RWC 2023 Fixtures and results

[aslongaswebeatsaints]

Proud of England. That was a gutsy performance backed by a clear tactical plan that nearly worked.. You could finally see the imprint of Borths / Sinfield / Alex, particularly in defence and fight - the ‘non negotiables’. In other words the foundations are finally laid. I.e England may not be at the top yet but are once more hard to beat. The next phase is the layering of attack complexity which comes with time. But they have the youngsters to do it who have emerged this World Cup cycle and will be peaking in the next 2 cycles , and I’m super excited that a core of them are Tigers. This was a real coming of age of the likes of Chessum and Martin. And Freddie has answered the critics that every great player gets at some stage on there way to greatness. It is genuinely exciting to see what their impact will be on Tigers season once they are back along with those from the other teams. I am tempted to book a seat at the Prem final!

I also enjoyed it because it felt more like chess than an arm wrestle. A proper battle of tactics and strategy that I think only a hard core rugby fan appreciates. Credit to SA, many will say great teams find a way. I found it fascinating the way Borths set the team and tactics up perfectly and very much left it to the players. Conversely, the way Rassie saw the problems, made some decisive decisions and reorientated his team to get a hold then anchor it on a few chinks in our armour. It was also like the Tigers of old - if nothing else works get big men to smash their way in the scrum and then up the middle. It was this and an ice cool fly half (another Tiger) that won it for SA in my mind.

After the gloom of the last 12 months today it doesn’t feel like we lost to SA but that England finally showed they are on the up. The 6N will be fascinating.

[TigerCam]

England’s starting 15 were superb but the difference was obviously the two benches.
Handre Pollard is such a calm yet class act.
The game plan was similar to when we beat Sarries with Burns’ drop goal and England didn’t have a Weise ( South Africa have 2 similar players for number 8) and certainly poor Sinkler got an absolute beating up!

Farrell back chat and Sinkler being ineffective were passages of play that Eng could have done without - costly. I would like to see the spider cam shots of the scrummage and see where exactly the SA hips were after the put in. Ben Ok and Nick are not my favourite refs but you don't go around upsetting them a la Farrell. What puzzles me now is where do Eng get their future tightheads from. I also agree with SCW that the forwards do not have enough zip to put defences on the backfoot and allow the Eng backs to open the game up and score trys. Apart from Ben Earl Eng don't have a pool of Doris or Van de Flyer types as yet. Billy V is now not the 8 Eng need.

[Scott1]

Just comparing last night to last weeks SA performances and it was striking how many levels lower they were in intensity,power,strength,pace,speed,breakdown,rucking,maul etc. They’ve essentially won that game with a scrum. And that’s the difference between us and the top sides,imagine if the roles were reversed and SA were at their best and we were a yard off ,it would’ve been an absolute shellacking! I’d say that was a C minus SA performance while we were at our best and they still managed to struggle through and win. Congratulations SA and gutted for England and it’s still hard to say where we really are. The 6N will tell us more

[chewbacca]

Just comparing last night to last weeks SA performances and it was striking how many levels lower they were in intensity,power,strength,pace,speed,breakdown,rucking,maul etc. They’ve essentially won that game with a scrum. And that’s the difference between us and the top sides,imagine if the roles were reversed and SA were at their best and we were a yard off ,it would’ve been an absolute shellacking! I’d say that was a C minus SA performance while we were at our best and they still managed to struggle through and win. Congratulations SA and gutted for England and it’s still hard to say where we really are. The 6N will tell us more

I dont expect anything from the 6N other than SB introducing some new faces and retiring a lot of the current squad. A period of development ahead is whats needed.

[Scott1]

Just comparing last night to last weeks SA performances and it was striking how many levels lower they were in intensity,power,strength,pace,speed,breakdown,rucking,maul etc. They’ve essentially won that game with a scrum. And that’s the difference between us and the top sides,imagine if the roles were reversed and SA were at their best and we were a yard off ,it would’ve been an absolute shellacking! I’d say that was a C minus SA performance while we were at our best and they still managed to struggle through and win. Congratulations SA and gutted for England and it’s still hard to say where we really are. The 6N will tell us more

I dont expect anything from the 6N other than SB introducing some new faces and retiring a lot of the current squad. A period of development ahead is whats needed.

Good point,and I genuinely hope he does that and doesn’t drag it on with some players.

[jgriffin]

I think a lot of credit has to go to Aled Walters who got England peaking at the right end of the tournament. England players had an energy and strength they hadn’t previously. SA were the opposite. A complete reversal of 2019 when Alex Walters was with SA.

Can we get him back at MWWR please!

Good point

When everyone was slagging England off for being off the pace pre WC I pointed out about periodicisation, Wales peaking early etc. England peaked at the right time and nearly nicked it. We'll done SB and Coaches.

[Scott1]

I think a lot of credit has to go to Aled Walters who got England peaking at the right end of the tournament. England players had an energy and strength they hadn’t previously. SA were the opposite. A complete reversal of 2019 when Alex Walters was with SA.

Can we get him back at MWWR please!

Good point

When everyone was slagging England off for being off the pace pre WC I pointed out about periodicisation, Wales peaking early etc. England peaked at the right time and nearly nicked it. We'll done SB and Coaches.

