Rowell must watch his backs

ENGLAND coach Jack Rowell will be banking heavily on a cheerful Christmas and a non controversial New Year in the wake of today's international against Argentina at Twickenham.

In theory, the Argentines should not present a major obstacle, even with New Zealand's Alex Wyllie on their coaching staff, but Rowell has too much experience of seemingly second rank opponents to be unaware that snares and pitfalls lie in wait.

It was almost exactly a year ago that Rowell plunged deep into a winter of discontent when England suffered the embarrassment of booing and slow hand clapping during their unconvincing victory over Western Samoa at Twickenham.

Then, as now, England were making a painful attempt to develop a flexible running style that Rowell subsequently jettisoned when the chips were down in the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland which he had to win.

Once again, Rowell's inescapable 6ft 6in shadow looms large over England's mostly cloistered, five day build up to this important game. As the England coach prowls the corridors of his team's Richmond hotel, dispensing barbed witticisms like a perverse Santa Claus, the players will be nervously aware that anything less than a stylish multi try victory will bring a ton of let us say, brandy sauce down on their well rewarded heads.

Like many another successful company director, Rowell is a past master at playing for time, massaging the annual accounts and making modest achievements sound like a minor miracle. He was at it again this week, suggesting that England's passing had improved out of sight, when all the world could see their backs performing like jerky marionettes in last month's 34-19 defeat by the New Zealand Barbarians.

If Rowell's squad preparations had not been seriously disrupted by club politics in early autumn, the weight of public expectation on England would have been much heavier by the time they met the New Zealanders (who were beaten 15-9 at Twickenham in 1993). As things stand, Rowell's new age England have lost the only matches that really mattered this year, against France and the Barbarians, though they did win the Five Nations championship with a bit of indirect help from Wales.

In Rowell's favour, it must be said that the forwards, not least the newcomers Regan, Shaw and Sheasby, have been in compelling form, though they did lose the plot a little in the final quarter of the New Zealand game.

Bath insiders have long claimed that the England coach is only comfortable working with the pack, even though his public utterances tend to focus on the back division. If that is correct, the chances are strong that Rowell does not work on the same wavelength as his specialist backs' coaches, Les Cusworth and Mike Sleman.

Rowell is not a man who readily admits to disappointment, yet one senses a mixture of surprise and baffled pride each time England fall to one of the southern hemisphere giants.

Since he took charge 32 months ago, the former Bath coach has registered one win apiece against South Africa and Australia, but there have been two defeats each by the New Zealanders and South Africa. That mediocre record makes it doubly important to trounce Argentina.

Significantly, neither Rowell nor Bath, whom he. guided to a total of 11 trophies, have made any real impact outside the insular confines of British rugby. During his stewardship, England have lost twice to France, while his old club failed dismally in their first attempt to win the European Cup, succumbing to their Welsh neighbours Pontypridd and Cardiff. Overall, Johnny Foreigner appears to have Rowell by the tail.

However, one myth that clings to Rowell needs to be dispelled, namely the assumption that he is an arrogant dictator. Not even his closest colleagues would describe the England coach as a modest man, but few would deny that he is accessible, open minded and ready to devolve power and responsibility to lieutenants capable of biting the bullet. Though he has no great love of the media, Rowell remains willing to talk to virtually anyone.

Indeed, some members of the England camp believe that Rowell, far from being arrogant, has a sentimental weakness for old friends and familiar players that does not sit easily with the tough decisions expected of an international coach. Former England coach Dick Best was probably close to the mark when he claimed that Rowell has always avoided confrontation whatever the truth, the England supremo is never easy to fathom.

One thing is certain Rowell and his temporary. captain Jason Leonard will have done their homework on the strong aggressive Argentine pack which offers the Pumas their best chance of an upset. Determined forwards such as Llanes, Martin and Bouza won enough ball in recent Tests, against the Springboks and France, to enable the creative talents of the backs of Arbizu, Quesada and Jurado to flourish and produce tries. A high scoring contest is on the agenda.

England, though, have no excuses for failing to live up to their potential, having got the cobwebs out of their system with an aggregate nine tries against Italy and the New Zealanders. Indeed, the return of two of Rowell's old boys, Guscott and Tony Underwood could well bring more flair and pace into the three quarter line, provided the half backs, Gomarsall and Catt (who was passed fit despite a chest injury), make the bullets to fire. As American sports commentators say, it's showtime.