RFU plan has pie-in-the-sky look

World Cup holders England appear to be in a vicious downward spiral, having lost nine of the 16 matches played since the 2003 World Cup victory. This year they have only beaten Scotland and Italy, while the Lions (with 20-odd England players in the touring party) got whitewashed by the All Blacks. Andrew Baldock, the PA Sport rugby correspondent, takes a critical look at them two years out from the World Cup.

With the Wallabies reeling form three consecutive defeats, Jeremy Balkin – a reader from Australia – reflects on what went wrong and what needs putting right.

The Rugby Football Union's strategic plan is big on ambition – a successful 2007 World Cup defence, four Six Nations titles and two Grand Slams in the next eight years are just a few of their headline-grabbing objectives.

The rest of us though, are big on reality.

And the simple message to Twickenham is one that should resonate throughout English rugby's corridors of power – "you haven't got a hope".

Top-flight English rugby is in disarray, providing an alarming throwback to the professional era's early days when political disputes dominated the agenda, although exactly whose agenda no-one quite knew.

RFU chief executive Francis Baron and his colleagues rightly believe England should be at the top of any world rugby tree you care to mention.

But the prospect of England retaining their world crown two years from now, looks about as likely as an elderly heckler being removed gently from a Labour Party conference.

On September 28, 2007, England's play their final World Cup pool game, and the chances are they will progress to face a quarter-final against Wales or Australia in Marseilles.

Current form suggests that should be as far as they get, with New Zealand, South Africa, France and possibly Wales then left to fight for planet rugby's greatest prize.

England, as Lawrence Dallaglio recently observed, have gone backwards since they lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy on that memorable night in Sydney.

Forget any strategic plan, the facts are that England have lost four of their last six Tests, new head coach Andy Robinson has a miserable 50% success rate, and they've slumped from number one in the world to number six, only narrowly above Ireland.

To his credit, Robinson has selected a squad for the autumn Tests against Australia, New Zealand and Samoa that offers a fresh feel to it.

English fans should be excited about Mark Van Gisbergen, Alex Brown and James Forrester being placed in the shop window, while Robinson has rightly ditched a handful of senior players either close to, or past, their international sell-by date.

But a lot rests on the trio of November games and England's opening Six Nations encounter against defending champions Wales at Twickenham.

England, and it is when Robinson will really begin earning his money, must start winning consistently again, and just as importantly, they need to display the mental strength, tactical acumen and plans B, C and D that have been sorely missing from post-World Cup performances.

As Robinson and his coaching staff get on with the job though, starting at a five-day Loughborough University training camp next week, it will be against a back-drop of considerable political unrest.

England's leading clubs and Twickenham top brass, just in case you have been on Mars recently, are squabbling over all kinds of matters, ranging from rest periods for Lions players to central contracts.

This plummeted to a new low on Wednesday when both parties couldn't even keep quiet about discussions that were meant to be, er, kept quiet.

Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation for England's 12 Premiership clubs, released a statement outlining its commitment to extra national squad training days, but also announcing unanimous opposition towards an between both organisations.

And taking matters further, the RFU said: "It was agreed at the meeting that the content of the proposals would remain confidential and no public statements would be made.

"The RFU was surprised, therefore, that PRL decided to issue details of one of its proposals."

With such playground warfare waging in the background, what chance has Robinson really got?

England's World Cup rivals must be laughing their socks off at a deepening feud which, should it continue long-term, will inevitably undermine Robinson's best-laid plans.

Sir Clive Woodward arguably saw it all coming, and walked away, fed up with what he perceived as a constant battle against the tide. Robinson now has a similar fight on his hands.

Strategic plan? Pie in the sky, more like.