Players must exploit England's disarray

Six Nations/England v Ireland: The single biggest handicap English rugby has faced this season is the dismantling of the system put in place by Clive Woodward, the man that guided them to their 2003 World Cup success.

It led to his resignation, and everything he railed against at the time and suggested would happen has pretty much come to pass.

England's preparation time for the national side has come down from about 45 days outside of the Test-match weeks to about 16 under the present regime.

It has pre-empted a decline in the national side's fortunes. The English clubs now rule the roost and they don't adhere to the bigger picture that includes the national team.

Prior to the last World Cup England had probably the best coaching system in world rugby in terms of preparation time. That mantle has since passed to the All Blacks. Every New Zealand Super 14 team is selected and prepared not only to win but also with a recognition of the calibre of player and style the All Blacks employ.

The All Blacks have an incredible number of preparation days for the national side outside of Test weeks and this has facilitated their rise to the top of the world game.

The English clubs have effectively dismantled, in favour of self-interest, the coaching system that helped the country to a World Cup. They have won the battle with the English RFU and Andy Robinson has been left to carry the can.

If England lose today then the final tenets of that system will crumble.

Woodward was aware of what would happen when his hands were tied over preparation, and so he resigned. Robinson desperately wanted to be national coach but simply could not overcome the handicap he inherited.

Australia are going back to the 45-days-plus preparation, while Ireland already have it. Some of the England players have played five matches in the last five weeks while many of their counterparts in the Six Nations have played three. You can't flog players and expect them to maintain standards.

The refusal of the English clubs to embrace the greater good in terms of facilitating the national team is the reason England find themselves in such a parlous state in the win/loss column and failing to reach targets in the Six Nations.

I think the number of changes Robinson has made for this match is a massive mistake with his England career on the line.

Ireland are capable of winning the Six Nations but I think that honour will fall to France. Eddie O'Sullivan's side are still not playing to their potential. The effort put in is unquestionable. The chemistry and selection issues remain.

Since Declan Kidney's departure one of the most talented backlines in world rugby has not functioned. The Lions backline, one that Eddie coached, did not function and this backline looks similar: rudderless. It's all outside-shoulder running. The talent is being limited and constricted. The chains need to be thrown off.

Eddie has to look at his thoughts, practices and theories, say it's not working and ask the players for help. By empowering the players he will get performance from them.

The English outhalf Andy Goode is mentally weak. I would have Shane Horgan running at him from outside in and David Wallace running at him from inside out. I would also "trash talk" - or in Australian cricket parlance "sledge" - him at every chance. I would have Wallace telling him from every lineout that he is after him and I would remind Goode constantly that he is not a patch on Jonny Wilkinson.

It's reasonable to expect England to be somewhat disjointed today given the swingeing changes, but they still possess the huge advantage of playing in front of their own supporters. Twickenham is one of the hardest places to visit in world rugby, up there in terms of difficulty with full houses at the Olympic stadium in Sydney, Carisbrook and Ellis Park. Ireland need to be aggressive and confident. You don't bring a knife to a gunfight; Ireland have to use every opportunity to trouble England.

The entire Twickenham process is to intimidate the visitor. There's the look in the eye of the supporters as they regard the opposition team bus while sipping their drinks in the car-park. Then there are the army bands, the singing of Jerusalem and that horrid Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

Ireland would be capable of winning at any of the above-mentioned venues in a one-off context; that's how good this team are if they can unlock their potential.

There is genius in the current team in the persons of Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, David Wallace and Paul O'Connell. In terms of the kicking game there isn't any better than Ronan O'Gara.

England don't have players of this quality so if today's visitors can bring that quality to their performance in attack then they can win this match.

The English like their opponents to attack them in an organised fashion: pitched battles rather than skirmishes. Ireland's mustn't oblige them, but instead must attack their supply lines of lineout and scrums and turn them into dockside brawls.

They should constantly attack the short side with numbers and turn England around by kicking long or high and denying the opposition the chance to counterattack.

The Irish will need to wear the stud marks of English players as badges of honour, slowing down ball at rucks. In this respect a Keith Gleeson or Johnny O'Connor would have been ideal. They have that mentality and bravery.

There is huge pressure on England - players as well as management - for this match. After the first two games of the championship I took the English to win outright but they dropped the ball against Scotland and since then their confidence has gradually been eroded.

One other proviso in an Irish context is that they must be ahead and enjoying a bit of breathing space when England launch their bench.

The English bench is phenomenal while their Irish counterparts don't have anything like the same capacity to shake up a game, a point I've made all season.

Ireland can win but won't achieve that unless they manage to produce a rounded performance far closer to peak levels than has been seen to date.