A Bridge too Far for Ashton's Army

Well, there's no shame in being beaten by the best. Despite tearing up the form book, the play book and any other book you care to mention, England's oak-strong World Cup challenge was finally neutralised by a clinical Springbok team, who adopted their opponent's tactics in closing out a second world title.

On the day (or evening, rather), there can be few complaints from Brian Ashton and his team, after vastly-overachieving in the tournament's final equation. Had South Africa blown the English away, it would have provided a bitter after-taste to the deposed champion's sweet run to the final; but the two teams tussled competitively, and it's no disservice to the Boks to say it could have gone either way.

The Cueto 'try' call was of course crucial. The extra points would have almost certainly allowed England to mount a more credible challenge during the game's dying moments, and the boot of Monsieur Jonny may well have become the deciding factor once again. Although I'm of the mind that the attacking team should benefit when there is such an element of doubt for the TMO to take into account, probably, just about, on balance, extremely grudgingly, Stuart Dickinson - probably - got it right.

Allain Rolland's 'crossing' decision - a far worse call - some 15 minutes later, effectively ended it for Phil Vickery and co. Despite allowing an almost identical incident involving Bryan Habana to pass unnoticed, Rolland decided that Cueto had used Ben Kay to obstruct the South African tacklers, allowing a different boot, this time belonging to tyro Francois Steyn, to put England's chances to bed. The decision didn't look hugely significant at the time, but had England been awarded a similar penalty beforehand then the difference would probably have been reduced to three points again. Ah, for ifs and buts...

South Africa were my own tip from the start, and they've played the most consistently well since touching down in France. But England have salvaged a lot from their increasingly durable performances, and should now set about getting their house in order so that the post-World Cup blues does not strike twice.

Although I thought the grinding, forwards-based style of play championed by England in '03 was as dated as Martin Corry's haircut, it prevailed again; but invention with the ball in hand must be added to satisfy onlookers and ensure that the team is not simply outmuscled in future. If the blend can be perfected, there may be fewer surprises next time they get the Web-Ellis out of its cupboard...

Favourites Dazzled by Northern Lights

Deftly sidestepping my last post on the dominance of the southern hemisphere, two giants of the northern game delivered hammer blows to antipodean rugby in a barnstorming World Cup quarter final weekend. Australia and the overwhelming favourites New Zealand were sent tumbling out of what is cranking up to be an outstanding tournament - setting up a repeat of 2003's Anglo-Gallic last four clash, and potentially clearing a path to the trophy for this year's form team: South Africa.

As the events of Saturday dramatically unfolded it became increasingly clear that we had been watching two games of incredible moment. Bernard Laporte's Redemption Blues will have left livid marks across the hearts and souls of many a Kiwi, and the recriminations will surely not be long in coming; but it was the English assault on their oldest enemy that was the more impressive, as unexpected as it was timely.

The odds on such an outcome as Saturday morning dawned must have been enticing. France were clinging to memories of their famous 1999 humbling of the All Blacks at Twickenham, having conceded over 100 points during two meetings between the teams in June. England, like Les Bleus runners-up in their group, had the withdrawal of Andy Farrell from Brian Ashton's original XV to contend with, as well as suggestions that the Aussies were less than daunted by the prospect of facing the English back line.

Yet as the dust settled on the opening exchanges, it became clear that England's early-tournament hesitancy had been banished. Opting to revert to traditional strengths, white shirts pounded into gold again and again, disrupting Australian phases, shaking the confidence of the world's second ranked team. Ashton's charges were emboldened as the ball was transferred efficiently if not electrically through the attack, a renewed purpose infusing their play; and then came the detonation of the Australian scrum.

It's clear now that the tests posed by Fiji, Wales, Japan and Canada were not quite the best preparation for Matt Dunning, Stephen Moore and Guy Shepherdson. As England's front row, powered by the man-mountain, Andrew Sheridan, ground repeatedly against the head, cracks appeared more devastating than the San Francisco fault line. And with Lewis Moody crashing into the breakdown, Nick Easter punching holes in the Australian defence, and Simon Shaw even displaying a cute eye for an offload, England's front eight supremacy left their opponents floored.

