
I think he is saying to English fans not to lose sight of the wider situation and positive direction of travel under SL, should England just fall short of a GS in Cardiff against the reigning GS champions (and who are now recovering rapidly from the injury disarray they were in at the beginning of the 6Ns). Should be a cracker on 16/3....
Thought Tuilagi had a great game. England were always doubling up on Bastereaud - France should have done the same back!
The team needs to press on and win the Grand Slam, success breeds success and it will inspire newer and younger players to be hungry to make the team. The mistake would be to settle back with this crop and not replace them when form goes or better players come along.
Lancaster is far too sensible, respectful and professional to write any team off.
All the best scrum and fly halves are a bit “chippy” – it’s what makes them good. They need to have that aggressive edge to wind up the forwards when necessary and to direct the game. As long as it doesn’t go too far, it’s a definite plus. Ashton is another matter though...
I suggest you read my post again, and then realise that you are agreeing with me! The MT incident happened in the blink of the eye, and a sin binning never comes into it. Accidental offside, if spotted, and try disallowed. But the officials should have spotted the MV incident 10 mins later i.e. knocking the ball out of MP's hands when off his feet and out of the game at ruck.
Once your factor in the momentum of Farrell running at full speed it wasn't forward at all (relative to the motion of the players). The majority of good running passes in the game look forward if you judge them against the lines on the ground.
All that matters is whether or not it leaves the hands travelling forwards, not where the ball lands.
Agreed. I would refer you to what Jerry Guscott had to say in his column about the two Craig Joubert issues on Saturday, which I think is fair comment. MV should have been pinged, possibly binned, but the accidental offside that led to the MT try happened so quickly. It is not as if the French were furious and instantly asked for the matter to be referred to the TMO.