Dallaglio and Catt force Twickenham to muzzle players
By David Llewellyn in The Independent overnight.
After a weekend when English rugby's dirty World Cup laundry was aired in the media, Twickenham is to take steps to gag players after future tournaments and major tours.
The move was prompted by the serialisation in two Sunday newspapers of autobiographies by Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt. The two were extremely uncomplimentary about England's preparations and Brian Ashton's performance as head coach and what Dallaglio and Catt have written has shocked the game from top to bottom. "The whole situation is very, very sad," said Phil Vickery, the England captain. "This has taken away from what is important and that is what we achieved in France. From my perspective Brian Ashton and the coaches worked their arses off to get things right. We [the players] did have issues and some of Lawrence's points are valid, but at the same time we have to remember there is a book to sell."
Martyn Thomas, the chairman of the Rugby Football Union, said last night: "I think it is absolutely disgraceful. This has tarnished a great achievement."
When England won the World Cup in 2003, the coach, Sir Clive Woodward, ensured that all players' columns and interviews were closely scrutinised, but he went further when he took charge of the 2005 Lions tour to New Zealand.
When England won the World Cup in 2003, the coach, Sir Clive Woodward, ensured that all players' columns and interviews were closely scrutinised, but he went further when he took charge of the 2005 Lions tour to New Zealand.
Then he introduced a clause preventing players and coaching and support staff from giving interviews or publishing any tour diaries or autobiographies for six months after the end of the tournament.
England rather missed the boat for this World Cup, but Thomas is determined to introduce some form of control of what players and coaches can say.
He wants a cooling-off period similar to the one the Lions had, saying: "Any clause we introduce will apply to major tours and major tournaments, but within the confines of the law. We can't become censors. We have freedom of speech. I have already put a call in to the RFU legal officer, Karena Vleck, and we will discuss it, and I will raise it at the management board meeting. I am sure that Rob Andrew [England's director of rugby] and chief executive Francis Baron will raise it as well."
England rather missed the boat for this World Cup, but Thomas is determined to introduce some form of control of what players and coaches can say.
He wants a cooling-off period similar to the one the Lions had, saying: "Any clause we introduce will apply to major tours and major tournaments, but within the confines of the law. We can't become censors. We have freedom of speech. I have already put a call in to the RFU legal officer, Karena Vleck, and we will discuss it, and I will raise it at the management board meeting. I am sure that Rob Andrew [England's director of rugby] and chief executive Francis Baron will raise it as well."
Dallaglio and Catt could be disciplined under RFU regulations, if it is proved that either autobiography contained statements prejudicial to the interests of the Union or the game.
Dallaglio, in his book It's in the Blood: My Life likens England's World Cup campaign to Monty Python's Life of Brian and claimed the team members felt they were more akin to a pub side. Catt's book, Landing On My Feet: My Story was not much more sympathetic to Ashton, accusing the former Bath coach of being "in a state of confusion".
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