They have a rivalry, like McEnroe and Borg or Ali and Frazier, but they also have the making of a very good doubles pair. If we're talking about winning the World Group we've got to look at them as the long-term doubles team."The chief concern, however, is the lack of a supporting cast to Rusedski and Henman, whose combined world ranking of 20 assures Britain a high seeding for Thursday's draw."We've got to concentrate on getting 14, 15 and 16-year-olds making the breakthrough," Lloyd said. The teamwork of Rusedski and Henman against Medvedev and Rybalko in the doubles was so efficient that Lloyd should encourage them to have tiffs before every tie."Greg and Tim are very good for each other," Lloyd said "They definitely want to be better than the other guy. We trust that the International Tennis Federation will not misconstrue any of this as bribery.Henman defeated Rybalko 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, yesterday, while the quality of his first and fifth sets against Medvedev in the second match on Friday, and the spirit the Oxford man displayed in recovering from a slump in the fourth set, were the most memorable moments of individual play.

On Friday, prior to a straight-sets victory against Andrei Rybalko, the British No 1 gave the coin used to toss up to a line judge. Rusedski indulged in a spot of levity by handing Medvedev a banknote after losing his serve en route to a 6-1, 6-4 win. On that occasion, Henman made his debut, partnering Jeremy Bates to success in the doubles, Rusedski was still in Canada, pondering his future, and Lloyd was a leader in waiting.Whatever challenge emerges from Thursday's draw for the qualifying round at Queen's Club, London, Lloyd foresees a future free of "all these zones and who's doing what to who that people find difficult to understand".What Rusedski and Henman did to Ukraine (Andrei Medvedev and Andrei Who) on Friday and Saturday left 4,500 spectators with two dead singles rubbers to watch yesterday, but there were few complaints. "This team has a better chance to win it than we did," Lloyd said, referring not to the Fred Perry era but to the last time Britain reached the final, in 1978, when he and his younger brother, John, played in the side defeated by the United States, 4-1, in Palm Springs, California. Pausing for breath, it is difficult to reconcile the buoyancy of Britain's current position with their demotion to Group Two of the Euro-African Zone (effectively the third division) after losing at home to Romania on grass in 1994. After a profitable punt on the Grand National and a swift victory in the Davis Cup against Ukraine here, Britain's team captain anticipates qualification for a place among the elite 16 in September, and would not be in the least surprised if Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman go on to lift the trophy, securing the nation's first triumph in the event since 1936.

Such behaviour in Auckland or Johannesburg or Sydney would be laughed out of court.In England's defence, they have staged a largely successful campaign (only compromised by an off day in Paris and a couple of strange selections) under the handicap of Twickenham's civil war which appeared to come to a head on Saturday evening with the marginalising of Cliff Brittle, in impending negotiations, and the resignation of his staunchest ally, Fran Cotton.The conflict between country and clubs seemed destined to end in the courtroom, but with Cotton apparently out of the picture there may be no need for the silk.. FROM Earth Summit to the World Group, David Lloyd has reason to believe that he is on a winner. Familiarity with success seems to have bred a contemptible attitude in England, from their unilateral attempt to flog off the Five Nations to the highest television bidder, to Dallaglio's belittling of a championship that a few years ago was the envy of the southern hemisphere.On Saturday Clive Woodward, England's enlightened coach, was so incensed at what he perceived as Ireland's over-the-top rucking, that he left his seat in the stand to remonstrate with a touch judge and then there was the apparent snub by Dallaglio of his opposite number, the belligerent David Corkery, in refusing to shake hands. Narrow defeats to Scotland, Wales and that heart-breaking loss in France when glory seemed to beckon, with England completing the whitewash, condemned them once again to the wooden shillelagh.For England of course, a deserved fourth successive Triple Crown, although Dallaglio might consider it more of a coronet, or even, given his Italian ancestry, just one cornetto He shouldn't knock it. In the first half the English spent 25 minutes in Ireland's territory; in the second it was reduced to 12 minutes.This season the luck of the Irish has become a sick joke.

If Ireland needed an extra incentive to tear in to England, Dallaglio's views would have done nicely.Ireland's weakness is that they are good for three-quarters of a match but a spent force in the final quarter, yet they had the better of the second half against England despite the fact that both sides scored 10 points apiece after the interval. But for Paul Wallace, an integral part of an extremely tight pack, failing to ground the ball over the line, it could have been uncomfortably close for England. When Jack Nicklaus was written off as an overweight 40-something before the 1986 Masters, he taped the offending article to his fridge door and proceeded to tear Augusta National apart. ENGLAND have a large number of back-room specialists administering to every need of the modern team The one thing they don't appear to have is a spin doctor.

Playing rugby at Five Nations pace is not the way to compete at the very top level."This is a bit rich coming from a player whose club, Wasps, recently outplayed by London Irish, have found it difficult to survive in the English Premiership this season.When Ireland travelled to Paris as no-hopers, Warren Gatland, their new coach, plastered the walls of their hotel with faxed messages of support. "It's for other people to judge what a Triple Crown may or may not mean but as far as I'm concerned, England have won Slams and Crowns before", Dallaglio said. "This team is looking to achieve new things, things that no English side has ever managed. Our only objective is to regularly compete with the major forces in world rugby and that means surviving and thriving against the southern hemisphere nations. "I'd be lying if I said there was no distinction between the pace and intensity of our matches against the southern hemisphere teams before Christmas and the Five Nations games we have played since.