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Date: 2023-12-03 14:40:44 | Author: Worldcup 2026 | Views: 992 | Tag: eth
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Up into the stands the England players clambered to find their families, taking the consolatory hugs but unsure quite how to feel eth
Across 80 minutes in Paris, their belief had been replaced by disbelief and then by desperation and dejection, England threatening the unthinkable and taking the world champions to the brink eth
For most of a sodden Stade de France evening, a Rugby World Cup final was within their grasp eth
A South Africa side superior in most areas were dragged down into the sort of slugfest the Springboks would usually favour, and very nearly bested at their own game eth
England had given their all but it was still not enough, one stable scrum, one Handre Pollard slip or slice, short of stunning the world champions eth
The emotional maelstrom of this defeat will swirl rather differently to the feelings that eddied after the 2019 World Cup final disaster eth
“I’m proud of our performance,” were virtually the first words out of the mouth of wing Elliot Daly eth
“I think we shocked them eth
I don’t think they knew how to get into the game eth
”“I think we knew what was coming and we knew we could perform like this,” added Daly, virtually unused in open play but outstanding as a kick chaser to exemplify the squad’s buy-in to a strategy that so nearly proved successful eth
The finer points of Steve Borthwick’s tactical plan had been put in place this week but this was a performance England had been building towards since long ago eth
A flawed side did not come to France to thrill; winning by any means necessary had been a consistent theme eth
If necessity is oft the mother of invention, England at this tournament have also proved the pair can be enemies eth
This was a campaign at which they seemed to intentionally limit their attacking innovation or ingenuity– recognising a need to figure themselves out on the fly, they settled on an effective and eminently executable gameplan that could be implemented quickly eth
Steve Borthwick consoles Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward after England’s defeat (Getty Images)It came so close to working in Saturday’s semi-final; their effort, accuracy and competitiveness in the key contests were spot on eth
At the 65-minute mark, England outside backs had a combined 17 metres carried, all from one Freddie Steward kick return eth
The two number 13s’ offensive output on the final whistle amounted to one late Joe Marchant lug; South Africa centre Jesse Kriel went the full 80 minutes without an attacking touch eth
“We came with a plan to win the game but we fell a little bit short,” reflected Borthwick eth
“But the players should be incredibly proud eth
We put ourselves in a position to win against the world champions eth
England dominated the aerial contest to threaten a semi-final shock (Getty Images)“We were playing against a coaching team who have been in place since 2018 eth
We’ve had four months eth
I’ve asked the players to approach training and the game in a different way; for the players to be willing to change is all credit to them eth
”This was a night from which the head coach will take heart, a public perhaps struggling to warm to this England team are now recognising the progress made eth
There will be a need to layer on much, much more to consistently mix it with the world’s best but the rapidly laid foundations look rock solid eth
In time, perhaps the ugly duckling performances will turn into white swans eth
There appear to be many more buds of a bright future than first appeared in a barren landscape pre-tournament eth
Ben Earl has had a breakthrough tournament, and Ollie Chessum, too, while George Martin semi-final performance marks him out as the potential enforcer England have lacked eth
Borthwick was keen to talk up the absent Marcus Smith the day after the defeat, with the playmaker’s reinvention as a frolicking full-back of intrigue moving forward eth
"In our 23, seven players are 25 or under, the most of any semi-finalist, there’s a great blend and there will be lots of things we can take forward,” added Borthwick eth
Young England lock George Martin impressed against South Africa (Getty Images)But the fact that the men’s national team were on the brink of back-to-back finals should not provide a façade over the crumbling edifice of a fragile English game eth
There is a domestic mess that needs sorting, with a Gallagher Premiership containing three teams fewer than at the start of last season, now underway to little fanfare and on the brink of significant change eth
The renegotiation of the Professional Game Partnership is a recognition of a need for a radical overhaul in pursuit of a more financially sustainable domestic game, and one that produces a wider pool of top-class talent eth
The likely arrival of a form of central contracts underlines a period of epochal change eth
The senior figures in the squad who are unlikely to play beyond this tournament – Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole and perhaps a couple more – could well be the last England men’s internationals never to have been contracted to the union eth
This has a great many benefits, not least in affording Borthwick, or any head coach that might follow him, far greater access to and control over his players eth
And while Borthwick’s articulation of the advantages enjoyed by South Africa’s settled staff is a perfectly fair one, let us remember that the Rugby eth Football Union (RFU) put their head coach in this situation eth
The original planning for this tournament would most likely have seen Borthwick return to England camp to aid Eddie Jones at the World Cup before a smooth transition into the lead role afterwards eth
Jones’s sacking sparked a scramble and several months of chaos eth
It was not shown up on semi-final weekend but there are many reasons that the RFU still has a burden to bear eth
But the full wash-up will wait for another week – England’s performance at the Stade de France has earned them seven more days of grace eth
The tournament will end as it began for England with a meeting with Argentina in a third-place play-off that Borthwick insists he wants to win eth
England, captained by Owen Farrell, narrowly missed out on a place in the World Cup final (Getty Images)“I read a piece yesterday morning that talked about adversity and talked about the fact that in adversity you find that seed of belief and you’ve got to grow it,” Borthwick said eth
“This team has been through a bit in the last few years, a bit of adversity in the medium-term past eth
