# Well Done South Africa



## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

In an earlier post I said that South Africa Would not win it, well they just have. I assumed that one team at least would be as strong as England 2003 but the 2007 comp has not revealed such a team. Even the technical SA coach has said as much. I can take pride in the fact that England managed to box above their weight and reach the final, something that every other team failed to do. No complaints re the Australian video judge either, I will go to bed with my conscience and he will go to bed with his. A final place would have surprised me at the start to be honest.

I'm happy that I supported my country during this comp, my country and no other country. I don't change my shirt like so many other supporters do when their own fails as usual.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Russ said:


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> I'm happy that I supported my country during this comp, my country and no other country. I don't change my shirt like so many other supporters do when their own fails as usual.


I change my shirt every day. starts to get a bit smelly otherwise.









Alasdair


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

It wasn't a particularly good game for either side, SA won every lineout but a couple of England youngsters showed great talent and promise for the future.

I find it very difficult to watch England in finals, the adrenaline levels get too high - it is even worse when they are playing SA as that's where I was born (left when aged 3 but still have blood and emotional ties).

Well done to both sides, a remarkably clean match.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

A valiant effort, too many mistakes though esp at the line out.

I bet we here endless reports on how we were robbed by the video ref!

Well done England, I never thought you'd get this far.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

A war of attrition, a rubbish game, reminded me of the football world cup of last year. A dismal end to a tournament and I have seen too many of them for it to be a coincidence, fortune favours the brave, but today there were no brave coaches, too much at stake, better to lose a war of attrition that go for glory









One try in 3 games does not make worthy world champions, it would have not reflected well on the game IMO if England had won. Although I wanted them to, said Mark hastily backtracking.


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Alas said:


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Well if you are a Scot I bet you do, the Scottish one won't stay on too long.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Russ said:


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Ah but you see we know our level. Quarter finals again which was more than expected and then made the same mistake as England in the Final. Try to grind it out against Argentina instead of going for it.

The only real loser from the game tonight was rugby as it was an awful match. There have been too many of them this time with a lot of teams opting to play that way. Only Tonga. Fiji and Samoa tried to play any entertaining stuff and the French and All Blacks just seemed to misfire when the pressure came on.

Oh well off to bed and must remember to put my S.Africa shirt in the wash as I spilled cider all over it when the final whistle went.






























Alasdair


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Alas said:


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Well I agree with most of that. The final of anything these days seems to be about trying not to lose. When you look at some of the footage of the Welsh team in the 70's you can see just how much the game has changed. The teams have become so good it's not as good to watch anymore if that makes sense.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

It was a great game, not for its flowing runnning rugby but for its sheer intensity and I am really proud of what England achieved.

I don't know how the TMO ruled that Cueto was in touch from all the views I saw you couldn't tell when the ball was grounded, and given Roland asked the TMO "if there was any reason why he couldn't award" .... but that's the rub of the green. Even Jake White said that England were unlucky not to be awarded the try! Add to that a bit of indiscipline by Lewis Moody and a tough call against Martin Corry ... 6 points to Percy! In a still photo shown on Sky News it does look as if the TMO's call was correct the end of Cueto's boot just touching the edge of the whitewash and the ball still in the air, a fraction of an inch!!

A big factor was as mentioned above the lineout, I counted that England lost eight of their own, Victor Matfield was just awesome for the Boks..

After 10 years in SA I still have a lot of feeling for the country and the Boks, watching news coverage from Jo'burg, nice to see, much rather Bill be in Jo'burg than Sydney or Auckland.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

The Match Stats are interesting, shows how little there was in it:

England - South Africa

0 - Tries - 0

0 - Conversions - 0

2 / 2 - Penalty goals (attempts) - 5 / 6

0 - Drop goals - 0

5 / 1 - Scrums (won/lost) - 9 / 0

19 / 7 - Line-outs (won/lost) - 13 / 0

4 - Turnovers won (at ruck and maul) - 4

77 / 88 - Tackles - 81 / 97

1 - Clean line break - 1

55% - Possession - 45%

57% - Territory - 43%

6' 48'' - Actual time in opponents - 22 3' 22''

10(10/0/0) - Errors (handling/kicking/restart) - 8(6/2/0)

44(34/10/0) - Possession kicked (in play/to touch/errors) - 48(28/18/2)

7 - Penalties conceded - 5

7 - Replacements - 3

0 - Yellow cards - 0

0 - Red cards - 0


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Though not my preferred style of play, I enjoyed the match very much - despite standing outside in the rain listening for the first 50 minutes, until the bouncer took pity and let me in to stand in the back







Only 3 pubs in the entire city of Seattle (and none in Tacoma







) showed the match and they were all packed from opening time.

I give credit to the Boks for beating England at their own game. The fact that they can play expansive rugby and/or in tight and still come up winners is impressive. TBH, I don't think the ABs can play successful power/forward rugby like the Boks did today - their lineout isn't good enough. Much respect to Jacobus "Os" du Randt, who played a full 80' at loosehead at age 35!























Well done to England for making the finals and still being in the game until the final minutes. Watching Wilko's interview it was clear that he fully expected to win the game. He's a champion for sure









Russ, when you're an American you have to be able to change your shirt daily after pool play ends


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Not sure what to say really - gutted that we lost but so mightily impressed & chuffed that we made it to the final in the first place - especially after making such a dismal start to the tournament. Well done to South Africa too - it wasn't a pretty match but they took their chances whenever they were presented.

I thought that both teams were quite evenly matched - from my point of view the 'Boks were gifted 6 points (3 legitimately courtesy of a stupid, pointless & deliberate trip by Lewis Moody & 3 from a questionable decision against Martin Corry). I thought Tate was poor until his fantastic break, after which he woke up & played a blinder, and I obviously think that we should have been awarded the try - I always thought that the benefit of the doubt was given to the attacking team in such circumstances







??

The Boks were exceptional in the line out & England stupidly gave the ball away at a couple crucial moments in them &, as JOT's figures show, they were probably a bit better than us in the scrum too. They had their moments of luck though too - Lewis Moody was rightly penalised for the aforementioned trip yet there was no similar punishment for a deliberate block by one of the Springboks (their captain I believe?) when England were going forward. Because of a couple of, what I consider to be, poor decisions I didn't rate the ref much at all







!

Anyway there you go it's done & dusted 'till the next one which I will watch just as avidly as I did this one - I just love rugby









It was a shame to see Jason Robinson end his carreer with both an injury & a defeat in the world cup final









Even in defeat I'd like to say well done England - for a group of grumpy old men I think you've done us proud


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I think Rugby has done well out of the WC. Last time, because the games were all in he early hours I didn't see many games and didn't get into the atmosphere of it all.

This time around I really enjoyed it, from the Argentinians 1st try in the opening match through the 0-36 and onto the fantastic fiji wales game it was all engrosing. I've learnt a lot in this past 7 weeks and it has certainly re kindled my liking for the game.

The final was a fantastic display of hard takling in the modern era, not the thrill of end to end try's that everyone seems to clamour for but an engrosing encounter none the less.

I'll certainly be trying to see more rugby from now on!


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

I'm glad you enjoyed it PG, RWC is rugby's showcase and should be able to attract former, peripheral and new fans. I was in Oz for RWC03 and the atmosphere was fantastic! Rugby was everywhere - banners on the streets, every pub had installed giant plasmas, and rugby was on everybody's minds. But I understand how from the UK it must have seemed very remote: during S14 season I'm up in the wee hours Thur and Fri mornings watching the Fri and Sat evening matches







Then I'm buggered for the rest of the weekend!














Having the event occur near to your own time zone makes it much easier to get involved in.


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