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The coaches understand this better than anyone

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The coaches understand this better than anyone."I know it hurts the public when we lose, but it hurts us twice as much," Robinson said "We're passionate about this team, and we believe in it. I think we moved forward against Ireland, even though we lost the game - Martin Corry and Lewis Moody were outstanding in Dublin, as was Matt Stevens, who came through well in all the areas his critics considered him to be suspect This match against Italy is about taking another step up It's about execution. If we get that right, we'll score tries."Ireland, who will be one step away from a first Grand Slam in almost 60 years if they beat France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, have been scoring quality tries all tournament, but they will face the Tricolores without one of their more sophisticated attacking weapons. Whatever the IRB, the RFU and the rest of rugby's alphabet soup thought of Robinson's handling of the Kaplan issue, they can have no serious argument with his sentiments this time. Sunday's semi-final was indeed an exhausting affair - seriously fit men like Danny Grewcock, Olly Barkley and Steve Borthwick looked like wraiths at the final whistle - and it is ludicrous to imagine they will recover in time to play a proper part in preparations for this weekend's match with Italy. The sooner the domestic season is restructured the better.Robinson flatly rejected the suggestion that England expected to put 50-plus points on the bottom-placed Azzurri - "We've watched the tapes, and we know that if Italy had kicked their goals, their games so far would have gone to the wire," he protested - but, in reality, the world champions must win by 30 points minimum if they are to emerge from the fixture on the right side of the ledger.

"I played in a couple of Bath-Gloucester knock-out derbies and I know how long it takes to recover, especially when they go into extra time I've made my feelings known about Sunday rugby. We're trying to prepare an international team here, and it's bitterly frustrating when people can't train."Having been rapped over the knuckles for criticising the performance of the South African official Jonathan Kaplan in the Six Nations match with Ireland in Dublin, and seen the Rugby Football Union's ?te referee manager, Colin High, come within an ace of losing his job for calling Kaplan to account - it was also suggested to High that he might like to donate £1,000 to the IRB's charity coffers - these were brave words, especially as the semi-finals were shifted to the Sabbath so the tsunami fund-raiser at Twickenham could have a clear run.If there is any justice in the world, Robinson will be applauded rather than vilified. Work that one out." Balshaw might well concur, but that is another story. At least he is back among the ?te, after months and years kicking his heels with the hoi polloi Just for the moment, it is enough.WHATEVER HAPPENED TO... IAIN BALSHAWThe riseBalshaw had the rugby world at his feet in 2001, when he forced his way into the England team and, aged only 21, began scoring tries at will. He got two in only his third start, against Italy at Twickenham, and two more in the next game against the Scots.

Another, in the mauling of France, and he was a cert for the summer Lions tour of Australia.The fallThat is when it all went wrong. Balshaw lost all confidence and form with the Lions, then had a nightmare in Dublin when England lost their 2001 Grand Slam and was dropped by Clive Woodward. Injuries followed but he made it back in time for the World Cup, and even got on in the final. Now at Leeds, after leaving Bath, can he reach the heights of 2001 again?. More than a week after the events in question, people are still going on about the performance of the referee, Jonathan Kaplan, in the Ireland v England match in Dublin.

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