When it comes to an understanding of what high-performance means, and the ability to implement it and create a world-beating team, there is one name in English rugby union that stands alone: Sir Clive Woodward.

It begs the question why Woodward, as not just the only English head coach to win a Rugby World Cup, but still the only coach in the northern hemisphere to achieve that distinction, is not leading the review currently under way into England’s serial failures under head coach Steve Borthwick in the 2026 Six Nations.
The main innovations underpinning Woodward’s success was an unequivoc...