Not that it wasn't tight. The tension was almost paralysing as the minutes ticked away: and when Stirling Mortlock cocked his boot for a siege gun effort from way out on the left, a nation crossed everything it had to cross. But despite Jonny's errant kicking, and the inability to cross the try-line (though Mike Catt was a dropped pass and five yards from doing so), the lads sneaked home, worthy winners, huge drifts of pent-up frustration sliding from their shoulders. Bloody fantastic, and almost as exhausting to watch!

And then came the drama of Cardiff. Quite why the Kiwis played such a narrow game, picking and driving into a staggering French Resistance, with the calibre of the backs they had lining up outside, I don't know. But that mercurial cockerel, still recovering from its Argentine bullocking, crows on, and will fancy its chances against England. With both teams building their way into form, we could be set for an enthralling crescendo next weekend.

The winners in all this, other than in the immediate sense, must be South Africa. Jake White has navigated his team's path smoothly through to the semis, keeping his star performers fresh, and chalking up some impressive displays in the doing. While they will surely need to play better than against Fiji to end Argentina's continuing fairytale, the final beckons. And even if their performance arcs continue upwards, England and France must face a mighty Bok standing in the way of their quest for glory...

Pacific Storm

In the two weeks since England's schooling at the hands of the Springboks, the ascendency of the southern hemisphere has become increasingly confirmed. However, aside from the fearsome triumvirate of South Africa, New Zealand and the Aussies, it has been the Pacific islanders making waves at this French World Cup.

The Samoans were widely considered as the most dangerous coming into the tournament, their greater experience and destructive runners more fancied than the attributes of either Tonga or the Fijians. And Samoa brought their physicality to bear in England's battling, resurgent victory of last Saturday; as they pummelled the English line in the second half, it took a deal more resistance than many thought Brian Ashton's men had to keep the blue waves at bay.

But moments of menace are different to sustained threat, and Tuilagi and Co. found little consistency at any point during the pool stage. The ability to maintain a 'perfect storm' of attacking rugby seemed to have passed across the international dateline to their neighbours the Tongans, who terrorised South Africa for much of their group encounter before the second-string Saffers squeaked home. For England, the task of neutralising one of the tournament's best back rows so far must have seemed as daunting as anything they had planned for.

In the event, the Tongan centres almost filleted their opposite numbers; but a much improved English rhythm enabled the monstrous red tide to be bravely withstood and then effectively subdued. Memories of Epi Taione and Sukanaivalu Hufanga slaloming through a routed defence will be treasured for some time though, while the extraordinary outline of Finau Maka must surely now loom large on the horizon of world rugby. If the Tongans (or their islander brothers) get a fair crack at the big nations from here on, that is.

And after this afternoon's thrilling contest between Wales and Fiji, there can surely be no argument that the lesser-known lights of Australasian rugby are deserving of greater exposure. The Fijians displayed raw power, technical accomplishment and no little spirit in slaying the Welsh Dragon, blasting holes in a hierarchy that has become increasingly destabilised. Argentina will likely dump Ireland out of the tournament tomorrow, establishing another point on the new power axis, while Scotland face pressure from the slowly improving Italian game for a quarter final berth. Only the traditional powers from the southern hemisphere remain comfortable dining at the top table.

In his French headquarters, Brian Ashton will be hoping that the stern Pacific test his players have passed in the last week will go a good way towards preparing them for their game with Australia. And while South Africa will not be unduly worried by their quarter final with Fiji, we will at least have another opportunity to view some more of the islanders' tenacious play. Surely the IRB's top priority must now be to make sure that the growing storm isn't allowed pass.

So where's it all going wrong?

