Chris Robshaw: I feared England days were over

AS IS often the case, Chris Robshaw is frank and honest when he speaks about the prospect of facing Ireland this weekend. Put simply, the flanker feared he would not be one of those stepping onto the pitch at Twickenham.

Robshaw even wondered if he would ever play for England, again after a disastrous World Cup.

“Yeah, of course you do,” he said, when asked if he had thought his international career was over. “You always think when things haven’t gone well in the past, how are you going to go out there and try to rectify that?

“That’s just looking at it honestly; not knowing quite what to expect or what’s going to happen. I’m hugely honoured to have that chance again.”

Robshaw’s concerns were understandable. As captain of a team who crashed out in the group stages last year, the flanker’s international prospects looked even bleaker when Eddie Jones replaced Stuart Lancaster.

During the tournament, in his newspaper column , the Australian referred to Robshaw as “a six-and-a-half at best” while also claiming that “at international level he just doesn’t have that point of difference”. The axe seemed ready to fall.

But while Jones may have stripped the flanker of the captaincy, Robshaw has started both of England’s Six Nations victories this year and any World Cup ghosts have been banished.

“I don’t think they’ll be there,” said Robshaw. “Of course, whenever you speak about the World Cup, it will always be a big part and you’ll always remember what happened.

“But in terms of playing for England, you go out there fresh every game. It’s a new game, it’s a new tournament and if you allow the past to hang over you, it’s going to affect you.

“You’ve got to remember. It’s always going to be a big part of what myself and the other players went through, but it’s about moving forward and hopefully a new way of playing.”

England can take a big step forward this weekend as they welcome Ireland. Any talk of a World Cup hangover is dismissed, nor are the players fearful of a Twickenham backlash from supporters.

On the contrary, Robshaw expects the atmosphere to be deafening as England welcome the reigning Six Nations champions to a stadium that always gets the hairs on the flanker’s neck standing up.

“Yeah, it’s brilliant every time. At Quins we’re lucky that we get to play there more than most clubs, but to do it in an England shirt is always special,” Robshaw explained.

“I don’t think that feeling ever goes, no matter how many times you play there. It’s always special and the atmosphere is always absolutely incredible.

“There’s nothing like playing in front of 80,000 of your own supporters. It’s fantastic. I think they will be excited about seeing England back playing at Twickenham. The noise level will be outstanding.”

Robshaw may be expecting a wall of sound but he is also wary of the need to lay down a marker against Ireland.

Not only is this England’s first outing at Twickenham since the World Cup, but it is also Jones’ debut at the home of English rugby.

When asked about the importance of the upcoming games, Robshaw specifically pinpointed the visit of Joe Schmidt’s side as a highlight, he said: “This one in particular — our first hit-out at home.

“Ireland will have a bit of frustration in them, I’m sure, and they’re always an extremely passionate side.

“We have to go out there and show the crowd how we want to play. The games come thick and fast then and probably get a bit more intense going into the weekend.”

It has been so far, so good under Jones for England, with wins against Scotland and Italy securing a perfect start. For Ireland, however, a first win in the tournament has proven elusive as they attempt to make it three Six Nations titles in a row.

That, though, is no cause for complacency according to Robshaw. Especially when England have had to experience the pain of watching Ireland lift the trophy for the last two years.

“Yeah, it’s been hugely frustrating, hasn’t it — to miss the last three years on points-difference,” said Robshaw.

“It is tough, especially when you fine gentlemen of the media are taking pictures of us watching it and being put in papers; it is tough to take, and you remember these things.

“We’ll have a very tough Ireland side coming there. They haven’t got off to the start they would have wanted, but look at their experience and their key individuals, and they are a very dangerous side and a very smart side.

“They do have a lot of experience and last year, when we went to them, I don’t know if they were much smarter but they were probably more intense than we were. We were slightly off the pace, I feel.

“Two years before, we had won a very tight game, but they were very smart in that game and they always have a few tricks up their sleeve.”

Former captain back in favour after World Cup heartbreak and ready to end Ireland’s Six Nations hopes at Twickenham