Webb Ellis whitewash

by Chris Hewitt

After their 36-0 capitulation to the Boks in the pool stages, England's progression to the final has been the stuff of fable. It's also been a bloody farce.

This is a side ranked seventh in the world heading into the tournament, and not looking a place better for much of the last four years.

This is a side who within 12 months have lost their last four Tests to the men in green and gold, at home, away and on neutral ground.

This is a side coached by man whose rugby philosophy is as up-to-date, relevant and inspiring as the Penny Farthing.

And this is a side who depend more on one man than the giraffes did on Noah.

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NVDL: Couldn't agree more. They may give us a run for the first 10 - 15 minutes. The Boks need just remain disciplined and not get flustered, put points on the board, and then break England's spirit. Easy as english pie. But that makes it a disappointing final for me - would have preferred the All Blacks or the French. Especially a World Cup victory over the All Blacks would have been sweet.

An England - Bok Final

England didn't really win their semi final did they? France lost. They were unlucky, but they seemed to also to tempt the Bad Luck Fairy. Ja, it's a sad state of affairs, because it means the Boks now have to - yawn - play England again.
I'm not suggesting it's going to be a walkover second round against England. I'm just saying it's going to be dull. A Final with France would have been an amazing specatcle to round of the Boks superb World Cup run.

Yes, the French-England game was compelling. But France seemed to lack a basic sense of knowing what to do. If they'd played the way they did in the last five minutes for the duration of game - instead of belting it ineffectually around as they did against New Zealand in the first half - England would not have stood a chance.

I had a terrible feeling England was going to score in the last 10 to 15 minutes, and that's exactly what they did. The game was compelling not so much because of the performances on the field, but because of the score. At half time the margin was one point (6-5 to France). For most of the second half France remained a single point ahead (at 9-8), and were sometimes unlucky not to score.

But you can't expect to hold off a passionate and determined team with a one point margin, especially when you don't learn from your mistakes. I was fully behind France, and felt fairly gutted by the way they lost. It could have ended a lot differently, but that's how the game goes.

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