England hold on to edge Argentina in World Cup third place playoff
PARIS, Oct 28, 2023 (AFP): Captain Owen Farrell kicked 16 points for England as they clung on to beat Argentina 26-23 on Friday to claim third place in the Rugby World Cup. Farrell’s contribution helped 2003 winners England finish third in the tournament for the first time, with champions South Africa facing New Zealand in Saturday’s final, both teams eyeing a record fourth title.
With just three points between the sides, Argentina were unable to find the crucial try to match their best ever World Cup finish, back in 2007, as Nicolas Sanchez failed with a 75th minute penalty that would have drawn them level.
“I am delighted for the boys we got the result,” England scrum-half Ben Youngs said after his final international.
“We are pleased to end with a win. We wanted to be here tomorrow night, but it is still a nice win tonight.”
Pumas coach Michael Cheika made three changes to his starting lineup from last Friday’s heavy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in a rerun of September’s pool game between the sides in Marseille, won by England.
ISteve Borthwick handed flanker Tom Curry his 50th England appearance, eight years on from making his debut as a teenager against the Pumas and in a week where he alleged he was racially abused by South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi in the lastfour loss. Curry ran out on his own onto the pitch in front of 77,674 as the 25-year-old reached the halfcentury landmark before teammates Youngs, Danny Care and Dan Cole played their final Tests.
The pre-match rainfall in northern Paris stopped and a loud chant of ‘Allez les Bleus’ rang around the Stade de France from the majority French crowd, with Argentina wearing their alternative dark blue shirt against France's rivals from across the Channel.
Curry was involved as England opened the scoring after just three minutes with Owen Farrell slotting the penalty from the back-rower's successful pilfer at a ruck. Borthwick’s team led 13-0 after 18 minutes as No.8 Ben Earl, outstanding throughout the tournament, crossed and Farrell kicked a conversion and a penalty. t was a small chase. A target of 157 off 300 balls seemed a walk in the park for the Sri Lankans under excellent batting conditions. But two quick wickets ignited a glimmer of hope for England who had been looking for some redemption after a horrendous display with the bat.
Then Sadeera Samarawickrema and Pathum Nissanka put on an unfinished partnership allowing Sri Lanka to thrash the Englishmen clinically and convincingly.
Nissanka has been in excellent form in the tournament, stroking four back-toback half centuries. He must be applauded for his consistency at the top of the order. But it was Samarawickerma who has stood out in this tournament with two consecutive match-winning performances.
Samarawickrema has been a picture of consistency, topping the batting charts for Sri Lanka with 295 runs in five innings. He holds the overall sixth place among the top-run scorers in the tournament. He stroked a maiden century, 108 against Pakistan, although Sri Lanka failed to defend a massive 344 in their second game in Hyderabad.
But his unbeaten 91 set up Sri Lanka’s first win in the tournament over Netherlands before he produced a gem of an innings against England—an unbeaten 65 to lead Sri Lanka’s victory.
The text-book cover-drive off the first ball he faced from David Willey was as good as those exquisite cover drives of maestro Mahela Jayawardena. It was a perfect shot, played with minimal footwork and precise placement as he punched it through the covers with effortless grace to kick off his innings with a boundary. During his unbeaten knock, he flicked, swept, drove and pulled, displaying the array of shots he has mastered over the years.
With a wide array of strokes in his stock, Samarawickrama has the ability to score at a good pace in white-ball cricket. He is also a safe fielder at any position, including behind the wicket.
His hunger for success has earned Samarawickrema administration from his fans and, more importantly, in him Sri Lanka have found a man with solid technique and elegance to anchor the innings at No.4. For this, Samarawickrema pays tribute to his father—the man who he says was his first coach.
“I play cricket because of him,” Samarawickrema said.
“My techniques, the temperament, all that I learned from him...and even to date, I go to him. I speak to him all the time, no matter which level I am playing cricket”.
Samarawickrema has scored 771 runs at 51.46 this year, with a century and six half-centuries as he made the best opportunity of the second chance he
The Pumas’ first venture to England’s 22m was welcomed by the sizeable Argentine support but Youngs cleared the danger with a box kick.
Farrell and winger Emiliano Boffelli traded penalties before Cubelli celebrated his 93rd international with a try and Boffelli 's conversion made it 16-10 at the stroke of half-time after the Pumas finally showed some creativity in attack.
Cheika’s side returned from the break the better, as Cubelli turned the provider for fly-half Santiago Carreras, who beat three England defenders with ease, before Boffelli made it 17-16 after 43 minutes and Argentina led for the first time.
Their advantage was short-lived as Carreras’ clearance kick was charged down and hooker Theo Dan dived over barely 90 seconds later and Farrell's extras restored the six-point gap.
With half an hour to play Boffelli cut the deficit to three with a long-range penalty before 34-year-old Youngs was received to live his dream. He admitted that he had not been ready when the breakthrough first came in 2017.
“I don’t think I was fully ready for that challenge,” he reflected of his debut with the national team.
“I have played domestic and Sri Lanka ‘A’ level but when I joined the national team, I realised the difference between those two levels,” he said.
“There’s a big difference and it took me little time to understand the game, how to survive and how to score runs,” said the former Josephian, who now dons jersey number 23, once worn by the iconic TM Dilshan.
Samarawickrema soon went out of the selectors’ radar. He was disappointed but had the grit and determination to train hard to perfection.
“My father told me getting picked and dropped can happen to anyone. But substituted and given a standing ovation from the England bench on his 129th and final game for his country and the British and Irish Lions. As the pace of the game slowed down by the hour mark, Borthwick brought George Ford into the fray, allowing England to have three playmakers on the pitch with Farrell moving to centre and livewire Marcus Smith at full-back. As the game approached the final 10 minutes England were 26-23 up thanks to Farrell’s fourth penalty and Pumas’ substitute fly-half Nicolas Sanchez’ first shot at goal.
The three points separating the outfits set-up a tense finish but with Argentina inside England’s territory Sanchez missed a simple looking penalty to bring the teams level and take the game to extra time with five minutes to go.
The error took the wind out of Argentina’s sails as England held on to go one better than they did the only other time they reached a third-place playoff, in 1995, the same year the Springboks and the All Blacks last met in a World Cup final. what is important was to keep your head straight. Because at the national level what is important is to have a strong mind in addition to your technique,” he said.
“I really worked hard during the time I was away from the national team. I learnt a lot. Watched a lot of matches and studied how to finish a match. I did these during club matches and with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team. I just transformed that to my game now. I trust my game and fear no bowler. This has helped me be consistent with the bat,” he added.
The 28-year-old wicketkeeper/batter of Colombo Colts Cricket Club, is surely willing to make jersey number a brand of his own, with the unique form and fame he’s established overcoming fear and failure with a straight head.