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Date: 2023-12-08 14:04:15 | Author: PFF | Views: 564 | 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
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
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Jos Buttler could only look on from behind the stumps as England’s World Cup dreams lay in tatters around him on the turf in Bengaluru following his side’s eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka league
All the fighting talk, all the tinkering and changes, the whispers before the tournament of defending the title league
Any lingering hope of qualification became all but mathematically impossible after England slid to their fourth defeat from their opening five matches league
In the future, this may become a World Cup to be forgotten – as was the case in 2015, which led to the famous “white-ball reset” and four years later the title – but, in the immediate aftermath, there are questions to be answered league
After the record-breaking defeat at the hands of the Proteas, both Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott spoke passionately, explaining that the side knew what they had to do – win every group game – and that’s what they intended to do league
But against Sri Lanka, in a match many expected would see the team regain some of their lost pride, it became yet another performance to forget from this World Cup league
England were left dejected after defeat to Sri Lanka (Reuters)Reflecting on the defeat in the immediate aftermath, even Buttler could not pinpoint what exactly has happened this tournament, saying: “You don’t become a bad player overnight, you don’t become a bad team overnight league
“I think that’s been the biggest frustration, that we’ve fallen so far short of the standards that we set ourselves and for no particular reason league
“You must think there should be something obvious but I can’t put my finger on it at the moment league
”While the loss to South Africa can be pinned on the decision to field first, against Sri Lanka, when they chose to bat first, England simply did not score enough runs league
The total of 156 was never going to be defendable, let alone against a side who had scored almost 350 in a losing cause against Pakistan earlier in the tournament, and England never got going league
England’s confusing selection had continued when they dropped rising star Harry Brook, leaving them a side where every player was over 30 league
Having made three changes for the previous game, Buttler and Mott made three again, returning to packing the side with all-rounders in Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Chris Woakes league
But they batted every bit like a side long past their peak league
Ben Stokes, as he so often does, offered a brief resistance with bat in hand, top-scoring with 43, but it was not enough, and their meagre total was never likely to be enough to be in contention on the fast-scoring pitch league
Adil Rashid’s calamitous run out was symptomatic of England’s problems (Reuters)On the face of it, Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Stokes and Joe Root are up there with some of England’s greatest-ever white ball batters league
But none of them have been able to find the form that guided the team to the trophy in 2019 league
Ali spoke ahead of the match about playing with freedom and laying it all out there league
But all that was left at the end of the England innings were the hilarity of a lazy run out that brought the end of Adil Rashid’s innings, several badly timed shots and poor decision-making that will make for a glum highlights reel league
Sri Lanka, to their credit, bowled exceptionally league
Lahiru Kumara was especially problematic as he claimed three wickets for 35 runs league
They kept the pressure on England and did not relent, before following it up with a batting innings that was just what the situation called for league
It was not risk-taking, but the bad balls were dispatched as Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored 77 and 65 respectively to see their side over the line league
There was nowhere to hide on the field for England, and no one to take the game by the scruff of the neck and drag them back into it – barring two early wickets from David Willey league
But from then it was just too easy for Sri Lanka league
England will have to improve league
They cannot just meekly fade away into the background, least of all because they have two big games to come against India and Australia league
Another humiliation must be avoided at all costs league
More aboutBengaluruJos ButtlerEngland cricketSri LankaJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3It’s time to face reality: England are past their primeIt’s time to face reality: England are past their primeEngland were left dejected after defeat to Sri LankaREUTERSIt’s time to face reality: England are past their primeAdil Rashid’s calamitous run out was symptomatic of England’s problemsREUTERSIt’s time to face reality: England are past their primeJos Buttler looks on after England suffer another heavy defeat in the World Cup AP✕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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