Itoje: We didn’t get going – we are gutted
MARO ITOJE stood and stared into space, struggling to keep his emotions in check.
Out on the main stage Siya Kolisi was being hailed as the first black captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
England were not the first team to beat the All Blacks during a World Cup and then blow the final.
It has happened four times in six tournaments.
But there was no consolation in that as South Africa celebrated and plans for a victory parade in central London were scrapped.
Saracens lock Itoje, one of the stars of this World Cup, said: “Sport is cruel sometimes. We just didn’t get our game going.
“We didn’t start with the tenacity we had planned. We are gutted – this meant a lot to a lot of people. It’s a tough time to go through. But if we stay together all will be well in a while.”
A World Cup in France in four years might seem a lifetime away but it will not be long before England boss Eddie Jones will begin the process of refreshing his team in the Six Nations with an eye on 2023.
The Australian has promised to tailor his squad with the next cycle in the global calendar in mind.
Jones said: “This team is finished now. We’ll make a new team for the Six Nations and that will be the basis of going to the next World Cup.”
Yet wholesale changes are unlikely given how many of this young side will still be available for France.
Only two 30-year-olds started against South Africa – scrum-half Ben Youngs and second row Courtney Lawes.
But for now, France still seems a long way off.
Itoje added: “Losing this game is one of the most painful experiences I’ve had in life, not only in my rugby career.”