UNDER PRESSURE: RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015

Growing up in Wales I know how damaging pressure can be. Pressure can dramatically reduce performance and ultimately ruin players. From Newport to Bangor, Wales is a cauldron of relentless passion. Some might say too much passion – if there is such a thing.

This passion has been made obvious to not only those who reside within the green and mountainous land of Wales but also to sports fans worldwide.  

The indescribable heartache that crushed the nation when Alan Rolland reached for the red card in the 2011 World Cup semi-final is something that the nation will never forget. The emphatic feeling of joy shed when Ryan Jones lifted the Six Nations trophy in 2011 has seldom been rivaled.

This passion, however meaningful, has also done much harm for the Welsh team. A series of poor performances throughout the autumn of 2012 brought with it intense criticism of caretaker coach Rob Howley and his team. Players were feeling the pressure and the negativity that surrounded the national side began to drown them. Even the public began to see that the continued pressure they placed on the team to perform was creating more problems than it was solving.

Rhys Priestland was one player that was and still is a target for relentless criticism and following the high of 2011, we saw the young fly-half crack under the pressure while  losing a lot of confidence in the process. This does no good for the player, his team or the national side.

With the 2015 World Cup quickly approaching, pressure is something that the English side will have to deal with on a level the current players have probably never experienced. Media attention 24/7, journalists, bloggers and fans alike will be waiting with knives in their hands ready to dissect every performance and to highlight even the smallest of mistakes.

Martin Johnson alluded to this unavoidable pressure in today’s Daily Telegraph by stating “When you have a home World Cup in particular, there’s going to be so many demands on players from everywhere,”

“Finding the right mental balance is critical when you’re playing a World Cup at home. We got it wrong in 1999, I think, because we made it such a big thing. Everything was about, 'If you make that mistake you lose the World Cup.”

Success came to Wales in the 2011 World Cup when nobody expected it. Neither the media nor the public believed that Wales would go as far as they went and the result was a more relaxed squad. Players were much calmer and were able to concentrate on their game and enjoy which was clearly translated onto the field of play.

England must remember to enjoy their world cup experience. For many of these players this will be their one and only shot at playing in a home world cup in front of their own friends, family and fans.

There will be no way to prevent the pressure exerted from the media circus but players must learn to separate themselves from the inevitable criticism that they will encounter.

Despite numerous injuries having interrupted the English squad heading into the autumn internationals, there are high hopes for next year’s host nation team. Notable names such as Alex Corbisiero, Mako Vunipola, Joe Launchbury and Manu Tuilagi along with six other players will miss the whole autumn series which is a big blow for head coach Stuart Lancaster.

England will face South Africa, Samoa and Australia in the month ahead. First up however will most probably be England’s toughest test of the series as they face reigning World Cup champions New Zealand, who last weekend thrashed the USA Eagles 74-6, this Saturday (8/11/14) at Twickenham Stadium.

Brian Moore answered the question concerning how England could beat the All Blacks in one of today’s papers and personally I think he should have stuck to his original answer of simply scoring more points than them.

Most players know what they need to do to beat any given team. It is just whether that team will allow you to do what you want which, in the case of the All Blacks, is usually no. No, they most certainly will not.

Playing the best teams in the world ahead of next year’s World Cup will be of crucial for England’s development and an experience they should take full advantage of in terms of allowing young heads to gain confidence, the older heads to improve their leadership and for Lancaster and his coaching team to begin to construct their World Cup squad.

The pressure placed on England for this weekend’s game against the All Blacks will be nothing compared to that awaiting them next year. They need to be able to deal with what awaits them and not allow it to take over from the rugby as pressure could develop into their most fierce opposition; one that could ultimately derail their entire campaign and any chance of success.

The English players should listen to the words of Johnson – just enjoy the experience much as possible. It is only then they can perform at their best and increase their chances of celebrating possible success. In the words of England full-back legend Johnny Wilkinson, they will need to show 'true grit'.