Martin Corry – The Defence.

By Tiger Bud
December 6 2006

Firstly, let me point out that this is just one fans opinion, and as being a life long Tigers supporter there is bound to be some bias towards the Tigers players inside the England set-up but I will try not to look at everything through green, white and red tinted glasses.

The international period has had different ramifications for England and Leicester. We’ve not been hit by injuries like Sale have, but we have six players coming back from the England who are low on confidence and are in need of support from their team and fans. The man who has been the brunt of most the criticism from media and press alike, is Martin Corry. Corry has been England captain since Jason Robinson stood down in March last year and no one can doubt his commitment to the side and his wholehearted approach of leading the team on. He had stood up to all doubters and tried to take the heat off the person who deserves it most, Andy Robinson. Robinson has tried recently to show his support of Corry, but it all seems too little too late. After undermining Corry during the last Six Nations by bringing on Dallaglio when the heat was on, Robinson has doing nothing to help his captain or team.

Now with the chance that Robinson might be on his way out Corry will always be connected to one of the worst performing England sides ever. There is doubt over his leadership qualities because the players around him have not been performing, or standing up the same way pervious sides did. You must remember, Martin doesn’t pick players out of position, and he can’t be the man to make sure all the kicks find touch, and he doesn’t tell the backs to look flat and uninspired. A lot of people will always compare him to his previous Tigers and England captain, Martin Johnson. Without trying to make excuses for Corry, he doesn’t have the leadership support that Johnson did during his international tenure of captain. Johnson had Dallaglio, Back, Hill, Vickery, Woodman, Dawson, Wilkinson and that’s not even all of them. Who does Corry have? Vickery? There are still doubts over his fitness. Hodgson? He lost his sparkling Sale form under Robinson and is now out till May. Perry and Richards had no real experience of international games and Sanderson was largely anonymous for all the tests, hardly leadership material. Players might have had vice captain after their names on the team sheet but they didn’t show it where it counted, on the pitch.

If the rumours are to be believed, Corry will be replaced as England captain for the Six Nations. In some quarters there has been calls for Dallaglio to return, but he left England when things weren’t suiting him and more importantly he was comprehensively outplayed by Jordan Crane at Adams Park on Sunday. Now there are calls for Crane to start regularly at Tigers, which would mean Corry would face the same problems at his Welford home as he does in “fortress” Twickenham. There is no doubt that Corry does everything for his country, but he is let down where it matters - his fellow players and the management. Rob Andrews questioned his leadership through the press then wouldn’t even talk to Corry face to face about it. If that’s how England management like to deal with problems, Martin is better off where he’s properly supported and respected, back at Welford Road.