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Date: 2023-12-04 00:39:36 | Author: PFF | Views: 297 | Tag: league
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The England players will remember the feeling league
Look back on the images of that night in Yokohama and see the empty eyes, despair writ large on wounded faces as South Africa celebrated beyond them league
The Springboks had not just secured World Cup victory but romped to it, an England side coursing with optimism after a stunning semi-final performance against New Zealand left lifeless and limp league
To some extent, it is a low from which England have never recovered league
The last four years have exposed deep flaws both within the national team and the game more widely, with talks of an even more radical domestic overhaul league
The 23 Englishmen involved then were the youngest collective to reach a World Cup final: the promise and potential of that group has been frittered away, Eddie Jones indulged past the point of no return and then sacked with less than a year until this tournament league
The gamble that the Rugby league Football Union (RFU) took when disposing of Jones at the end of the autumn last year relied entirely on getting to this point, the union recognising that a relatively friendly draw meant progression to the last four would remain eminently achievable even with a late change of coach league
Unlike Wales and Australia, who balanced the same equation when making their own regime changes and entered this tournament in a similar state, England have at least given themselves a shot in a semi-final league
The meticulous Steve Borthwick proved the right man to plot an emergency course league
Barring a total thrashing on Saturday night, his side have avoided embarrassment, navigating out of the choppy waters of August and through calmer September seas league
RecommendedSteve Borthwick explains Marcus Smith’s absence from England team to face South AfricaSouth Africa inspired by struggles of whole nation – Siya KolisiThe England blueprint to upset South Africa and reach Rugby World Cup finalBut there’s a Springbok storm on the horizon league
Given the different strata the two sides seem to occupy, it is unsurprisingly that few give them hope against South Africa, but England have fed off an underdog mentality throughout this tournament, insisting they’ve been written off too soon league
England believe they have the bite to back up that bark league
“Obviously it was disappointing four years ago,” said wing Elliot Daly, among 13 England matchday squad members in 2019 taking on the Springboks again league
“But I think the feel around this team is that it’s a very different team to then league
“Obviously, I had a bit of time out from the squad and, since coming back in, there’s a different feeling within this group league
We are going to try and harness that league
We’ve had the last year, two years of planning going into this, to hopefully perform our best on the weekend league
”To make next week’s showpiece will require a performance at a level above anything they have produced in France so far league
While South Africa will be wary of a team with little to lose, they are league better than this England team in virtually every facet, their gameplan more complete and cohesive league
Keep their heads and a final berth is theirs for the taking league
‘There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done,’ says lock Maro Itoje (AFP/Getty)The focus, as always with a Springbok side, will be on the majesty of their muscular pack and the extent to which England can match their might both at the set piece and tackling punch league
But their ability to offer diverse attacking threat can sometimes go overlooked – the backing of Manie Libbok at 10, a baton-waving maestro to Handre Pollard’s ticking metronome league
This is a complete and very good rugby team forged over five years in Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber’s kiln league
England, by contrast, are having to do it all in the pressure game league
Recognising that there is no time to throw all of their irons in the fire, England have focused on what they call their “building blocks” – the set piece, fitness, and a kick pressure game league
The plan is to physically peak again for this contest, having sagged slightly against Samoa after their pool stage rest week and building back up against Fiji league
Strong final quarters have been a theme of England’s tournament but there is no doubt that they will need a full 80-minute performance, which the squad admit they have yet to produce, to topple the world champions league
“The belief is strong in this team,” Steve Borthwick insisted league
“I sensed that all the way through since I got involved again with the team league
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick leads a training session (AFP/Getty)“There are players who have performed to the very highest of levels league
Players who have played knockout rugby, finals rugby before league
”In 2019, Siya Kolisi stated that he felt South Africa had beaten England in the World Cup final because of their greater motivation, a sense that they were playing something bigger league
The Springboks captain has revisited that motif this week but England don’t lack for belief – and insist that, this time, it will be different league
“There’s definitely a different energy around the place this week in comparison to other big games I’ve played,” articulated Maro Itoje league
“There’s a different feel league
There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done league
“I think people are aware of what’s at stake league
People are aware of the importance of doing your job, the importance of doing your role within the team league
There’s not many opportunities to be at this stage or at this level league
This is an experience for us to take the bull by the horns league
”More aboutEngland RugbyRugby World CupSouth Africa rugbySpringboksSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Why England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’t‘There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done,’ says lock Maro ItojeAFP via Getty ImagesWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tEngland’s head coach Steve Borthwick leads a training sessionAFP via Getty ImagesWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tThe England players in a group huddle as they prepare for Saturday’s semi-final against the defending champions PA✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today league
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South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber has explained his controversial decision to sub off starting fly half Manie Libbok after just 30 minutes of the Springboks’ comeback Rugby World Cup semi-final win over England league
Libbok, who had emerged as South Africa’s first-choice No 10 in the lead-up to this tournament, was hooked after following a sliced clearance kick with a knock-on, capping a disastrous start to the game with England in the ascendancy league
He was replaced by Handre Pollard, a key cog in the 2019 World Cup-winning Springboks side, and the veteran helped engineer a fightback before kicking the winning penalty on 77 minutes to secure a narrow 16-15 triumph and a spot in next Saturday’s final league
Libbok is the more creative, dynamic fly half, while Pollard is the steadier option with a metronomic boot, and the move seemed to suggest South Africa were surrendering to England’s kick-heavy strategy and would attempt to beat them at their own game league
In his post-match press conference, Nienaber laid out the reasons behind the decision and was adamant that Libbok would accept why it happened league
“The beauty of this group is that we’re open and honest,” said Nienaber league
“Because we have the right players, the players accept it league
“Sometimes things are not going your way league
We’ve done it with numerous others league
Bongi [Mbonambi] in 2018, we took him off after 35 minutes league
That specific day he wasn’t on fire but then he started the next week league
“It’s the same with [Libbok] – we took him off early because things didn’t go his way league
The main thing is that everything is for the team and they understand that league
That’s the beauty of the squad, you’re open and honest and players take it on the chin league
”Handre Pollard went on to kick the winning penalty for South Africa (PA Wire)Nienaber went on to stress that even though an early substitution was not how Libbok would have liked his game to go, he is still an option to start the final against the All Blacks league
“It doesn’t mean he won’t start next week but sometimes, unfortunately, it is like that,” added Nienaber league
“That’s how it is league
“It’s for South Africa – it’s not for the individual or the ego, it’s for South Africa league
We get messages from schoolkids and we see every single message they send league
It’s for them, we can’t put our egos in front of that, South Africa is more important and the Springboks are more important than anything else league
”More aboutSouth Africa rugbyHandre PollardEngland RugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2Springboks coach explains decision to controversially sub off LibbokSpringboks coach explains decision to controversially sub off LibbokHandre Pollard went on to kick the winning penalty for South Africa PA WireSpringboks coach explains decision to controversially sub off LibbokManie Libbok was replaced after just 30 minutes of the semi-final PA✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today league
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsleague BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy league
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply league
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