Glad I was at work. This would have gutted me.
Our coach has learned a lesson; you can’t win the world cup with has beens. We told him this 1,356,978 times but he would not listen. Now it’s to late.
Ragged defence, too many knock-ons and conceded penalties through ill-discipline, uninspired loose play and poor passing/off-loads with silly mistakes in set pieces and feeble goal kicking from England. While her consistently mediocre performance was good enough to beat group teams it was bound to fail against a world class team. Unfortunately France (which lost two pool matches and was only in the quarter finals by an undeserved miracle) played a class act yesterday, brutally exposing England‘s limitations at this level. Well, at least Britain has one team left for the quarter finals. The youthful Welsh side have played impressively, beating Pool C winners, a very experienced Irish line up. If Wales don’t win the tournament (and the iff-fullness is terrific) then I’d like to see the favourites win, New Zealand. If NZ or Oz win the cup then Britain (minus Wales) can feel they’ve won a quarter of it (the handles and the base at least), as this is equivalent to the area of the ANZAC’s national flags covered by the Union Jack.
Pieter, Not unsurprisingly De Villiers has quit as Springboks coach. What, by the way, was missy’s prognosis?
Your bitter quotation of Hal V after missing the Scots should have been saved for Friday night…
OK so I got 2 right, 2 wrong. Aus beating SA was a bit of a suprise, but obviously Aus v NZ is going to be a tasty match whatever happens. Wales v France should be pretty interesting, both have big hard hitting packs and I can see it turning into a bit of a grinder. Wales v NZ for the final me thinks.
@PhilipS, a biopsy confirm the mesothelioma and life expectency is between 4 and 18 months. Doctors may try chemo therapy but that will only be trying to bring back a bit of quality life for her. Her health is detorating at an alarming speed, she weighs 52kg only and has got no energy. Breathing is difficult, she’s coughing and I’m wondering whether she will still be with us by end of this year. But, we’ve placed this whole trauma in the hands of out Higher Power, that’s all we can do know. Thanks for asking and take care. Pietet
@Pieter, I’ve tried to PM you but my connection is rubbish, if you ever want to talk PM me. I know what you are going through I’ve seen my best friend, and uncle taken by cancer, it is horrendous beyond words. If you want a chat, the offer is there. My thoughts, prayers and condolences to you both. Take it easy and enjoy every moment. 
Stefan
I’m so sorry, Pieter.
How is it possible France did nothing to get to final? If you are Welsh and see this post, your team was heroic and deserved better.
Sending off the Wales captain after eighteen minutes of play seems to have courted controversy. However, tip tackles where a player is lifted off his feet, tipped upside down and dropped or driven into the ground head first were deemed red-card offences right at the start of this tournament. Vincent Clerc isn’t a big fellow by rugby standards and unintentionally up-ending him was easy for the captain. Too easy. A heavier player would have kept shoulders above hips and Sam Warburton wouldn’t have been sent off. Isaac Newton could probably explain all this in more erudite terms but he is dead. It was very much a display of "Ils ne passeront pas” by the French. Only good kicking would have saved the day for Wales, but they were found wanting. Overall, a huge disappointment. I’m hoping now that New Zealand defeats Australia tomorrow and beats France in the final.
Magnificent New Zealand to hold France in such good form.
French were very good but cheers for New Zealand! It’s their game anyway. Epic struggle final was, players were totally exhausted.
It was one of the most sustained displays of hard physical contact I’ve seen. The two sides just threw themselves at each other throughout the whole match. Those who wrote off the French early on made a school boy error in my view. What a fine equipe. Amazing that NZ could contain them as they did.
Most people I know wanted France to win, to bring the trophy to the upper hemisphere for a change, and with one point in it the match could so easily have gone either way. New Zealand defence during the last fifteen minutes was particularly good - one almost expected a conceded penalty at the least in the face of incessant French attack but it was not to be. Glad that NZ won, but feel very sorry for France, loosing so cruelly by just one point.
Yes the discipline shown by NZ in holding them like that without the fatal error was superbon. The French had nothing to be ashamed of.