Well done South Africa - deserved winners .
As for England they use made too many mistakes.
The beauty of rugby is that I can now have a few pints with my South African friends and eat humble pie !!
I am quite relaxed and confident about tomorrow. Of course the nature of rugby is that you can always lose but I do not sense any complacency or overconfidence in our boys . We have won all our games VERY convincingly leaking very few tries . Of those that we conceded , one was in stoppage time...
I think The criticism of Young’s is massively over the top - he has had a decent World Cup so far and you can’t say Heinz has been better - In any case scrum half is probably the position where we have the least depth - Care’s form has tailed off, Robson is too inconsistent , and I think that...
England have played one game less . Plus I am not sure that the QF games were more or less intensive either way. You are clutching at straws my good South African friend !!
I would not be so nervous - after all we have got a good squad of 31 and the depth chart is good. Farrell will be fine but I agree that Sincks would be a huge loss - Cole will hold the scrum for sure but he offers nothing in the loose.
Looks like May will be fit . If not Coka should get the nod...
Yes the Bokks won’t make the same mistake as the Aussies/Kiwies and they will play The territory - I can’t see them varying their tactics at this late stage and doing what England did back in the 1991 final and go against their natural instinct. The Bokks will play it tight.
How England play...
Recommend watching the last episode of rising sons after the semi final victory.
What struck me is how level headed guys were after that match - there’s absolutely no sense that this was our final as Gatland implied. These guys are confident but neither arrogant or complacent.
There is a sense...
both are great players in their different ways and England are blessed to have them both - Ford is on top of his game and yes he did make 15 tackles in the last game - but this is a World Cup final and the game can turn on small margins. If we dominate the Bokks up
I don’t know th
Yes England...
Ford did not start against the Aussies and the ABs did not have any meaningful possession to work off . I don’t buy the idea that we will dominate the Bokks up front as easily although I do think we will have the edge at the breakdown. The Bokks are going to target Ford defensively at 10 - now I...
That is true but can Ford really handle Allende running down his channel ? Not convinced . We already know what the saffers are going to do - if we were confident that our pack will get on top of the Bokk pack then I agree this selection conundrum would not be an issue but I reckon the pack...
I wonder if EJ is going to revert back to Farrell at fly half and play MT and HS in the centres ?
I think it is pretty clear how SA are going to play - try to beat us up in the pack and box kick and chase us down all game long - when SA do go beyond Pollard they will try to batter our 10/12...
Just saw the game on catch up having listened to it on my way home from France.
Actually on the radio it felt evenly balanced but when you watch it i was struck by how one sided the match was.
Actually other than the line up cock up NZ never had a scoring opportunity - I have never seen an AB...
Still driving up from Chamonix
Nearly had several accidents on the motorway listening to the game.
Pulled up at a lay-by to say welcome to the England boys and everybody on this thread.
listening to a game is more nervous than watching it !!
Just spending the week in Chamonix in France. Heading back now to get to Blighty in time for the game ( 1000 km trip)
I think England are going to scrape it by a score - i am actually more relaxed about this game than the Australia game .
But there are two or three prerequisites for success imo...
EJ has shown his hand for the knock out games and I think that this is what he thinks his strongest line up is.
I would have put Marler in from the off as I think he has been outstanding so far and MV as a finisher. Also Marler »s scrummaging is better.
Quite relaxed with the Lawes selection -...
I would play (starter/finisher)
Mako/Genge
LCD/Singleton
Cole/Sinks
Launch
Kruis/Itoje
Ludlam
Wilson
Underhill /Lawes
Heinz/ Young’s
Ford
Manu
JJ/Slade
Nowell/ Mc Connochie
coka
Daly or Watson
Rationale
BV/Farrel/Curry/Marler/George all need rest for different reasons And these players...