“That’s a good question,” Ollie Lawrence says as he ponders the reasons why England have lost five of their previous six Tests, even though they were in a position to turn each of those defeats into a precious victory. “I think if I had the answer to that then … ”
The Bath and England centre pauses, lost in thought, and then laughs when I suggest that if he could reel off an immediate answer he would be on his way to becoming Test rugby’s next head coach. “Exactly. I think the main thing for us is seeing off games. We’ve been in the lead, or in a position to win after 60 minutes, in all of those games. So it’s making sure we play the game fully from now on. We’ve hopefully learned our lessons and, going into this Six Nations campaign, we can push on and put things to bed when we’re in the lead.”
England face the hardest possible start to this year’s tournament, away to Ireland in Dublin next Saturday, followed by the visit of France a week later. Lawrence is determined to finally fulfil his talent as an international, after winning 31 caps in an uneven Test career so far, but is there a psychological barrier which he and England need to overcome first?
“Potentially for some people,” Lawrence says before finding a more confident tone. “But I don’t think that’s something where we struggle as a team because we’ve got really strong leaders. It’s something that might come from experiencing and learning more. Now we’ve been exposed, and have been in that position a few times and dealt with the frustrations, we can really move forward in this campaign.”
England have often lacked a clarity of thinking near the end of a see-sawing Test match. “That’s always something we’re trying to work on as a team, making sure we finish off games by being clear in your thoughts in those last 20 minutes,” Lawrence says. “Hopefully we can really take some positive steps and build on what we didn’t quite get right.”
Lawrence was vilified this month for showing the hard-edged clarity, and professional nous, which England find so elusive. Playing for Bath against Northampton, Lawrence clashed heads accidentally with his England teammate Alex Mitchell near the end of a vital game. Bath are the current leaders of the Premiership, and Northampton are the reigning champions, so the outcome of the match carried real significance. Although neither player was hurt after their collision, Lawrence realised that Mitchell had made a marginally late tackle – and so he collapsed slowly and dramatically as if the impact of the hit had spread through him with delayed consequences.
Many Premier League footballers would have amped up the theatrics by moaning, clutching their head and rolling around as if they had been shot. Lawrence remained calm as he chatted to the Bath medics who decided that he was free to play on. But, in forcing a break in play, Lawrence offered the referee, Anthony Woodthorpe, an opportunity to review the incident on video. Woodthorpe gave Mitchell a yellow card and awarded Bath a penalty.
Lawrence grinned before Finn Russell added the three points and lifted Bath into a 34-32 lead which seemed to have sealed the victory, although Northampton came back to win. Northampton’s fans were furious with Lawrence – for his playacting, his seeming smirk and the fact that he had produced a late tackle of his own which ended George Hendy’s match before half-time.
“I probably didn’t help by putting out that apology,” Lawrence says. “But people were calling me a cheat in the stands. I was like: ‘That’s a bit far. If people understood rugby, surely they’d see the bigger picture?’”
After he apologised online Lawrence went on TikTok to say: “It wasn’t bad enough, probably, for me to go down in the way that I did.”
But he argued that “I was completely entitled to. I didn’t cheat the system. I didn’t dive. By the letter of the law, and for our own safety, if there’s a head collision you’re allowed to go down and the ref can review it … I’m pretty sure if you watch back the game and see everything as a whole, you’ll realise the significance of that moment and how important that was for us to get into a position to win the game.”
The vehemence towards Lawrence intensified and so had his apology made the situation worse? “Exactly. I wasn’t apologising to their fans for what I did. I got hit on the head and then the ref looked at it back and deemed it was foul play. I don’t think that’s cheating or diving. But me apologising highlighted it and everyone threw their opinion around. It got taken a bit too far in my eyes.”
Mitchell feels no animosity towards Lawrence who, before the challenge of facing Ireland and France on successive weekends, says that “we all know the importance of getting off to a good start. We started well in the Six Nations last year [narrowly beating Italy and Wales] before we messed up in that middle game against Scotland [who beat England resoundingly at Murrayfield]. It’s a funny competition but we know we can win in Dublin. We know they’re not unbeatable. We’ve done it before.”
Lawrence points out that England have won two of the four matches he’s played against Ireland. “We’ve just got to put a full 80-minute performance together and surprise a few people. I’m buzzing because it’s a great opportunity, playing Test rugby against some of the best players in the world. It’s what we live for and I’m excited to see where we can go.”
