Final means the world to Watson
LOW- KEY CUP A ‘ BIG DEAL’ FOR ENGLAND
ANTHONY WATSON says losing the World Cup final with England has him fired up for the climax to the Autumn Nations Cup.
The tournament has delivered little by way of entertainment and its credibility has been undermined badly by France picking a second team for the final.
Team- mate Billy Vunipola, right, said: “As much as people want to build it up, this is not a World Cup final.”
But Watson, still haunted by the crushing defeat by South Africa in Japan, insists Sunday’s showpiece is vital to England’s growth towards the 2023 World Cup.
“We lost to France in the Six Nations, we also lost our last final,” he said. “This is a big deal. I don’t think the lads will be short on motivation.
“We want to win trophies, regardless of whether it’s a tournament that’s just been made or one that’s been there for years.
“Putting yourself in finals is where you measure yourself as a player. It’s the highest pressure game you can play, a real test of you as a player and as a team.”
A year ago England failed that challenge badly in Yokohama a week after playing New Zealand off the pitch. “I’m not going to say I’ll get over it because I don’t think I ever will,” said Watson. “It’s about getting used to these finals and putting our gameplan into force, which we didn’t do in the last final.
“We haven’t focused directly on the tactics of that final, more that we were favourites and didn’t do what we said we would. There were issues with the training week.” Issues?
“Minute things,” said the England back. “Or things we thought were minute that probably should have been spoken about and weren’t.”
Watson says the difference was “probably just an edge, those one percenters in training”.
The coaches still wonder whether they got the preparation wrong in terms of physical and emotional balance, coming off such a high as the semi- final.
“It’s all about initiating the pressure and a year ago we weren’t able to,” said defence coach John Mitchell. “To do that you’ve got to be very clear, tactically.”
Sunday is a chance for payback with France the only team to beat England in 2020. “It’s something that sits with us, something you want to settle,” said Mitchell.