DULL ENGLAND SO RAINBOW NATION
AFTER so much expectation and optimism, for it all to come to such a bitter end like that was so deflating. They just couldn’t finish the job.
I take my hat off to South Africa – they were excellent, particularly their scrum and defence – but England weren’t good enough on the day. And a World Cup Final is not the day for that.
England could not seem to get going. The injury to Kyle Sinckler early on was a blow but the absence of one player cannot be blamed for how many mistakes there were.
It wasn’t for lack of effort but England couldn’t seem to get a foothold in the match. There were so few glimpses of what they are capable of.
I know how it feels for the players, having lost two World Cup Finals myself in two codes – they will be hurting for a long time.
It’s such a shame after they put so much into this campaign. England have come a long way in four years since they went out at the pool stage of their home World Cup. But a silver medal will feel worthless after coming so close.
The cards fell South Africa’s way with England eliminating New Zealand. I rate the Springboks – the turnaround job Rassie Erasmus has done is exceptional – but I still don’t think they would have beaten the All Blacks in the final.
They made the most of their opportunity yesterday. Unfortunately, England didn’t.
AS Owen Farrell lay on the ground and turned to see Cheslin Kolbe disappearing towards the try-line, he must have known it was all over.the Southafrican wing had just slipped through the England captain’s fingers and so had the Rugbyworld Cup.
In Farrell’s eyeline was a giant hoarding with an image of the trophy and the words “RWC final”. England had just lost it after a performance they will regret for the rest of their lives.
They had breezed through this tournament as if they were to the manor born but when it mattered, they fell short.
They were ragged.they were vulnerable.
And they were well beaten by the deserved winners, South Africa.
Did England get ahead of themselves after the humbling of the All Blacks? Well, certainly some people did, with one high street store hurriedly removing “England world champions 2019 T-shirts” from their online offerings.
The players will insist until their dying day that they did not, but they played like a team who just expected to win.turn up at the same ground at the same time and they would play the same, wouldn’t they? Well, they didn’t. Not by a long chalk.
After the majesty of a week ago came the misery of a no-show on the biggest night of their careers. It was 80 minutes they will never get back.
Four months ago, Eoin Morgan lifted the Cricketworld Cup.the match was agonising ecstasy, a slow-burner against New Zealand that reached melting temperatures in its conclusion, when the Super Over went supernova.that was a day for Lord’s to cast aside its stuffy image and go all primal as Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were doing their things.
Here, though, was a galling reminder