The phoney war is almost over.
England are the only team through to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals with a 100% record, progressing with five wins from five games.
They are unbeaten, but not undoubted.
Victories over Argentina, Japan, Chile, Samoa and Fiji have kept England’s campaign purring steadily forward. Not all the wins have been convincing, but on each occasion they have ended up on the right side of the scoreline.
The caveat is that they have also been on the right side of the draw.
On Saturday night, the velvet rope drops and they bash shoulders with the tournament’s big rollers.
bbc
South Africa – the defending champions, who enacted their own Parisian revolution last weekend by deposing the hosts – have long set the sort of standards to which England coach Steve Borthwick’s men aspire.
The Springboks are a team of gargantuan power and exhilarating pace, whose patterns run along well-worn grooves. They can overwhelm opponents with diesel grunt up the middle or out-gas them with pace out wide.
Former coach Eddie Jones’ attempt to add dimensions to England ultimately folded flat. After the last Rugby World Cup and that painful final defeat by South Africa, he hoped to mould a team that could change tack and flip tactics mid-match.
Instead the transition was fumbled and it was the victors who succeeded in augmenting their repertoire.
Jacques Nienaber, Rassie Erasmus, Mzwandile Stick – a long-standing coaching brains trust – take the credit for that. They have had the time that Borthwick, appointed at the end of last year, hasn’t. And they have spent it well.
Since Japan 2019, they have overseen a gradual evolution of their backline, bringing through playmakers Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse and elevating sevens specialist Kurt-Lee Arendse into the Test game.
In the forwards, their deployment of game-changing impact replacements in the front row has changed the way Test rugby is played. And, while others have talked about the concept of hybrid players, they turned it into reality.
Saturday’s replacement hooker is Deon Fourie. The 37-year-old converted from front row to back row nearly a decade ago, but, at this late stage in his career, he has reverted back to allow the Boks to carry extra cover elsewhere in the squad.
The detail in the Boks’ game runs to reams of such small print and footnotes. England, by Borthwick’s admission, are working to a simpler plan, hoping their headline strengths are punchy enough to make up the difference.
Whether they can or not divides opinion.
One Rugby World Cup winner – Joel Stransky – said he would “fall over backwards” in shock if South Africa lose.
Another – Will Greenwood – would be less surprised by an England win.
“They have been building towards this,” said the former England centre about the current side.
“They will not go quietly into the night. If South Africa win it, they will have to be fabulous.”
The perception gap is filled with imponderables.
How much did that tussle with France physically and emotionally drain South Africa, who are unchanged for their meeting with England?
How much belief has built behind the scenes of England’s siege mentality?
If the rain falls as forecast, might a saturated playing field be a more level one?
Come Saturday evening, we will know.
If England win, their claim to be serious contenders for the trophy will be suddenly and vividly realised. The doubters and detractors will be answered and the plaudits fully deserved. Borthwick’s faith in his side and his style will be vindicated in style.
Lose though – especially by a wide margin – and those pretensions crumble to dust and ashes.
Either way, England’s day of reckoning has arrived. South Africa will take them to previously unknown rugby altitudes, the brutal heights where titles are decided.
It’s time to step up or stand down.
Hello all almost kick off time, Very hastily article to get on in time so folk can chat.
Hope it’s a good game. GO BOKS!!!
Bullscot wrote:
Well done Bullscot….
Good evening
Here we go!
I’ve not done any superBru… Just can’t decide what I’d predict at this point!
Anthems over. Very nervous for this one so may not post much so can concentrate more on the game. Looks like some rain around in Paris hope it doesn’t make for lots of handling errors.
Am surprised SA went 5-3 split on bench. In this chilly damp weather think the forwards will need to work hard and Jean Kleyn would be best suited to be on the bench as he has lots of experience of playing up north.
Keep breathing Bully! 😉
Enjoy the game!
Eng 9/3 33rd min
Libbok subbed after just more than half an hour Pollard on
Eng 12/6 SA 39th min
And that’s half time.
Blue Bird wrote:
Thanks. Are you enjoying game Blue Bird? Not so much this side. Hoping for a better 2nd half
Springboks were very poor most of the first half apart from Arendse who has tried hard. Forwards better start playing like they should otherwise will be contesting 3rd place play off next week
Eng 15/6 SA 67th min game must be England’s from here
Boks scrum has been strong since sub’s on and they win another penalty which Pollard kicks to 7m out from England line
Try Boks 70th min is there enough time to make it back…
Eng 15/13 SA as Pollard converts. COME ON BOKS!
70th min now and Bongi getting treatment he somehow has to last whole game. England in SA 22 with SA line out. England will be happy with the territory
Woah, that was some semi final!
Well done to The Boks….. but what happened there, it was a painful grind at times!
Are you partying now Bullscot?
Well done on the thread, but where are the old crew?
Hey Ho….have a great Sunday all x
Another 1 point win by Boks. Left it so late. Lucky or not will take the win. Commiserations Blue Bird your team made it hard.
Blue Bird wrote:
Thank you no partying my old heart is still beating too fast 😆 Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Hope we can get more folk on board for next weekend
ahahahahahahha
I was there
what a game !
was it rugby ?
loved the passing game from both teams
great great performance
against the mighty England
will bring many boys and girls to the rugby school…
TC
Paris
Big win by Bulls against Scarlets in the URC today
Glasgow 29/20 Leinster 63rd minute. 2 tries so far for Leinster, Glasgow have try bonus point hopefully can hold on for the win
Glasgow 43/25 Leinster 80th min. Looks like Leinster have 2 players off with yellow cards
Final score: Glasgow Warriors 43/25 Leinster. Big win for a strong Glasgow team against a much weakened Leinster one with so many big players resting since the World Cup
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