First and Last: Jason Robinson
As England take on Canada in the Summer Series, Jason Robinson revisits his first captaincy which was against the Canucks in 2004 and his last match in charge in 2007.
The England great will be at Twickenham this weekend remembering how he became the team’s first black captain, selected by coach Andy Robinson when Jonny Wilkinson was injured.
Dubbed Billy Whizz after a Beano comic speedster, Jason, at 5ft 8 was a sporting giant. He had an amazing work ethic, the ability to spot a gap and the devastating acceleration to beat any defenders, alongside a side-step that was beautiful to behold.
He reached the highest level in both rugby league and rugby union and scored the only try in the final as England lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Growing up on a Council estate in Leeds, Jason’s mother, Dorothy, worked three jobs to support her family and she and his two older brothers were white.
“In many ways it was brilliant because I had a mother and brothers who loved me to bits, but at the same time I grew up with the Scottish culture and traditions from my mother’s side,” he says.
Jason didn’t know his father when he was young and “I missed out on what I should be as a black man, didn’t have many black role models although my heritage was Jamaican. I was 36 and had finished playing rugby when I met my father properly.
“When I signed a million pound contract at 21, nobody helped me handle the fame. I was out drinking, lost, lonely and confused.”
During his rugby league career, Jason was a standout player for Wigan and represented both Great Britain and England. In 2000 he switched codes, playing 159 games for Sale Sharks, becoming their captain in 2004, leading them to third in the table and winning the European Challenge Cup. In 2005/6 they won the Premiership for the first time. Latterly Jason had a stint as their coach and is now a non-executive director.
How many more kids could do what I did?
But although sport initially left him adrift off the field, it also kept him going. Now, looking back on his 28 tries in 51 Tests for England, playing in all seven matches of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, becoming a British & Irish Lions legend and taking Sale Sharks to their first ever Premiership title, he says: “If I did all of that, how many more kids could do something like that too?
“I was the only black player in the England 2003 World Cup squad. I can see there is a difference today, there is a visual difference straight away with more players with a black heritage in the team. I still believe there’s lots more to do. I didn’t realise at the time how important being England’s men’s first black captain was to other people looking in. We relate to people who are like us in some way, so it matters.
“Being brought up in a deprived area on a Council estate, sometimes you’re not quite sure if rugby union is something for you; that can be off putting, especially as in the past the sport seemed a bit elitist. The reality is you can achieve what I did. Rugby is a game for all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. The game is open to everyone, although more work is needed in going into the places it hasn’t been traditionally played, in understanding and breaking down barriers and offering opportunities.”
Clive Woodward called Jason up when he was playing league and “sold me the dream of playing for England in the 2003 World Cup. And with England I realised it wasn’t about fitting in but about standing out. I don’t think people realised how exceptionally hard I worked but winning the World Cup was the most amazing experience.
Fans on my side
“Winning the World Cup and captaining England are both amazing memories, but the other is my first cap at Twickenham. Standing on the side, waiting to go onto the pitch. As a rugby league convert, I didn’t know how the crowd would take to me. But people were shouting ‘Get him on! Get him on!’ England fans were on my side, they were behind me, and I tried to live up to that, to get them out of their seats whenever I played.”
His England debut was against Italy in the 2001 Six Nations and such was his impact that shortly afterwards he was selected for the Lions tour to Australia. In first Test against the Wallabies he scored a blistering solo try, leaving Australia full back Chris Latham, in his wake.
Having announced his retirement from international rugby following the 2005 Lions tour to New Zealand, where he won two further Test caps, Jason was talked out of retirement by Brian Ashton ahead of the 2007 Six Nations. He helped England to the Rugby World Cup Final that year as one of only four who started in the 2003 and 07 World Cup finals, together with Jonny Wilkinson, Ben Kay and Phil Vickery.
His international career ended for a second time when, having contributed to England’s defeat of Australia in the quarter finals and France in the semis, he left the field in the final against South Africa bloodied and with a shoulder injury, earning a standing ovation from the fans.
He returned to help the Barbarians defeat South Africa at Twickenham in December 2007 and put in one final Twickenham farewell in September 2008 for the Help for Heroes Challenge Match. In July 2010, with Brain Ashton the club’s coaching consultant, Jason made a brief return to playing with English National League Two North side Fylde, helping them gain promotion to National One, scoring four tries in 13 appearances.
When he captained England for the first time, he was in charge of a try fest – Jason’s hat-trick on the scoreboard was with two from Josh Lewsey and Mark Cueto, and one apiece from Mike Tindall, Charlie Hodgson, Will Greenwood, Lewis Moody and Hugh Vyvyan.
First: 13 November 2004 - England 70-0 Canada, Twickenham
“Jonny Wilkinson was injured and when we were in camp Andy Robinson asked me to lead the side against Canada. I was a bit taken aback to be honest but I was doing a decent job captaining Sale at the time.
“I didn’t say yes right away because I needed time to fully understand what it meant. I wanted to make sure I didn’t take the captaincy for taking its sake. Being the captain isn’t just about leading the team out, there’s a lot more to it on and off the pitch. It didn’t take me long to say yes though, I knew it was a huge privilege and an honour to take on that role.
“While I knew I’d be England’s first black men’s XV captain, it didn’t have that impact at the time because when you are involved at that level you are going from big game to big game and just want to do well, give your best. I think at the time I didn’t fully understand the significance because I didn’t fully understand the history of rugby union, the players that came before me. I now know how important it was for others to see a black man captain the team.
“Going into Twickenham on match day is always special as a player, from the moment you leave the team hotel, seeing all the fans on the way in. When you are captain it almost takes it to another level. That leadership becomes even more important, knowing you are walking out of the tunnel as the England captain. It was an immensely proud moment but you are also carrying a huge weight of responsibility and expectation, which I never took lightly.
“My mum was watching on TV and it was a really proud moment for her to see her son captain the country. She saw it as a massive achievement, given where we were from; I was so glad to make her proud.
“To win 70-0, to captain that team which included some of my Sale team mates, and to score a hat-trick to wrap it up, it couldn’t have gone better to be fair!”
Last: 26 May 2007 - South Africa 58-10 England, Bloemfontein
“Well, if my first captaincy couldn’t have gone any better, my last couldn’t have gone any worse.
“I had a really good relationship with Brian (Ashton). He loved his rugby league and I’d played at Bath in 1996 for four months, which was when I first got to know him. The way he wanted to play was right up my street.
I have had the privilege of working with Jason and know that his stature, ability and qualities as a player and a person will benefit all who come into contact with him, both on and off the field.
Brian Ashton
“But this was far from what he or I would have wanted. You just couldn’t write it! England couldn’t select players from Leicester, Wasps or Bath because of the European Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup finals. Something like eight other players were injured. Then we had a stomach bug in camp which put even more players out. It was not ideal preparation to play such a great Springbok team in South Africa. I remember we were so stretched that one of the backs on the bench wasn’t in a good way.
“Playing South Africa is always tough, they are such a physical team, and that day was one of the biggest challenges. But sometimes as captain you just have to get on with it, and do the best you can. You are playing for England so no matter what is going on out on the field you have that pride. One of the biggest challenges for a captain is to keep the team going, keep rallying the troops when they are putting a big score on you.
“Simpson-Daniel scored and Jonny got the conversion and a penalty, and I got injured, so I didn’t captain the second Test.
“I don’t think you could have had a bigger contrast between my first and my last captaincy. But that’s the whole thing about sport and being captain, some days are worse than others and then it’s about managing the players, the expectation. Even in defeat you are still very proud to represent your country and sometimes when the challenges are toughest, it helps you develop as a leader.”
