Texans in the hunt
from ALEX SPINK in Yokohama
MARO ITOJE stood and stared into space, struggling to keep his emotions in check.
“Losing this game is one of the most painful experiences I’ve had in life,” he said. “Not only in my rugby career.
“Sport is cruel sometimes. We just didn’t get our game going. We didn’t start with the tenacity we had planned. We are very gutted. This meant a lot to a lot of people.”
Out on the main stage Siya Kolisi was being hailed as the first black captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, an accolade one or two of us felt could go to Itoje in France next time round.
England were not the first team to beat the All Blacks during a World Cup and then not lift the trophy. Four times in six tournaments it has happened.
But there was no consolation in that, as South Africa celebrated and the Rugby Football Union hastily abandoned plans for a victory parade tomorrow in central London.
Itoje, one of the stars of this World Cup, added: “As you can imagine, it’s a tough time and period to go through. But if we stay together all will be well in a while.”
England conceded five scrum penalties on Saturday. A weapon became a weakness confronted by a magnificent Springbok pack.
“We weren’t there on the day. And we got caught,” said coach Eddie Jones. “The reality is something slightly wasn’t right and we couldn’t fix it on the field. That happens.”
But the future remains bright. As Itoje’s team-mate George Ford said: “We’ve massively enjoyed our time together, we’ve become closer as a group and played some good rugby along the way.”
And scrum-half Ben Youngs, who was winning his 97th cap, said England were able to look themselves in the mirror because they had given everything to try to land the World Cup.
“In rugby, in any entitlement,” he said.
“Just because of what we did last week, we were never entitled to come here and do the same. One of the things that I look at is South sport, there is never an
Africa never had to chase the game. They never allowed us to get into a position to make them.
“Against a team like that, when you are chasing for the whole game, it becomes harder and harder and harder and eventually they get you. But we never stopped trying to go at them.
“I am hurting but I am also very proud because I was there in 2015 when we went out after the pool stages.
“We said in the changing room, ‘Could we have trained any harder?’ ‘No.’ ‘Could we have prepped any better?’ ‘Genuinely not.’ We have done everything to try and win this. We just didn’t get it.” Ultimately, it was the pressure of the occasion which did for them – just as it did for South Africa in their opening game loss to New Zealand.
But the Boks were better for that experience and for a subsequent talk given by coach Rassie Erasmus about what exactly pressure is.
“In South Africa it is not having a job,” he told them. “Pressure is having a close relative who is murdered. Rugby should not be something that creates pressure, rugby should create hope.”
On Saturday, England felt pressure and had little hope. Their challenge is to use the lesson they have been taught to free them next time. (from left)
■ NFL JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS were mauled 26-3 by Houston at Wembley to leave their play-off hopes in tatters.
DeShaun Watson threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans, while DeAndre Hopkins caught eight passes, one of them for the game-clinching touchdown.
The Jaguars have lost five of their nine games this season, while Houston improved to 6-3 and remain well in contention for February’s Super Bowl.