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VERSAILLES - England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall hopes he can navigate his way around the Stade de la Beaujoire in a manner reminiscent of a chess grandmaster when the struggling world champions face Samoa in Nantes on Saturday.
While it is still possible for the holders to lose this weekend and qualify for the quarter-finals, a win would provide a massive confidence boost after last week's 36-0 thrashing by South Africa at the Stade de France - England's record World Cup defeat.
Even better for the morale of Brian Ashton's men would be a victory accompanied by a fluency in attack that didn't see England squander tries through poor passing and a failure to exploit overlaps - features of their play during a run of just 17 wins in 42 Tests since they won the World Cup in 2003. "I play the game for space, putting the great runners we have within England into space," Gomarsall, whose stop-start Test career has seen him make just 28 international appearances since his debut in 1996.
Now with Harlequins, his sixth senior club, the 33-year-old playmaker added at England's hotel here Thursday: "I see the game as a chessboard, putting the pieces into place.
"But generally, with defences being so well-organised now, running an attack is much more difficult.
"We've certainly struggled in that department. I like the game to be played fast and with that opportunity, everywhere on the pitch, to attack.
"Just previously, we weren't seeing that and hopefully on Saturday we will see that."
Gomarsall, who came on at half-time against the Springboks, said playing alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, making his tournament debut after being sidelined with an ankle injury, wouldn't be a problem.
"I've played enough and trained with him inordinate amounts so there are no issues there whatsoever. It's the same as always for me, get my service going and provide the backs with enough time on the ball to break the line."
Gomarsall, who went 31 months between playing for England against Australia in 2004 and appearing against the Springboks in Bloemfontein in May, has only previously featured in two World Cup matches.
And the fixtures against Georgia and Uruguay four years ago are unlikely to be of much benefit to Gomarsall, flown out as cover for Dewi Morris at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, as he was the first to admit.
"This is a completely different kettle of fish," said the No 9 who at the end of the last English Premiership season was sacked by Worcester and then played in a pub sevens event before being handed a lifeline by ex-England No 8 Dean Richards at Harlequins.
Gomarsall was on the bench during a World Cup match in Melbourne in 2003 where Samoa were 16-13 ahead at half-time before England won 35-22.
"I admired Samoa hugely in that game," he recalled. "They came out straight from the first whistle, played some plays in their own 22, broke the line and were away. They never looked back from that point.
"It's already been mentioned in our analysis that this is a similar scenario for them in that they've got nothing to lose and everything to gain in this game. We fully expect them to run it from everywhere."
But he was adamant England hadn't contemplated the prospect of becoming the first champions not to reach the last eight of a World Cup.
"There are no demons within anyone in this squad now. We just can't wait to get out there and show it."
- AFP