England's RWC travails have left most of us wondering whether someone had significantly changed the rules since the last time out. A stumbling performance against the US Eagles was followed by bald failure in the face of South Africa's (not inconsiderable) threat. But for all the menace of the Boks, more worrying was England's paucity of ideas, pedestrian running and inept execution. The wheels haven't just fallen off; the transmission appears to have bust too.

Stoic resistance was one characteristic of Friday's drubbing - and defensively we fought pretty well, managing to head off Habana and co for the most part of the first half. However, in possession, not only were penetrative moves at a premium, but attempted incursions often became shambolic retreats, the ball slipping through groping fingers, bouncing of body parts, and compounding the already parlous lack of ideas.

How has this happened on Ashton's watch? A coach renowned for his ability to get players' hands on the ball and minds in gear, he has been reduced to piecing together a physically intimidating, but mentally slow, team of hasbeens and hopefuls with little opportunity to fine-tune their thinking. That said, even if they were all on the same wavelength, the low level of skill represented by the white shirt currently would probably see any semblance of sophisticated rugby remain an island in a sea of turgid forward play.

A case in point must be Andy Farrell, for all that I think he is a good player. His speed of thought at times cannot be matched by his speed of hand (and the first isn't particularly lightning), forcing him to try things that are patently not on. Giving away possession helps release pressure on a defending team and England as a whole have been guilty of basic mistakes that let their opponents of the hook. Amateurish errors and sloppy penalties have rendered what game plan we do have effectively null and void - the fact that no one appears to be running lines, attempting to outwit defences, or offloading effectively in the tackle shouldn't mean that simple passing through the hands is beyond us.

With the honourable exception of Jason Robinson, who played like blood and thunder against the Springboks, and Olly Barkley, who missed the most recent outing, we look glaringly ill-equipped to take on the top nations at this tournament. It's to be hoped that a certain Mr. Wilkinson will return to the fold for the Samoa game, if only for his ability to extract points in the face of the most stubborn resistance, while a fit Barkley wouldn't go amiss either. However, Ashton perhaps needs to go with his gut from now on, and stop attempting to balance old and new ideologies. Only by freeing his players from their mental shackles (and sharpening up their basic skills) will England be able to endure at this World Cup now.

Argentine Magic

What a fantastic start to the rugby World Cup! Few expected the Pumas to out-muscle Les Bleus in yesterday evening's curtain-raiser, but a marvelous display of commitment and application saw the French cockerel well and truly strangled.

Seemingly overcome by nerves, Bernard Laporte's players committed a horrendous amount of unforced errors, allowing Argentina to chip away at French confidence and push the game out of the hosts' reach. The kicking out of hand by both sides highlighted the contrasts, with Juan Hernandez's steepling kicks repeatedly allowing his blue and white team mates to regain possession. Stuttering and scruffy, France's kicking mirrored their play as they booted the ball back to their opponents time and again.

Whilst one bad call does not a defeat make, Laporte's decision to go with Cedric Heymans, a winger by trade, at full-back looked particularly culpable, as his poor decision-making in an alien position repeatedly placed the pressure back on blue shoulders. The half-back partnership of Mignoni and Skrela was equally indecisive, while missed goal kicks by the starting 10, and then his replacement, Frederic Michalak, were also costly.

That the generally outstanding Felipe Contepomi missed two late shots to seal the result, as well as narrowly failed to take a pass that would have seen him through for a game-winning try, underlined how Argentina richly deserved the outcome, however. In the loose they were ferocious, with Mario Ledesma and Juan Leguizamon particularly conspicuous. Their opportunism enabled them to steal a try from nothing, after a French mistake put Ignacio Corleto through, and they wisely took points from most of their forays into home territory in the first half. The way they shut up shop in the second will not have gone unnoticed by Ireland.

Only once before had the home nation lost the opening game of a rugby World Cup tournament - England in 1991. The Red Rose still managed to grace the final that year, however, and France will be hoping that their cockerel is still crowing come October 20th. On last night's showing, it doesn't look likely.