KICKING IS KING
EX-WASPS ACE GOODE ON KEY BATTLES AHEAD OF ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP FINAL
FORMER England and Wasps fly-half Andy Goode believes the kicking battle will prove crucial in deciding the winner of the Rugby World Cup final.
Eyes were firmly on the skies during South Africa’s 19-16 semi-final victory over Wales when the ball was kicked from hands 73 times compared to the 56 times England and New Zealand went aerial in their last-four encounter.
The Coventry-born 17-times capped England international discusses his key battles ahead of the ninth Rugby World Cup final.
KICKING CLASH
“The kicking battles going to be huge,” said Goode.
“Finals can be cagey affairs, we’ve seen the way that Australia and New Zealand have tried to attack against us and from deep at times and it’s kind of played into England’s hands.
“We know South Africa aren’t going to be chucking around in their own half early on but you do hope they end up doing that so England are in control.
“The kicking games are always huge and winning that territorial battle.”
BACK ROW WAR
“The back row battle is going to be massive as well,” said Goode. “[Tom] Curry and [Sam] Underhill have been two absolute stars for us at the World Cup.
“You saw we dominated the breakdown and it’s not just about the back row, it’s a whole 15-man job winning that breakdown battle we dominated last week against New Zealand they changed their team thinking that the lineout would be a massive influence with Scott Barrett coming in and dropping their break down specialist in [Sam] Kane.
“Curry and Underhill just went around smashing people and winning turnovers, you add Maro Itoje to that as well and that key battleground of the breakdown, the likes of [Siya] Kolisi, [Steph] du Toit, [Duane] Verumulan in the back row for them, coming up against our boys and big Billy [Vunipola], it’s going to be a key battle that decides the game as well I think.
BEASTLY BATTLE
“South Africa bring a strong scrum,” said Goode. “I can’t wait to see Kyle Sinckler go up against my old teammate in the beast of Tendai Mtawarira, tight-head against loosehead there.”
ELLIOT DALY V WILLIE LE ROUX
Goode said: “You look at both of these players they’re exciting counter attackers and there have been things said about both players’ defensive weaknesses, but they’re so excitable.
“I go back to the kicking battle, when you’ve got a back three that South Africa have in Chelsin Kolbe, who is an absolute world star and [Makazole] Mapimpi on the other wing, these boys can finish likewise you know Anthony Watson come back from a brutal Achilles injury has been playing exceptionally well but Elliot Daly’s left boot will come into it.
It’s interesting that they’re both left footers as well. That battle is perhaps not at the forefront of everyone’s mind but you know it’s a kicking dual where you dictate terms and those two players will have huge impacts on whoever wins it.”
■ The Rugby World Cup final will be aired at more than 500 Greene King pubs around the country.
EDDIE Jones has challenged his England players to inspire the nation by toppling South Africa in Saturday’s World Cup final.
Jones believes that victory over the Springboks at a sold out 69,000 International Stadium Yokohama has the ability to bring joy to the country and fire the imagination of future Red Rose stars.
And when England run out for their fourth World Cup final, a match they enter as favourites, they will have instructions from their head coach to be fearless in their final assault on the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“The players can inspire a whole country now, they can inspire a sporting community,” former Japan coach Jones said.
“That’s the opportunity they’ve got and all the messages we’ve seen back in England show that there’s a bit of a rugby fever going on. Now mums are telling kids ‘play rugby,’ be the next Kyle Sinckler, be the next Ellis Genge, and that’s the opportunity they’ve got.
“It changes how the country feels about itself for a period of time – it might change at the next general election – but for a period of time it changes how people feel about themselves and that’s the greatest joy.
“If I look back at Japan and look at the growth of rugby in Japan from what we did in 2015, it’s spectacular.
“People in Japan love rugby now, they didn’t before. You’ve got this opportunity to change people’s lives through the ability to play rugby and that’s a gift.
“We will play with no fear. Play with no fear. How fantastic is it for the young bunch of guys we have? Every sporting person out there is looking at the game.
“It’s the biggest sporting event on at that time. Saturday night is the biggest sporting event in the world. And our players get to play in that arena.
“What an exciting opportunity for them to be themselves, to play with spirit, to play with pride play with an English style of play?”
England stormed into the final with a breathtaking 19-7 victory over champions New Zealand but against the bulldozing South Africans they face a test of their resolve as much as their wits.
Assistant coach John Mitchell billed the repeat of the 2007 final as a clash between the sport’s two most imposing sides and Jones insists the country should be proud of its rugby identity.
“I wanted to develop a power style as the England have tough, big players,” said Jones, who was appointed as Stuart Lancaster successor in late 2015.
“It suited us to play a power style of rugby and we will be tested on Saturday as we are playing against the other most powerful team in the world.
“The players are proud of the style they play and they know it’s their style. It’s not someone else’s style.
“They have evolved the style of play they have evolved the tactics they play with and they own the game.”