The Final!

[Haj]

England backs were pretty crap. It says a lot about the english attack with ball in hand when u got the bok defence content with a sliding defence and pushing the shovelling poms towards the touch line instead of utilizing their trademark rushing defense.
Well done to the boks and well done to the poms for defying overwhelming expectations to make it to the final again.
How are the english going in breeding new forwards for the next world cup? Any names to look out for in the future?

 

[AllezWasps]

How are the english going in breeding new forwards for the next world cup? Any names to look out for in the future?
[/b]

Before the RWC, people were saying "this one will not be ours, lets aim for 2011" so its going well. Tom Rees is a stunningly good player, and still learning, while the clubs will have young players mixing with the pack of this RWC, which can only be good. Also (another Waspie, bias but I see them more) Tom French, he played in the Heineken Cup final in about his 4th or 5th appearance for Wasps and destroyed Leicester, he looks good.

This world cup has been great for England, I am a happy and proud man.

 

[Triniquint]

Well done, Boks. You had more cohesion than England, and played better rugby. England tried their best, but it wasn't quite enough. However, considering their patchwork quality, and having been pretty well written off in the pool stages - and considering how good South Africa are supposed to be in comparison to a 'crap' England - we did well. Either that, or............

Well, it doesn't bear thinking about, lol.

I thought Steyn for the Boks was very good for a 20 year old. Matfield played like a back, too! Good stuff. I thought it was a try, but as soon as it was denied I stopped thinking about it. That's just how it is!

 

[mjrTom]

great game bokke

as for england, i can feel your frustration about the 'near try', but as many people has already said, his foot clearly slid out. if somebody can post the very frame of where his foot is touching the line and the ball is still in the air it would be very much appreciated. ...and i will give you a reputation point

 

[noikz]

"England robbed by Aussie video ref as South Africa wins World Cup 15-6"



The headline over at The Daily Mail's site. You have to laugh.

 

[Sorp111]

Well played boks - great kicking and line out play. Well deserved win and not too painful as England had exceeded all expectations just by being there.

 

[mjrTom]

haha got it. no rep point for anyone

LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!!!

 

[polonius]

I watched the game with a few mates and around the 65 minute mark we all reached the conclusion that the game was up for England. Trailing by too many points and not being able to penetrate the South African defence it simply wasn't going to be our night. Victor Mattfield, take a bow - a magnificent performance.

Mervellous defence by the Boks and their strategy was spot on. Deserved winners of the game and the tournament.

haha got it. no rep point for anyone

LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!!!
[/b]

Well done for posting that picture. It's certainly conclusive and well done to Stuart Dickenson for saying 'no try'.

 

[mjrTom]

I watched the game with a few mates and around the 65 minute mark we all reached the conclusion that the game was up for England. Trailing by too many points and not being able to penetrate the South African defence it simply wasn't going to be our night. Victor Mattfield, take a bow - a magnificent performance.

Mervellous defence by the Boks and their strategy was spot on. Deserved winners of the game and the tournament.

<div class='quotemain'>

haha got it. no rep point for anyone

LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!!!
[/b]

Well done for posting that picture. It's certainly conclusive and well done to Stuart Dickenson for saying 'no try'.
[/b][/quote]

definitely. so close yet so far. one inch made all the difference

quick question...what was that song that was played in the end? it was some sort of victory song or something.

hahahah nm i got it

shirley bassey - world in union

damn i'm on fire today =P

 

[rugby_roots]

The celebration after the Final was no where near the the one in South Africa and this world cup wasn't as special as other finals.

Moody gave away TWO penalties...one for tripping and one for hands in the ruck..they should have benched Moody. Johny Wilikinson should not have made that drop goal..they were so close to another try.

England deserve to loose...poor decisions.
So far the most boring RWC Final.

 

[SimonTaylor]

Well played Boks!!!

Not an England supporter but thought ref had mediocre game. To quick to penalise English forwards for killing the ball and ignored the Boks esp when eng in the SA half for same thing. As for the try, think on balance shoulda been given no conclusive proof it wasnt a try.

Been an excellent world cup. Overall best team in the tournament won for me. Pity Boks couldnt get Habana more in the game. Steyn was brilliant.

the South African defence it simply wasn't going to be our night. Victor Mattfield, take a bow - a magnificent performance.

[/b]

Deserved Man of the match (Matfield) :weightliftingnaner: Had England lineout in his pocket for 80 minutes

 

[goranski]

well done to South Africa

perfectly good England try disallowed though

Boks were deserved winners though considering their excellent form in the tournament - kudos to England for reaching the final.

Adios Jason Robinson - great career.

