Graham Rowntree

Rowntree: Nothing to lose

Skysports.com (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009

Scrum coach Graham Rowntree insists England have "nothing to lose" when they face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

Johnson continues low-risk strategy as Lewsey slates coaches

The Irish Times (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009

ENGLAND v NEW ZEALAND: THERE IS a school of thought that this is a good time for England to be facing the All Blacks. Nil expectation, soft track, greasy ball etc etc. "Let's be frank, we've got nothing to lose," acknowledged Graham Rowntree, the home side's ever-optimistic scrummaging coach. He is quite right, which makes it even more disappointing that England are again set to pursue a...

• Martin Johnson offers more of the same as safety trumps adventure - The Guardian

Graham Rowntree dismisses talk of rifts in England's coaching team

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 17/11/2009

• Graham Rowntree defends input of forwards coach John Wells • Backs specialist Brian Smith says England were too cautious Graham Rowntree today backed the under-fire forwards coach John Wells as one of the "best practitioners" in the game as the England management presented a united front. Wells's position has been questioned amid speculation that England are being hampered by...

Rowntree digs deep to prop up ailing pack

The Independent (Free subscription) | 11/11/2009

Graham Rowntree, the England scrummaging coach, is one of life's natural optimists, but after casting an old front-rower's eye over the wreckage of the red-rose army's best-laid plans in the set-piece department yesterday, even he decided that bleak irony was the only appropriate response. "I'm next in line," he said, with a weak smile, "so it'll be me who's playing if the money's right."...

England's props are top of the crocks

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 10/11/2009

• Martin Johnson's squad now without 10 leading props • Paul Doran-Jones to be catapulted into the cauldron Calling all fat boys, your country needs you. England's rugby union side are already in the grip of the worst injury crisis in living memory and the casualty list grew longer today when two more props, the Bath pair David Wilson and David Barnes, were forced out of contention for Saturday's...

England's coaches put on a brave face as front-row injuries stack up

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 10/11/2009

• Duncan Bell set to make first Test start since 2005 • 'Next week it'll be me playing,' jokes scrum coach It is getting beyond a joke but Graham Rowntree, England's scrum coach, resolutely did his best. "Next week it'll be me playing, if the money's right," quipped Rowntree, surveying the twisted wreckage of his masterplan to combat the most destructive scrum in world rugby. While...

Do England's rugby team need a new 'new thing' | Barney Ronay

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 07/11/2009

In the absence of intrinsic Johnno-ness among the players, a spirit of trust is England's new thing Today England kick off their series of autumn rugby internationals, a moment in the sporting year that now has its own distinct tone and patter. Big events like these don't just happen any more. They arrive and depart in waves, like a confusing Korean meal with too many courses, or the laughter track...

Key England role for Wilson

Skysports.com (Free subscription) | 06/11/2009

England prop David Wilson has been backed by scrum coach Graham Rowntree to shine at the set-piece against Australia.

• Rowntree backs his rookie prop - Planet Rugby

Martin Johnson happy with spirit of team fashioned in his own image

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009

• 2008 squad 'felt like a group of 30 players thrown together' • Johnson stresses honesty, relentlessness, integrity and trust It has taken a while but Martin Johnson says he can finally sense something stirring within his own-brand England squad. Yesterday he came as close as he has ever done to conceding his side were effectively a rabble this time last year, as opposed to the more united...

Andrew: We'll stand by Johnson until World Cup in 2011

The Independent (Free subscription) | 30/10/2009

Martin Johnson is bombproof. Whatever happens over the course of the autumn internationals, which begin with a match against Australia a week tomorrow, the old Leicester hard head will take England to the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. It is all but certain that the current hands-on coaching team – Brian Smith, John Wells, Mike Ford and Graham Rowntree – will also be in place when the...

Shaun Edwards: End those collapsed scrums

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 23/10/2009

A spate of injuries has arisen from scrummaging and the matter needs to be addressed urgently, says Shaun Edwards Time to return to the world of the front rows and the scrum. Not something I'm immediately at home with, as I've said before, but it's an issue that fascinates and is becoming a major concern. In the past week England have lost their first-choice loose-head prop, Andrew Sheridan, and their...

Johnson takes French leave

The Independent (Free subscription) | 02/10/2009

despite his previous reluctance to travel to see England players in France, Martin Johnson and two of his colleagues in the England coaching set-up, John Wells and Graham Rowntree, will attend this evening's Top 14 match between Stade Français and Brive in Paris.

Ford evokes an overdue feeling of Scottish pride

The Herald (Free subscription) | 06/07/2009

Ross Ford may never turn the torrent of images and emotions that he took away from Saturday’s victory over South Africa into any sort of coherent memory but the moment when British and Irish Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree tapped him on the shoulder is one that will burn brightly

Lions tackle gouging

Total Flanker (Free subscription) | 03/07/2009

Breaking news from South Africa... Seemingly determined to restore pride with a consolation victory in the 3rd Test in Johannesburg, it has emerged that all 22 of the British and Irish Lions playing squad will be issued with revolutionary new "anti-gouging" safety goggles ahead of the game. A prototype of the goggles, manufactured by Lions kit supplier Adidas, was given the green light at...

O'Connell insists on no let-up from Lions

The Independent (Free subscription) | 02/07/2009

Leaving aside the continuing argument over the Schalk Burger gouging affair – Graham Rowntree, the British and Irish Lions scrum technician, could be heard tearing into both the South African flanker and his head coach, Peter de Villiers, for their roles in the controversy – and a pathetic little difference of opinion over whether or not the tourists have congratulated the home side on...