You never mentioned it

[bakerman]

SA were given the winning penalty at this scrum. Seems odd to me.

https://x.com/andystevens9922/status/17 ... DJdPLHt0Tg

Proud of the team. Gutted for the Tiger's lads.

[TigerFeetSteve]

SA best have a plan a plan for their back up hookers as there may be trouble coming for Mbonambi

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... s-mic.html

What the Daily Mail fails to point out is that in Afrikaans

"White Kant" pronounced similarly to what Curry heard, means "White Side" in English, which is exactly what a SA player may shout to alert teammates to a turnover.

I think Curry probably believed he was called the insult, I also think it was probably a misheard/misunderstood phrase, though not ruling it out.

Certainly with the similarities of the phrase with a innocent explanation, the citing panel will need cast iron proof that what Curry heard could not be interpreted as "White Side" for him to be cited

[TiltonTiger]

It’s a little odd how both of England’s power house props have dropped off performance since going to Bristol. I wonder if there is any genuine reason for this - maybe the way Bristol play their game? I’m not enough of a nause to know the answer.

[TiltonTiger]

SA best have a plan a plan for their back up hookers as there may be trouble coming for Mbonambi

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... s-mic.html

What the Daily Mail fails to point out is that in Afrikaans

"White Kant" pronounced similarly to what Curry heard, means "White Side" in English, which is exactly what a SA player may shout to alert teammates to a turnover.

I think Curry probably believed he was called the insult, I also think it was probably a misheard/misunderstood phrase, though not ruling it out.

Certainly with the similarities of the phrase with a innocent explanation, the citing panel will need cast iron proof that what Curry heard could not be interpreted as "White Side" for him to be cited

Ut also depends on the context. If it was during a breakdown that’s one thing, but what if it was said when the ball was dead?

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

SA best have a plan a plan for their back up hookers as there may be trouble coming for Mbonambi

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... s-mic.html

What the Daily Mail fails to point out is that in Afrikaans

"White Kant" pronounced similarly to what Curry heard, means "White Side" in English, which is exactly what a SA player may shout to alert teammates to a turnover.

I think Curry probably believed he was called the insult, I also think it was probably a misheard/misunderstood phrase, though not ruling it out.

Certainly with the similarities of the phrase with a innocent explanation, the citing panel will need cast iron proof that what Curry heard could not be interpreted as "White Side" for him to be cited

Perish the thought that the Daily Mail wouldn't check out any nuance in a statement...God knows what the Express might have printed.

[wigworth]

SA best have a plan a plan for their back up hookers as there may be trouble coming for Mbonambi

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... s-mic.html

What the Daily Mail fails to point out is that in Afrikaans

"White Kant" pronounced similarly to what Curry heard, means "White Side" in English, which is exactly what a SA player may shout to alert teammates to a turnover.

I think Curry probably believed he was called the insult, I also think it was probably a misheard/misunderstood phrase, though not ruling it out.

Certainly with the similarities of the phrase with a innocent explanation, the citing panel will need cast iron proof that what Curry heard could not be interpreted as "White Side" for him to be cited

Perish the thought that the Daily Mail wouldn't check out any nuance in a statement...God knows what the Express might have printed.

Given the story was picked up on pretty much all sites that cover rugby I don't think it is just pot stirring for the sake of it, not something that Chris Foy is known for anyway he is usually pretty on the money with his rugby reporting. It may be explained away as simply as simply as a mishearing but there has been previous between these two before and Mbonambi's behaviour at the end of the match would indicate something more to it.

[Canuck]

It often gets under my skin to read the negative posts about the England team and its captain, Owen Farrell. Why the English are so prone to spout such criticism is beyond me and even when praise is due it is often tongue in cheek, ‘faint praise’.
Last night, the Springboks played to the level that England allowed them to play. That was due to a truly outstanding performance from an exceedingly committed English team led by the patriotic warrior that is Owen Farrell. Similarly, in the group stage, Argentina were outplayed by an inspired performance led admirably by George Ford. They, too, performed only at the level allowed by England.
Is it the case that only Tigers or ex Tigers can win positive comments from these sad people ?

[Scott1]

It often gets under my skin to read the negative posts about the England team and its captain, Owen Farrell. Why the English are so prone to spout such criticism is beyond me and even when praise is due it is often tongue in cheek, ‘faint praise’.
Last night, the Springboks played to the level that England allowed them to play. That was due to a truly outstanding performance from an exceedingly committed English team led by the patriotic warrior that is Owen Farrell. Similarly, in the group stage, Argentina were outplayed by an inspired performance led admirably by George Ford. They, too, performed only at the level allowed by England.
Is it the case that only Tigers or ex Tigers can win positive comments from these sad people ?

So it was the same SA that played against France and the same Argentina that played against Wales? Sorry but regardless how good England were in both games I can’t get on board with that I’m afraid. Even the most basic of eye tests comparing the SA games tells you they were nowhere near the level of intensity that they were last week. And it’s not hindsight either,myself and others said pre game that England have a chance if they play to their best and SA are leggy and still suffering from the France game. And that’s exactly what happened,to a tee,unfortunately England just couldn’t get over the line