Dallaglio has chance to prove Woodward wrong

There was a time when Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio carried the hopes and dreams of English rugby on his broad shoulders.

He was the first name on the team sheet, a dashing Boys Own-style captain, fluent in word and steely in conviction and one who led by stirring example.

For the past two years, however, he has struggled to make it off the unfamiliar territory of the substitutes’ bench at international level following the serious knee injury which brought a premature end to his British Lions tour in Australia in 2001.

But if the frustration has been eating away at one of rugby’s proudest characters you would never know it.

Tomorrow Dallaglio will take his place at number eight for England against Wales in the RBS 6-Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium, so reforming the old ‘dream team’ back row of Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Neil Back for the first time in almost two years.

Dallaglio’s opportunity comes via injury to Lewis Moody, but the justice of his reintroduction can be measured in the words of England head coach Clive Woodward.

“I can’t praise this guy loud enough,” said Woodward. “To leave him out in the first place was a big call but the way he handled it was fantastic.

“It hurt him tremendously but the support he has given to captain Martin Johnson and the team has been unflinching. That’s what sport is about and now he has a chance to prove me wrong. I’m expecting a huge game from him at the weekend.”

Dallaglio knows he needs a more dynamic showing than his last start against New Zealand in the autumn when he looked a yard slower and a mite less physical than when at his peak. He was promptly dropped.

But his ambition still burns brightly and he is desperate to thrust himself to the forefront of Woodward’s plans for the World Cup later this year.

“I’m delighted to get the opportunity,” he said. “It was disappointing to be omitted in the autumn but everybody has setbacks.

“It was important I was positive so I went back to Wasps and worked hard on my game and now I’ve got a genuine opportunity to prove I’m worth a regular starting place.

“The stakes are high and the competition is intense these days. We’ve got some great players coming through.

“I’ve tried to work harder and bide my time. These things happen. Martin Johnson’ been on the bench, so has Jerry Guscott and a lot of good players.

“You’ve just got to deal with it in the right way and I’ve tried to be mature. Selection is about getting the right balance for the team and you don’t have to agree with being left out but you have to understand the wishes of the selectors.

“With the back row it’s six or seven people playing for three places and any combination could do a good job for England.

“We’re all fiercely competitive people. We all get along exceptionally well but that doesn’t men you won’t fight tooth and nail to get in front of the other guy to get into the team.”

At 31, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stave off the challenge of young guns such as Moody and Joe Worsley. Dallaglio, however, is just as professional with his preparation whether in the starting 15 or on the bench.

“Your role from the bench is to try to raise the intensity of the game,” he explained. “I’ve had two opportunities against South Africa and France to do that.

“You have to prepare for the game as if you’re playing. Emotionally it’s more of a roller-coaster. It’s important for the team that when you come on the pitch the transition is seamless and lifts the tempo of the game.

“But if you’re happy being on the bench there’s definitely something wrong with you.”

Wales tomorrow will feel the backlash from a totally-focused Dallaglio, whose Italian roots saw the Welshmen’s defeat in Rome last weekend spark a family celebration.

“My dad kept ringing me up and telling me Italy were top of the table. He was delighted,” said Dallaglio. “But it’s important we are respectful of all the opposition we play. There’s nothing like the sight of England to make the Welsh raise their game.

“We are overwhelming favourites for this match and for the championship. But they’ve got nothing to lose. Nobody expects them to win. It would be dangerous for England to approach it at anything but full tilt.”