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2012 and no World Cup or Lions tour to occupy our thoughts yet there is still plenty of action to keep us interested and provide opportunity for endless debate. The Six Nations is almost upon us and promises to be one of the most interesting tournaments for many a year with no nation head and shoulders above the rest. The Heineken Cup continues to supply rugby of a quality which is often missing on the international stage, whilst the Aviva Premiership enters the second half of the season with everything to play for at both ends of the table and little to separate the teams. Do not fear – there is plenty to look forward! Here are my three main hopes for the year ahead…..

England get their house in order

After the debacle of the World Cup there is surely only one way to go and the early signs show promise. The appointment of Stuart Lancaster, Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell is intended to be temporary with the RFU seemingly keen on the appointment of Nick Mallett for the summer tour to South Africa. However, this is far from a done deal and Lancaster et al have a golden opportunity to state their case with the upcoming Six Nations. As I’ve said before, the talent available to England is undeniable – sure, plenty of it is unproven but now is the time to start building and give the younger players the opportunity to show what they can do on the international stage. The proof will be in the EPS selection and the opening game against Scotland at Murrayfield, but Lancaster is certainly impressing press and public alike in his demeanour and approach to the role. The decision to drop Danny Care will have been a hard one to make but it was the correct one and was certainly welcome after the misplaced loyalty shown by Martin Johnson. Equally, taking the squad to Leeds for their training as opposed to the warmer climes of Portugal or the luxury of Pennyhill Park is also welcome. The set up in Leeds is not sub-standard – far from it – yet it is refreshing to see the national team moving away from their traditional bases. Lancaster is demonstrating the qualities which made his appointment appealing. He has an open relationship with the press and brings a no-nonsense and disciplined approach which befits his teaching background. Likewise, Rowntree and Farrell will go about their jobs with little fanfare yet have the knowledge and experience to, hopefully, get the squad playing rugby and reaching their potential.

Arguably, the world game needs a strong England team – even if you are their sternest critic it is surely better to beat a good England team than a shambolic one!! England consistently produce young players with potential to become great ones but, somewhere along the line, they get lost or fail to deliver. The opportunity is there for the RFU to reverse this waste of talent. The extent of the public fallout – both in the corridors of power and on the pitch – has been so great that one hopes a line has now been drawn from which English rugby can move forward and start delivering on that promise.

IRB to resolve scrum crisis

The scrum in crisis? You’d better believe it! One of the foundations of the game is now the most infuriating aspect of any match. The constant resetting of scrums, wasted time and resulting penalties do nothing for the game and little to attract a new audience. The worst thing the IRB could do would be to listen to certain (Australian) voices advocating a move to a rugby league ‘restart’ style of scrum. The scrum needs to remain as a contest that can decide games and, to me, the solution would appear to be in turning to the past. A lot of the issues around the scrum would appear to be centred around the ‘hit’ with both front rows throwing themselves into contact with such force that is is hardly surprising that, more often than not, they go straight to ground. The ‘hit’ is a relatively modern concept and, in the opinions of ex-players who have far greater experience than I, entirely unnecessary. Instead, let us return to the days where the front rows used to link up and were then told to ‘scrum’ once the ball was put in. This still favours the more dominant pack and, if anything, promotes the technical prowess of the props. It would also bring us back to a genuine contest between the packs with the obvious benefit to those watching. Two further changes are required to support this move. Firstly, all props should be made to wear looser jerseys to assist in the binding and, secondly, the crooked feed should be properly monitored and penalised against. It amazes me how so many referees and ex-scrum halves yet none of them are able to spot a feed going into the second, or even back, row! To allow a proper contest, and promote the lost art of hooking, the scrum half feed needs to be properly policed,

None of these suggestions would require dramatic change. If the IRB is serious about promoting the game and speeding up play then it would be a no-brainer. One lives in hope!!

Gloucester to end years of ‘nearly’

Ok, I have to admit that this one is entirely selfish! I have supported Gloucester for many years and, despite the occasional cup win, have watched them regularly fail to take their Kingsholm dominance on the road and never quite live up to the potential that every cherry and whites fan sees. Heck, even when they did finish the season way ahead of the competition we then had the pain of witnessing them get thumped when it mattered most – and to Wasps at that! With the likes of Burns, Trinder, May, Sharples, Morgan and the old wizard Simpson-Daniel, Gloucester have a backline as exciting and as skilled as any, whilst their forwards are also showing glimpses of being dominant. Any fan will tell you that its never an easy ride supporting your team but, please, this year can we get some consistency and finally win a big one?!!

One can but dream!!