Stuart Lancaster believes the England show is "back on the road" after rounding off the squad's RBS 6 Nations training camp with an open session in front of 2,500 fans.
Lancaster's plan when he was appointed as interim head coach was to "reconnect" the England team with the public, to build bridges following the failed World Cup campaign.
"The players have been fantastic," said Lancaster. "They are hungry, they want to work hard and they want to get the show back on the road and it has been a great week."
The former Leeds boss also wanted his squad to recognise the honour of representing England and so he invited luminaries such as Gary Neville and Corporal Simon Brown to hammer home the message.
After training had finished on the University of Leeds' 1st XV pitch, and while the players were mobbed for autographs, Lancaster reflected on mission accomplished.
The make-up of his team to face Scotland at Murrayfield a week on Saturday is coming together and the England captain will be announced on Monday.
"When I got the job and thought about what I'd do for the camp there were a number of objectives," Lancaster said.
"To reconnect with the public, to engage with the media, to train in conditions that are similar to Scotland, to listen to people from outside the sport.
"But mainly it was about building a culture and getting people on the same page from a technical and tactical point of view.
"We have gone a long way to achieving that. But it is a 10-stage process and next week we have to narrow down our focus and get into the technical and tactical detail for what is a massive game for us."
Comment 1 - 2 of 2
Good preperation, all thats needed is sane management in appointments. Delay application for full time coach until six nations analysis is aviliable.
Well done Stuart and hope it all goes according to plan and get the pride back into English Rugby.Perhaps it was a bad world cup but you can only play as good as the other side will let you.
There are 30 men out there on the pitch 15 against 15.Yes i know some players let us down with their off duty antics, and i for one wasnt well pleased at the reports back home.
If there is young blood in your side please give them a chance like Wales did with the likes of John Bevan JPR there are so many to name.
But see what players they turned out to be,i can remember John Bevan scoring i think to trie sa gainst us on his at Cardiff Arms Park as it was known then.
Anyway Stuart good luck for the future and i hope it all goes well for you next week against Scotland.
DizzyBlonde
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