England stand-in captain Nick Easter has no intention of banishing the dark memories from the day their Grand Slam dreams were destroyed in the crushing RBS Six Nations defeat to Ireland.
Instead, England’s No. 8 has beckoned his fellow compatriots to draw inspiration from missing out on a first Grand Slam for eight years by using it as fuel for World Cup success.
Easter took over the captaincy after Mike Tindall’s injury against Scotland but could not stop Ireland tearing through England in their 24-8 defeat.
Although England may have arrived home with the RBS 6 Nations title, they also came with their tail firmly between their legs but Easter doesn’t want the despair of that dark Dublin day to be brushed under the carpet.
“We won the Six Nations but it’s bitterly disappointing and gutting about what happened in Dublin,” said Easter speaking at the announcement that Etihad Airways had renewed their three-year sponsorship of Quins.
“It was probably the best performance of the Six Nations we were up against – it showed us the level we need to get to. We’ve been there for certain games but we need to have the consistency to remain there.
“It was a dark day now you reflect back on it but I’ll learn from it playing in the captain role and other players will too.
“We have a lot of players with experience in our side, a lot of guys that have played big games, and as I say we just didn’t produce a performance.
“There’s still a long way to go until the World Cup, a lot of training and a lot of games, but we are just excited to erase the memory of that night in Dublin.
“Although that memory should never be erased because you have got to keep in the back of the mind that hurt you felt and we can use that to drive us on to success at the World Cup.”
Easter was an integral part of the England team that reached the 2007 World Cup final before being edged 15-6 by South Africa in the Stade de France.
And despite their Six Nations campaign ending on a downer, Easter says there’s no reason why they cannot approach the 2011 World Cup in high spirits.
“I expected Ireland to produce their best rugby and come out the way they did in the first 20-minutes but we didn’t respond in the right way and we have to make sure next time we do,” said the 32-year-old.
“We had a great win in Cardiff, a hard-fought victory against the French where we had to really dig it out, and a try fest against Italy.
“We also had new players coming in, who played very well, so we can take plenty of positives from that.”
And another new player that could be in Martin Johnson’s plans for the tournament that starts in New Zealand in September is Leicester’s Thomas Waldron.
The Kiwi-born No. 8, who has impressed this season at Leicester Tigers, has declared himself available for the Red Rose after recently discovering his grandmother was English.
But Easter, who started all five of England’s Six Nations matches, maintains he would welcome the added competition for places.
He said: “Waldron has been playing very well and he’s a good player. If the selectors do decide to select him then more competition always brings on your own game.
“We’ve seen that with Danny Care, behind Ben Youngs, he’s playing better now and I’m sure if that was the case then it would be the same with me.”
