[Other Sport] England v SA RWC Final

[Weststander]

Not aftertiming but I wish the English media would just stay well away from any important international game we play.
The BBC this morning was infantile to say the least.
It hurts but SA have deserved this, we have not played and made too many mistakes, in defence it must be very difficult to raise your game twice in a short space of time.
Switching off because I am fundamentally a football fan, which means my piss is boiling and I feel like hitting someone rather than congratulating the opposition.

Same thoughts for me regarding the hype.

I turned away from every news article this week, it was relentless. My theory is that under the radar, keeping out of limelight, prevents a loss of concentration, complacency, believing your own publicity.

I do the same before we play ManC, Liverpool and Chelsea. Some on NSC works themselves up that we’re about to fervour that we’re about to bag a famous win, then seem the most gutted and spiteful when their balloon is burst.

 

[Weststander]

That’s what I thought....took 9/4 on SA prematch ...we were far to short in odds and performance

That crossed my mind, but I’ve had my fingers burnt with some Albion and England rugby ‘insurance’ bets.

Well done, hopefully you had a decent stake.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Choked.

 

[maltaseagull]

That's it then.

Fair play to the Saffers, they've been better than us in all departments.

Agreed ,but the ref gave no 50/50' to us.

 

[Weststander]

Choked.

They’re simply better at rugby.

 

[Bold Seagull]

They’re simply better at rugby.

England missed penalties they'd expect to make, passes out of play and poor passes generally, handling errors. Yes, SA superb, but far too many unforced errors from England. Complete contrast to immaculate handling and passing last week.

 

[Durlston]

Well done to South Africa. They smashed us but last week's hammering of the All-Blacks made us too cocky and complacent.

 

[Weststander]

England missed penalties they'd expect to make, passes out of play and poor passes generally, handling errors. Yes, SA superb, but far too many unforced errors from England. Complete contrast to immaculate handling and passing last week.

The tone was set last Sunday when the much-loved SA manager said he was going to play their suffocating style, no apologies. All about power in packs, 15 powerful players, 12 or 13 huge players, an obsession with pinning back opponents in their 22, whatever it takes. They’re experts at that, they play NZ and Australia several times each summer, often coming out on top with that game plan.

And he did exactly that today.

Amongst other things it knackers opponents from having to relentlessly defend their 22, plus the sheer pressure leads to handling mistakes from their battered opponents.

Above all SA do everything in packs, you don’t see a lone runner in the centre. Always a brute or two on their shoulder for the coming tackle, breakdown or ruck.

 

[Chicken Run]

Not that bothered tbh, I don’t watch or care much for the game normally, will be more grumpy if we lose this afternoon.

 

[Pavilionaire]

They’re simply better at rugby.

We'd beaten them home and away in the last two encounters and we shut down NZ who beat SA with a degree of comfort, so to say they are simply better at rugby is questionable. We went into this match as world ranked No.1 and yes it went wrong and SA were better on the day and derseved to win but the reality is there's not much between the top 3 or 4 nations now. It comes down to one or two key injuries, getting your team selection spot on.

 

[Lindfield23]

We’ll win comfortably. We’ve been superb.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

On the positive side, those blokes who only go to the pub for the rugby every 4 years will have cleared off again.

 

[SWL-Seagull]

Did Kevin Friend ref this one too?

Deserved our defeat - now come on the Albion!


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[LamieRobertson]

That crossed my mind, but I’ve had my fingers burnt with some Albion and England rugby ‘insurance’ bets.

Well done, hopefully you had a decent stake.

Only a tenner...but I never stake much...winnings partly offset by a failed minuscule punt on a red card

 

[Bold Seagull]

The tone was set last Sunday when the much-loved SA manager said he was going to play their suffocating style, no apologies. All about power in packs, 15 powerful players, 12 or 13 huge players, an obsession with pinning back opponents in their 22, whatever it takes. They’re experts at that, they play NZ and Australia several times each summer, often coming out on top with that game plan.

And he did exactly that today.

Amongst other things it knackers opponents from having to relentlessly defend their 22, plus the sheer pressure leads to handling mistakes from their battered opponents.

Above all SA do everything in packs, you don’t see a lone runner in the centre. Always a brute or two on their shoulder for the coming tackle, breakdown or ruck.

Even so, England well below their best, will be incredibly disappointed not just to lose, but not to have saved their best performance until last. SA aren't a 20 point better than England margin. Wales were only a moment away from taking them to the wire last week. If you are being suffocated, you cannot make errors and give your opponents that lift that they're game plan is working. England just didn't really turn up. You're right to give SA credit, superb, but they're not some unbeatable force.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Same thoughts for me regarding the hype.

I turned away from every news article this week, it was relentless. My theory is that under the radar, keeping out of limelight, prevents a loss of concentration, complacency, believing your own publicity.

I do the same before we play ManC, Liverpool and Chelsea. Some on NSC works themselves up that we’re about to fervour that we’re about to bag a famous win, then seem the most gutted and spiteful when their balloon is burst.

I agree.

At times there’s almost a degree of arrogance to it, almost tempting fate.

Anyway this afternoon is far more important.


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[Justice]

Haha all the ex private school Tory toffs crying on the telly

 

[Gazwag]

that style of Rugby isn't going to get the kids excited about joining a rugby club

 

[Mackenzie]

South Africa were just too strong today. Oh well, football starts in three hours or so.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I have to say the Japanese were brilliant hosts and it was an exciting tournament. Japan themselves were a breath of fresh air too.

I hope world rugby can build on this and continue to broaden the appeal of the sport.

Personally, I'd love to see a West Indies-style Pacific Islands team enter the Southern Hemisphere competition, or else a second tier comp with Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Uruguay, Namibia and Kenya in the south, USA, Canada, Russia, Georgia, Romania in the north.