PHIL BENNETT COLUMN: It's time to pick up the gauntlet

ENGLAND have laid down a challenge to the rest of the rugby world and now is the time for Wales to respond.

If Wales cannot win the World Cup then the next best thing is for England to hit the heights, because you learn most from your near neighbours.

I'm not talking about copying England's style of play. Wales should never try to do that and if anything we have spent far too long trying to play like other nations instead of ourselves.

But there is a massive amount we can learn from the English - their planning and application, their determination and willingness to see the job through.

Nobody has displayed those qualities more admirably than Clive Woodward. He might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I have a very high regard for the bloke.

He was on the floor after England crashed out of the last World Cup at the quarter-final stages and there were many within the RFU who wanted to ditch him. But Woodward simply made England the most professional band of rugby players in the world.

He paid the utmost attention to every tiny detail and it has paid off spectacularly. England now lead the world in many areas of their planning and preparation and even some other teams in other sports have wanted to learn their methods.

As for the argument that England are boring: forget it. They have played some superb rugby over the past couple of years and scored some magnificent tries. But, like all teams, they play to their strengths and they play to the conditions.

So they did exactly what was required in the rain during the semi- final victory over France. Had it been dry and the French had shown their mettle up front, then I'm sure England would have looked to play a much wider game.

The Final simply confirmed that England have been a very impressive all-round rugby side for a long, long time. The boring tag just doesn't wash - especially after yesterday's nail-biting display.

Nor are they arrogant, as far as I can see - their other crime according to the Aussie media.

I was at a dinner a few weeks ago in the company of the England pair Phil Vickery and Trevor Woodman. They are both good, West Country boys, as down to earth and approachable as you could want and they both have their feet firmly on the ground.

But now England are World Champions I would hope every Welsh player wants to knock them off their perch. That is the challenge we have to rise to.

The Heineken Cup starts in a couple of weeks and many of this England team will be up against Welsh sides. What could be better than to take them on, gauge our standing against theirs, and learn from their strengths?

I hope the Newport Gwent Dragons players cannot wait to rip into Leicester and measure themselves against Martin Johnson, Neil Back and Ben Kay. The same goes for the Celtic Warriors players who must face up to Wasps and the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey and Joe Worsley.

It's time to respect England - and more importantly learn from them. But don't expect me to enjoy hearing Swing Low Sweet Chariot. That's a step too far!

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