THE ULTIMATE DISASTER FOR ENGLAND

 

(Image taken from BBC)

 

Well we certainly don't have a good record against South Africa. The last time we faced them was earlier this year and we got beat 55-22 and Loftus Versfeld. OK so it wasn't all that long back since we last beat them, we did the business 23-21 last year at Twickenham but such victories against the big guns have become rare. The one thing resembling a good omen was our 25-6 World Cup Group stage victory back in '03 at the Subaico Oval, and that was a very different England side.

This England side, had captain Phil Vickery suspended after an iffy trip in the dodgy victory over the US. Martin Corry took the armband from him for this match. We had Wilkinson and Catt injured, so took a mad gamble on Andy Farrell as kicker,Catt, Sackey, Schmidt, Easter were all back in the starting XV. However we were facing a Boks side at the Stade de France that were hungry and that they had the class to embarrass us if we let them.

Well our opening was weak and it was not long before JP Pieterson was racing down the touchline, a few messed up tackles later and guess what, an early Boks try through Juan Smith, Percy Montgomery making it seven and it wasn't long after that that Francois Steyn added a penalty. Credit where credit's due after that, in spite of some dodged bullets, we actually looked like keeping the Boks at bay for most of the half and had a lot of attacking play, just nothing the Boks couldn't handle. If we'd managed to shut up shop till half time, it wouldn't have been so bad, but then Montgomery added a late penalty and then Fourie de Preez stole the ball off Farrell and was allowed to surge through the entire England half before setting up Pieterson for a score. Boks led 2-0 at half time and England already looked like they had their work cut out.

The Boks were in no mood for mercy at the start of the second half, but as far as they were concerned it was job done. Montgomery soon kicking over another penalty and though England had some attacking play after that but even Robinson can't beat the Boks on his own. Montgomery kicked another pen and to make matters worse Robinson ended his career on the worst possible note, doing his hamstring. That's the last time we'll see him on a rugby pitch and it's been an honour. More limited England attacking followed and one again the Boks showed us how it should be done, de Preez getting the ball off a mall and setting up Pietersen for his second. Montgomery converted and the contest was pretty much over at that point, Montgomery adding another pen with England having given up. Boks won 36-0.

Elsewhere, Tonga faced the USA at the State de la Mosson. Tonga quickly opened the scoring with a Finau Maka try with Pierre Hola both converting that then adding two penalties. Mike Hercus eventually got the US off the mark with a penalty before Mike McDonald got a try to put the Eagles right back in the game. Tonga replied with a Joeseph Vaka try before the US turned up the heat again, Hercus converting a Louis Stanfield try. However William Valli finished the game off for Tonga, Hola converting. Tonga won 25-15. That currently pushes England down to third place in Pool A and out of a quarter final spot, level on points with second placed Tonga but with a -28 game points difference deficit!

In Pool B, Wales faced Australia at the Millenium Stadium. The Aussies opened the scoring with a Sirling Mortlock penalty only for Stephen Jones to match him for Wales. The Aussies retook the lead though when Matt Giteau grabbed a try, converted by Mortlock. Berrick Baines added a drop goal for the Wallabies before Mortlock and Chris Latham grabbed tries for the Aussies, Mortlock conveting the second. Then Wales made a comeback attempt, Johnathon Thomas getting their first try, converted by Hook who added a penalty only for the Aussies to put the Welsh down with a second Latham try, converted by Giteau. Shane Willams got a try to allow Wales to have the last word, converted by Hook but the Aussies still won 32-20. Wales remain second in the group though, level on points with third placed Fiji but with a +9 game points difference advantage, though five points behind the group leading Aussies.

In Pool D, Ireland faced Georgia at Chaban Delmas and the result was the messiest win so far by any of the British Isles teams. It wasn't till the middle of the 1st half that the Irish opened the scoring with a Rory Best try, converted by Ronan O'Gara and even then, the Georgians replied with a Merab Kvirikashvilli penalty before half time who then converted a Girogi Shkinin try to give his side the lead. Ireland won the game when OGara converted a Girvan Dempsey try but a 14-10 win is not good enough against this sort of opposition. Ireland remain in second place in the pool though, eight points ahead of third placed France and level on points with group leaders Argentina but with a -16 game point difference deficit.

In Pool C, New Zealand beat Portugal 108-13 at the Stade Gerland while Italy beat Romania 24-18 at the Stade Velodrome. That means that Scotland, despite taking this round of matches off, have still managed to remain in second place in the group, one point ahead of third placed Italy though five points behind the goup leading All Blacks, which sets Frank Hadden's crew up very nicely for a run to the quarter finals of the tournament.

So as things stand, the quarter finals are going to look like this:

South Africa vs Wales

Australia vs Tonga

New Zealand vs Ireland

Argentina vs Scotland

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