Ma boyz, I wuvs you, you make me proud still :)
Well done South Africa. Although it pains me to admit it, you may well just have deserved the win. In terms of consistent world-cup winning levels of performance and being the better team you were the winners from the start. Your line-out was superb as ever and you worked fantastically as a whole.
Be that as it may, I am extremely proud of the England team. They have out-done themselves and I certainly do not wish to see any negative or disparaging criticism in the press tomorrow - any reporter/journalist who attacks the team should be made to hang their head in shame. Preferably on Tower Bridge, separate from the rest of their body. ;) The team and the guys have done a fantastic job to pull themselves up as far as they have - as those who follow rugby regularly will know. England have come from a long way behind in just a matter of weeks to get themselves into the final and that is something every guy on that team - and the whole country too - can be proud of. They have showed the rest of the world that not only do the have the skills and talent to be in top-rung of world rugby teams but the mental strength and sheer determination to prove their doubters wrong, an enviable trait in any team.
England put in a passionate and heart-felt perforamnce but didn't have the experience as a team - as 'one' - to pull off the ultimate win which is the difference between tonight and four years ago. Let's hope that that the heads of English rugby see sense long enough to get off their laurels and appoint Brian Ashton for a couple of years yet, to see that he has the chance to build the solid foundations of team that go on to better the 2007 placement down in NZ in 2011. if any criticism should be levied it is at the RFU for being laid-back and too relaxed after the 2003 win.
A couple of specific points re the match: England gifted South Africa 6 of their 15 points through poor discipline in the first half. Perhaps it was just a few nerves or trying to get away with things and not. Whatever, you don't give Montgomery straight shots at goal. On a player note I was impressed with Flood once he came on too. During last week's match with France he made his lack of experience show in a number of glaring errors. tonight however his sheer enthusiasm and keenness to get in there and have a go were impressive.
Lastly: It was not a try. May God forgive me. It wasn't. During the match I was up and screaming like a banshee having multiple orgasms when Cueto went over. Even when the video ref was reviewing the footage I was convinced it was a try and gob smacked when it wasn't awarded, calling Stewart Dickinson and the ref all the names under the sun. Afterwards when they went over the footage again though it was clear that his knee foot had touched the line so the ball was out. Fucking gutting, yes. Would the ref have given it in days prior to video refs, yes. But it's a pro game now and that's the way they've decided to go. Brave call from Dickinson though - like the ref said was there "Any reason for him not to allow the try?". Would it have changed the result? Perhaps, but it was a difficult conversion and had it not gone over we would still have been behind. As it was we got three points so not the best, but not the worst outcome.
It feels funny that you are not 'allowed' to get/have something that you want so badly. Had the world cup been won purely by my own willing, it would've been 54-6. To England of course. :p But there we go. The team can come away with their heads held extremely high and I for one am glad that I have been able to enjoy their tournament. Well done Phil, Brian and team. You are a group of men that we can be proud to call English and I look forward to catching a fair few of at the Falcons again soon. (Green Slime, urgh ... !)
Next time I am going to go back to the Netherlands and sit and watch the game in an Irish pub on French TV (yes, with French commentary) so that the winning charms of 2003 may be restored .... ! LOL! Yes, that was how I watched it (alone amongst a bunch of Aussie ex-pats :D ) last time round!
P.S. Did anyone else feel a little bit funny when they saw our future king praying that the try be allowed ... ?!
Be that as it may, I am extremely proud of the England team. They have out-done themselves and I certainly do not wish to see any negative or disparaging criticism in the press tomorrow - any reporter/journalist who attacks the team should be made to hang their head in shame. Preferably on Tower Bridge, separate from the rest of their body. ;) The team and the guys have done a fantastic job to pull themselves up as far as they have - as those who follow rugby regularly will know. England have come from a long way behind in just a matter of weeks to get themselves into the final and that is something every guy on that team - and the whole country too - can be proud of. They have showed the rest of the world that not only do the have the skills and talent to be in top-rung of world rugby teams but the mental strength and sheer determination to prove their doubters wrong, an enviable trait in any team.
England put in a passionate and heart-felt perforamnce but didn't have the experience as a team - as 'one' - to pull off the ultimate win which is the difference between tonight and four years ago. Let's hope that that the heads of English rugby see sense long enough to get off their laurels and appoint Brian Ashton for a couple of years yet, to see that he has the chance to build the solid foundations of team that go on to better the 2007 placement down in NZ in 2011. if any criticism should be levied it is at the RFU for being laid-back and too relaxed after the 2003 win.
A couple of specific points re the match: England gifted South Africa 6 of their 15 points through poor discipline in the first half. Perhaps it was just a few nerves or trying to get away with things and not. Whatever, you don't give Montgomery straight shots at goal. On a player note I was impressed with Flood once he came on too. During last week's match with France he made his lack of experience show in a number of glaring errors. tonight however his sheer enthusiasm and keenness to get in there and have a go were impressive.
Lastly: It was not a try. May God forgive me. It wasn't. During the match I was up and screaming like a banshee having multiple orgasms when Cueto went over. Even when the video ref was reviewing the footage I was convinced it was a try and gob smacked when it wasn't awarded, calling Stewart Dickinson and the ref all the names under the sun. Afterwards when they went over the footage again though it was clear that his knee foot had touched the line so the ball was out. Fucking gutting, yes. Would the ref have given it in days prior to video refs, yes. But it's a pro game now and that's the way they've decided to go. Brave call from Dickinson though - like the ref said was there "Any reason for him not to allow the try?". Would it have changed the result? Perhaps, but it was a difficult conversion and had it not gone over we would still have been behind. As it was we got three points so not the best, but not the worst outcome.
It feels funny that you are not 'allowed' to get/have something that you want so badly. Had the world cup been won purely by my own willing, it would've been 54-6. To England of course. :p But there we go. The team can come away with their heads held extremely high and I for one am glad that I have been able to enjoy their tournament. Well done Phil, Brian and team. You are a group of men that we can be proud to call English and I look forward to catching a fair few of at the Falcons again soon. (Green Slime, urgh ... !)
Next time I am going to go back to the Netherlands and sit and watch the game in an Irish pub on French TV (yes, with French commentary) so that the winning charms of 2003 may be restored .... ! LOL! Yes, that was how I watched it (alone amongst a bunch of Aussie ex-pats :D ) last time round!
P.S. Did anyone else feel a little bit funny when they saw our future king praying that the try be allowed ... ?!