Rassie Erasmus has turned South African rugby around and the World Cup final is likely to be tight and tense given their powerAs the wheel turns, so the hunters become the hunted. England chased down New Zealand last weekend, herding the holders into an enclosure, but they know South Africa are coming to round them up on Saturday.The Springboks’ head coach, Rassie Erasmus, was happy on Tuesday to more than hint at his line-up for the final and point out that England could expect more of the same remorselessly physical, attritional rugby that had taken them to the final day. He is not one given to subterfuge or mind games: the only doubt he looks to put into opponents is...
The Leicester fly-half is in cruise control – his kicking into space has been better than all the other No 10s in JapanHaving played against England at this World Cup I am not remotely surprised to see them in the final on Saturday. They have a squad – and a game plan – with “world champions” written all over it. Their confidence must also be through the roof having dismantled the All Blacks in Yokohama. Eddie Jones’s men seem to be peaking at the right time and have built steadily throughout the tournament.Love him or hate him, England’s head coach has been in masterful form. His “humorous” comments before games are no accident: they are designed to galvanise his team...
England’s coach has gone back to what he feels has worked and we have discovered the new trend is actually the old trend – the one established by the World Cup winners 12 years agoI look at this England side and I see so many similarities with the South Africa team who won the World Cup in 2007. It seems like things have come full circle for Eddie Jones because he was a World Cup winner with the Springboks 12 years ago and his England side are following the same blueprint as they look to defeat South Africa on Saturday.A quick look at the statistics back it up. When South Africa beat England 36-0 in the pool stages in 2007,...
South Africa should provide a sterner test than New Zealand but I think England will be able to create more in attackThe biggest compliment I can pay to England is that they made New Zealand look one-dimensional on Saturday. The All Blacks possess the best attacking armoury in the world and England made them look like they didn’t really know what to do. The first half in particular from England was the best I have seen from them and I cannot remember a match in which New Zealand have been so comprehensively outgunned.Later that day Harlequins played Bristol and, of course, all the English boys were giving me a bit, as they should, but from a Kiwi perspective it was...
The Springboks were unimpressive against Wales and will need their pack to be at its intimidating best against EnglandWho would have thought the biggest obstacle to England winning the Rugby World Cup would be a lucky white shirt? Rassie Erasmus, the South Africa head coach, has revealed he favours the same matchday clothing whenever his side win and, regardless of his team’s opposition this weekend, will be wearing his now-trademark baggy, long-sleeved white shirt for the final on Saturday.If his team go on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup it could become the most symbolic rugby garment since Nelson Mandela wore a Springbok jersey for the 1995 final. For that left-field storyline to materialise, however, his players will need to...