By Chris Chaplin
November 28 2002

In a recent thread when I was spitting my usual bile in the direction of Clive Woodward I was asked, tongue in cheek no doubt, what my Blueprint for England winning the World Cup next year would have been. Never one to shirk a challenge and loving as I do making my opinions known I've given it some thought.

Firstly the 2002/2003 and 2003/4 seasons should be considered purely and absolutely by the RFU as being a vehicle for winning the ultimate prize in the most hostile of environments and they should be prepared to invest to that end.

Firstly I would abandon the crass and needless playoffs. We all know the team that finishes atop the league are the Champions. This would reduce the season by two weekends.

I would also change the national cup, or Powergen, or whatever it's now called, to a competition for all clubs up to and including National 1.

Both these competitions are of a low priority to clubs and supporters. Admittedly this would be of a declining overall benefit as the competition proceeds however the likelihood is that the progression will disproportionately affect the elite players as their clubs will be involved longer.

A formula could be devised for the Premiership clubs to be recompensed for the loss of gate receipts from both competitions - that's where the RFU's investment comes in.

The clubs would then be left with just two competitions to concentrate on: the Premiership and their respective European competitions.

The 6N should carry on as usual and then a series of internationals played at the end of the season. The internationals should not be in the Antipodes but in a round robin series between the top three sides in the 2003 Six Nations plus Argentina.

This would reduce the amount of time travelling and with the Pumas and les Bleus to play against be meaningful for all concerned although not accruing any benefit to the main contenders for the RWC - the ABs and Wallabies.

The Churchill Cup could start in 2004 if it really must as it will add nothing to the preparation for the RWC.

The infamous Woody training days should take place during the two weeks prior to the 6N only and then in a further two week block prior to the summer round robin competition but after the end of the shortened domestic season.

Woodward should use the whole squad in the round robin and it should be looked as more full contact, opposed training rather than a competition for another spurious pot.

This would provide more time to have meaningful training internationals, reduce the number of games played by the "elite" players so that they can enjoy a summer rest prior to the start of the domestic season 2003/2004.

Season 2003/4 should start in September and then be suspended for the whole of the RWC period by utilising the time saved by the abandonment of the playoffs and the restricted entry to the Powergen.. A further two week block of training days would be carried out immediately prior to departure for the RWC.

Once the RWC is secured then if we really must we can go back to things being as they were although a side benefit is that after two years the championship playoffs could disappear for ever.

Now I haven't done the detailed math (as our American cousins would say) but this would work in principle.

There are only four stumbling blocks as far as I can see:

1 The RFU's willingness to invest in the clubs.
2 Mr Woodward's intellectual strength
3 It's too late anyway.
4 I'm not the coach and they never even asked me.

Heigh ho!!!!!!!!