 

[Aeros]

quick question...what was that song that was played in the end? it was some sort of victory song or something.

hahahah nm i got it

shirley bassey - world in union

damn i'm on fire today =P
[/b]

Yup. "World in Union" is actually the anthem of the RWC. My favourite version of the song must be the one sung by PJ Powers when it the RWC was hosted in SA in 1995.

As for the "near-try", perceived by others as a "no-try" or "50-50-try", or even a "THAT WAS A TRY!"... come on. Seriously. The TMO's aren't untrained nitwits, and he took a very long time to make sure of his decision. Even in SA, our commentators went through replay after replay, and photo still after still, and arrived at the same conclusion even before the TMO did. I'm not saying this just because I'm a South African (and a very proud one at that), but for goodness sake, move on, don't be sore about the whole thing. Finger-pointing and ref-blaming after a match is childish - and yes, even when SA are the ones blaming the ref. Things could have been worse - the ref could have been a Wayne Barnes fan

You can't start with "what-ifs" after a match. Because then you can equally go on to say: "What if the England try was allowed?".. "What if Jonny Wilkinson succeeded with his 2 dropgoals?".. "What if SA scored that try they came so close to doing".. "What if Frans Steyn actually knocked over that penalty from the 50m?".. you see where I'm going with this?

There are two more things to add here: Firstly, the try, if converted, would have given England 7 more points. This would have resulted in a final score of 15-13. Secondly, the ones who say that "a try changes the mentality of the players and thereby changes the course of the rest of the game", yes, you're right. Considering how SA reacted after Argentina's try, you can be grateful that try wasn't allowed last night Anyway, all comic relief aside:

I have to commend England here. You have proved yourselves as worthy adversaries by coming back from that 36-0 and making it all the way to the final, wiping out Australia and France on your way there. You've proved your critics wrong, and eventhough you didn't win this year's RWC, I still want to congratulate you on an amazing effort.

Oh, by the way - OS DU RANDT! What a way to exit your rugby career! I take my hat off to you.

 

[jawmalawm24]

That wasn't a try I have it on DVD and watched it plenty of times. However I do think England got a bit hard done by when the ref called them for crossing which clearly wasn't and then didn't pull up the Springboks for a similiar offense mins later.

 

[goranski]

the england player was clearly in the field of play when he touched down

there was no evidence that the leg or foot in question had made contact with the line or over it

i'm not saying this would have turned the game or won it or anything - just it should have been given - i still think South Africa would have done enough - which they did in the end

 

[Aeros]

there was no evidence that the leg or foot in question had made contact with the line or over it
[/b]

The TMO obviously found some evidence. If he doubted the evidence at all he would have told the ref so, and England would have been given the try.

Either way, I'm not going to get into this argument - it has the potential to go on for quite some time and I want no part of that

 

[BOKean]

BOKKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotemain'>
there was no evidence that the leg or foot in question had made contact with the line or over it
[/b]

The TMO obviously found some evidence. If he doubted the evidence at all he would have told the ref so, and England would have been given the try.

Either way, I'm not going to get into this argument - it has the potential to go on for quite some time and I want no part of that
[/b][/quote]

Very gracious, Aeros, thats what I've come to expect of South Africans. We NZ'ers we're told to take it on the chin. Well I say, likewise England. One angle of that 'supposed try' clearly showed Cueto's foot hitting the line. I thought 'Try' every time till I saw that angle. I am not biased and I can say that it was an angle of NO doubt.

Mind you after the post-match speech I heard a bitter Ashton make, I'm not surprised straws are being clung to. Thats fine though, I understand how sad it is to lose, NZ fans did that too. Although the number of rude and insulting posts made by SOME (I'm not saying all) English fans after our loss telling us to 'get over it' and 'move on' leads me to wonder if we are about to enjoy some World Cup quality hypocrisy.

I sincerely apologise to the gracious and dignified majority of English fans, you guys had a hard-fought and gutsy game played for you.

To the rest I say "Karma is beautiful".

 

[esoj]

no english fan can ***** about the ref for the amount of crap many of them gave nz supporters after the french game. Any english fan that does is a hypocrite.

to those english fans that have taken this on the chin and did not bash abs supporters to hell and back congrats to you and well done on getting to the final.

and to South Africa well done on a fine victory and securing the world cup for the second time.

 

[Princess Obolensky]

Yup. "World in Union" is actually the anthem of the RWC. My favourite version of the song must be the one sung by PJ Powers when it the RWC was hosted in SA in 1995.[/b]

Yep, that was the best World in Union song... I wish they played it last night after the final whistle, it would have been so appropriate for the celebration.



A strong game by both teams, but South Africa were very much the team of the night. Congrats to them on a good tournament. It was good to see Os du Randt "the Ox of the Boks" retire on a winning note.