The plan was almost perfect. Well, okay, it was minimalist, even simplistic. Tapping relentlessly to put pressure on the two South African wingers and full-back. And tackle, fight in each ruck, tackle again, to suffocate the opponent. But he almost succeeded. Because the English, under incessant rain, achieved it to perfection, they who had trained during the week at Insep, in Vincennes, with wet balls to prepare for the weather on Saturday evening at the Stadium of France. “The players have shown what it means to them to play for England. They put their guts on the pitch,” greeted Steve Borthwick, “very, very proud” coach of his squad.
He almost succeeded because this heart to the work, this total commitment – it was enough to see the state in which Tom Curry left, the tireless tackler, the open face and the limping gait – made the world champions doubt in title, by Faf de Klerk’s own admission. Without exaggerating, we would even say that it made them panic. England led from the 3rd to the 78th minute and when Owen Farrell slammed a magnificent drop to push the advantage to 15-6 (53rd), the Boks really wobbled from their pedestal. “England are a world-class team, completely different to what they were a year ago. She had a very good game plan and it took us a while to get used to it. We were able to draw very deep on our resources and fight to get victory,” admitted the captain of South Africa, Syia Kolisi. The most beautiful tribute to the adversary finally defeated.
“I think we were better, but congratulations to them. We had found the key to winning, that’s how it was,” grimaced the inexhaustible warrior Courtney Lawes. By recovering four penalties within reach of Owen Farrell in the fierce battle of forwards, the plan had indeed worked. But he was helpless. So little play, no testing opportunity. Press and defend. Old. A rugby of dispossession to the point of excess and totally assumed, far from the ambitious strategies implemented by Ireland, France or the All Blacks. Considerations which do not arise for the successor of Eddie Jones, at the head of the XV de la Rose for less than a year: “We had a plan to win and we didn’t get far,” insists the former second-line of duty.
“The playing conditions were difficult. The ball was very slippery, which gave a lot of importance to the kicking game, argues scrum-half Alex Mitchell. We put them under pressure and of course we tried to dominate them in the static phases to find a way to gain ground and get three points when we could. That’s essentially what we did.” And that was almost enough to reach the final. “We were a few minutes away from the perfect match,” enrages second-row Maro Itoje. It is true that he missed very little to achieve what was still in the realm of the unthinkable two months ago, when Fiji came to win at Twickenham confirming the English difficulties of two years: to climb in the World Cup final.
“Before the competition, a lot of people said that we wouldn’t be very good and that we would have trouble getting out of the group. We managed to reach the semi-finals,” replies Mitchell. His replacement, veteran Danny Care, continues: “A lot of things were said about this team before the World Cup, but we managed to silence the critics. We allowed people to believe in us again. This team will continue to progress, I am sure of it.” Steve Borthwick too. The coach stressed that his team had only four months to establish themselves against “four or eight years” for the other title contenders. And to insist: “When we look at this team, we realize that there are a lot of very good players. And that seven of them are 25 years old or younger today. No one does better among the semi-finalists. South Africa only had one. This group has a lot of talent, has some experienced players, others less so. And it’s in adversity, when it’s hard, that we progress. We will do everything we can to learn from this match to come back stronger in the future.”
To validate this start of renewal, the following ambition is clear, already displayed: to beat Argentina in six days at the Stade de France in the small final to secure third place in this World Cup. “We will find what we need to improve and, next Friday, our team will be better,” announces the English coach. We are already looking forward to it. We would have liked to play the final on Saturday, but now we are going to play Argentina on Friday and we are going to prepare conscientiously. This week will allow us to take another step forward.”
His players are in tune. The podium ? “It must. We want it. We would have liked to be in the final but we won’t be there. Now all we have to do is finish third to make our supporters proud. It’s hard but we have to get back in the saddle, we have that third place to go for.” A shared determination. “I don’t think it will be complicated to choose the players (who will play this small final). The important thing is to finish well. It is not yet known who will play but, for some, it will be the last opportunity to represent England. We have to finish the job,” warns Courtney Lawes. Who will probably be among the players who will end their international career on the evening of October 27 (like Joe Marler, Dan Cole or Ben Youngs).
“It will be the last World Cup for some, for others not. Afterwards, our paths will go our separate ways, summarizes Captain Owen Farrell. But I’m incredibly proud of this group and what we’ve managed to do over the last five months. And, whatever happens in the future, we’re going to have a good team!” The French campaign gave hope to the XV de la Rose. And that’s already a lot.
