No England coach has been more popular or accessible among players and media alike than Clive Woodward. Yet, as his squad while away the uneasy hours before today's international against South Africa (Twickenham, 2.30), Woodward must be aware that his professional competence and credibility are on the line.
Another defeat by one of the game's super powers, no matter how honourable, will underline the coach's consistent inability to advance England's cause on the world stage in his 15 months in the job.
It is true England have played their part in some exciting Tests and offered tantalising hints of better times, particularly in the 26-26 draw with New Zealand a year ago, but so far there is a disturbing lack of substance to their play that does not augur well for next year's World Cup.
In his 15 Tests as coach, Woodward has often given the impression that he is merely muddling through with no clear strategy in mind: little wonder England's five wins have all come at the expense of weaker nations in their European backyard.
Given that Woodward is backed up by top coaches such as John Mitchell and Brian Ashton, with firm ideas of their own, why single the head honcho out for comment? The short answer is that Woodward has the most important task of all - he picks the team.
Woodward has chopped and reshuffled every part of the team with unrelenting enthusiasm, making five changes for last week's Test against Australia, three for today's game and myriad others in his first 10 months as coach.
Some of Woodward's more crass decisions have undoubtedly helped to deny England a Test win. In his first match against Australia he insisted on putting two new caps in the front row, the kind of folly that meant his team were fortunate to escape with a 15-15 draw. Today the familiar pattern of taking unnecessary risks is once again evident: Dan Luger is picked on the wing ahead of the tried and tested David Rees, who remains on the bench, while Matt Dawson is given the specialist's role of goalkicker largely because Mike Catt missed an important conversion last Saturday.
If anyone has doubts about the massive impact a coach can make on his squad, they ought to study the example of South Africa, who have progressed from the slipshod to the sublime in 17 months. Since Nick Mallett replaced Carel du Plessis, the Springboks have strung together 17 Test wins, matching the All Blacks' record of nearly 30 years ago. A victory at Twickenham must surely confirm Mallett's men as the greatest team the game has seen.
According to Gary Teichmann, the Springboks captain, the role of their coach has been all-important. "It all starts at the top," he declared. "The coach has a huge effect - he has to put a lot of belief and confidence into his players, as well as providing them with the way of playing that he wants. We've had our fair share of coaches in South Africa and we can say that the coach is the key to any successful team."
Whether England, having lost to the Wallabies by a single point, can find the cutting edge Woodward has been trying to develop at this week's squad's sessions at Roehampton must be open to doubt. After all, the back three of Luger, Underwood and Nick Beal are a new unit, untried at this level.
All the portents point strongly to another South African win. Even so, it would be foolish to dismiss a well-organised England team, who by nature tend to relish a backs-to-the-wall scenario.
ENGLAND: N Beal; T Underwood, P de Glanville, J Guscott, D Luger; M Catt, M Dawson; J Leonard, R Cockerill, D Garforth, M Johnson, T Rodber, L Dallaglio (capt), N Back, R Hill. Replacements: D Rees, A King, A Healey, M Corry, D Grewcock, G Rowntree, P Greening.
SOUTH AFRICA: P Montgomery; S Terblanche, A Snyman, C Stewart, P Rossouw; H Honiball, J van der Westhuizen; R Kempson, J Dalton, A Garvey, K Otto, M Andrews, J Erasmus, B Skinstad, G Teichmann (capt). Replacements: G du Toit, F Smith, W Swanepoel, C Krige, A Venter, O Le Roux, N Drotske.
Referee: P O'Brien (New Zealand).