Steve Borthwick, England’s beleaguered coach, has urged his players to display the attacking verve which they often display at club level. “We know this team has individuals playing well in the Premiership,” Lawrence says. “So why can’t we translate that to the international stage? There’s no reason why we can’t. So, now we’ve been given the licence and the freedom to play the way that we can, I think we’ll have a good campaign.”
Lawrence agrees that, in an England shirt, he has yet to display the kind of form which won him the Premiership’s Player of the Season in 2023. “I’ve definitely not done that yet. I think I’ve had good games, but I want to do it consistently.”
Does he feel close to cracking the secret of such consistency? “I think it comes firstly from experience. I’ve played in enough Tests to know how the game works and, if I’m fit and strong and healthy, there’s no reason why I can’t play as well as I want to do. We’re definitely playing a bit more expansive rugby and we’ve come a long way since the last Six Nations. The way we play now suits the way I play.
“I don’t think I’ve touched the ceiling of where I can get to as a player and that’s on me, personally, to keep pushing myself to get better. It’s all good playing well in the Premiership week in, week out, but the international stage is where it really counts. I’ve always thought that because the moments we live for are playing the big games in the big stadiums. I want to make sure I’m performing well in them.”
The 25-year-old listens quietly when I read some words written about him for the Sunday Times by Stuart Barnes, the former Bath and England fly-half. “Is Lawrence one of those players who cannot make the step up from club to country, or is his club playing with more accuracy and collective understanding than his country? Is life easier for a centre outside Finn Russell than the mercurial Marcus Smith? I want to know why he seems set to run straight into opposing midfields for England, when at Bath he has developed a late outside break. In an England shirt he looks like a lightweight bullock against opponents such as the Springboks, yet there is a touch of elegance when he runs out at the Recreation Ground.”
Lawrence shrugs. “It’s just a very explosive opinion. They’re allowed their opinions but the game’s very different to when they played it. I’ve played at 12 for the majority of my caps for England. I’ve played 13 pretty much the whole time in Bath and they’re completely different positions. We definitely play way more expansively at Bath and we can afford to because it’s not international rugby. There’s less margin for error in international rugby as things happen at a quicker pace. I’m trying to replicate my Premiership form in international rugby and sometimes these things take time.”
Lawrence says that “I prefer playing with 13 on my back. I do it week in, week out for my club and that’s where I think I’m best at. But I always want to play for my country, whatever the position.”
Lawrence has just changed his agent and moved to Roc Nation – which represents various leading sportsmen around the world including rugby players such as Siya Kolisi, Ardie Savea, Cheslin Kolbe, Marcus Smith, Ellis Genge and, until recently, the new England captain, Maro Itoje. “The biggest thing for me is developing off the field as well as on the field,” Lawrence says. “I wanted to explore other avenues and moving to Roc Nation was a good way to push myself off the field and grow as a person and an athlete. I’m really close with Ellis, Marcus and Maro and hearing their feedback opened my eyes to other opportunities. It was the right thing for me at the right time.”
Did he speak to Itoje soon after his captaincy was confirmed? “I texted him congratulations because he’s a great leader and having [the previous captain and currently injured] Jamie George and Ellis as vice-captains will allow Maro to thrive. I think he’ll really step up to the role.”
Lawrence was part of the Worcester squad which, in 2022, was disbanded after the club received a winding-up order as they couldn’t settle an outstanding tax payment to HMRC. “That made me realise how quickly something can be taken away from you,” Lawrence says. “It brings out an element of desperation and makes you even more hungry. It made me mature as a person. I was only 22 but dealing with that and moving house and clubs [to Bath] made me realise I needed to grow up fast.”
He now talks seriously about becoming an accountant after his rugby career ends. “I’m waiting to start my accountancy degree as probably the only thing I was good at, other than sport, was numbers. I honestly enjoy going through numbers, which sounds a bit sad, but it’s important I find something I love after I retire.”
Until then far grander rugby ambitions burn inside Lawrence as he says: “There are areas for me to grow and become one of the best centres in the world. If you don’t dream big, you’re never going to get anywhere. My dream has always been to be one of the best players in the world. As long as I keep pushing myself every day I genuinely don’t see any reason why that can’t happen.”