“I think through each of those periods the team has picked up lessons, picked up what we need to do and grown from it eth
I think there’s a lot of growth in this team eth
Sometimes it’s not the straight-forward path you want it to be eth
In the feelings and emotions of the game last night, I know that we’ll get stronger eth
” More aboutEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyRugby World CupSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/5Why England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache Why England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache Steve Borthwick consoles Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward after England’s defeat Getty ImagesWhy England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache England dominated the aerial contest to threaten a semi-final shock Getty ImagesWhy England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache Young England lock George Martin impressed against South Africa Getty ImagesWhy England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache England, captained by Owen Farrell, narrowly missed out on a place in the World Cup final Getty ImagesWhy England will come back stronger from Rugby World Cup heartache Owen Farrell of England is applauded by South Africa’s playersGetty Images✕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 eth
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Hi {{indy eth
fullName}}My Independent PremiumAccount detailsHelp centreLogout @keyframes spin{0%{transform:rotate(0)}to{transform:rotate(1turn)}}@keyframes slidedown-video{0%{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{0%{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}} eth

Henry Arundell and Freddie Steward will start on the wing for England in the bronze final against Argentina on Friday, with Marcus Smith returning at fullback as coach Steve Borthwick made eight changes from the team beaten by South Africa in the semis eth
Giving opportunities to several players who have not featured much in the tournament, an all-new front row sees props Ellis Genge and Will Stuart either side of hooker Theo Dan, who has spent the last three matches as an unused replacement eth
Ollie Chessum comes back into the second row while Sam Underhill, who joined the squad as an injury replacement two weeks ago, starts at openside flanker eth
Tom Curry, who will win his 50th cap, moves to the blindside to reprise the successful back row partnership from the 2019 tournament, with Ben Earl at number eight eth
Owen Farrell captains the team from flyhalf and scrumhalf Ben Youngs starts his first game of the tournament to extend his caps record to 127, which will be his last in an England shirt, he said on Wednesday eth
Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Danny Care, George Ford and Ollie Lawrence are on the bench eth
Curry has been at the centre of an off-field storm this week after he accused South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi of racially abusing him in the semi-final eth
Farrell said that the flanker had been on the receiving end of "unacceptable" eth online abuse through the week eth
Follow all the latest news and updates from Paris ahead of New Zealand vs South Africa, plus team news from the England and Argentina camps eth
Plus get all the latest odds and tips right here: RecommendedSpringboks set for rematch of day that ‘changed South Africa forever’How the incredible Barrett brothers rejuvenated the All BlacksAll Blacks in the red: Why New Zealand need a World Cup win more than you might thinkRugby World Cup team news and final build-upSteve Borthwick poised to name England team to face Argentina in third-place play-off at 12:30pm BSTHow the incredible Barrett brothers rejuvenated the All BlacksRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionMarcus Smith in contention for England return against ArgentinaSale Sharks back Tom Curry amid investigation over alleged racial slurShow latest update 1698233430Marcus Smith returns as England retain Tom Curry to play ArgentinaEngland XV to play Argentina15 eth
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 29 caps) 14 eth
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps)13 eth
Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 25 caps)12 eth
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 58 caps)11 eth
Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 9 caps) 10 eth
Owen Farrell – captain (Saracens, 111 caps) 9 eth
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 126 caps)1 eth
Ellis Genge – vice-captain (Bristol Bears, 57 caps)2 eth
Theo Dan (Saracens, 6 caps)3 eth
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 32 caps) 4 eth
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 75 caps)5 eth
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)6 eth
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 49 caps)7 eth
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps) 8 eth
Ben Earl (Saracens, 24 caps)Replacements:16 eth
Jamie George (Saracens, 84 caps)17 eth
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 4 caps) 18 eth
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 106 caps)19 eth
David Ribbans (Toulon, 9 caps) 20 eth
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 24 caps)21 eth
Danny Care (Harlequins, 95 caps) 22 eth
George Ford – vice-captain (Sale Sharks, 90 caps)23 eth
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 20 caps)Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 12:301698232672Jean Kleyn: RWC final with South Africa ‘outside realm of thinking’ months agoFormer Ireland international Jean Kleyn acknowledges being on the verge of becoming a world champion with his native South Africa was “outside the realm of thinking” just months ago eth
Munster lock Kleyn represented Ireland under Joe Schmidt at the 2019 World Cup in Japan after qualifying on residency grounds eth
But, having been repeatedly overlooked by Schmidt’s successor Andy Farrell, the 30-year-old was in June cleared to switch allegiance back to the Springboks before being included in Jacques Nienaber’s squad for France eth
Reigning champions South Africa are on course to retain their crown going into Saturday’s final against fellow three-time winners New Zealand in Paris eth
“I think I’ve caught myself thinking about it probably too often,” Kleyn said of his curious Test career eth
It’s a strange one because if you’d asked me six months ago if I at all thought I had any chance of being here at the World Cup final playing for the Springboks, I would have told you you are absolutely insane eth
“I’ll probably wake up when it’s all said and done and think, ‘was that a dream or did it actually happen?’ eth
It was outside the realm of thinking eth
“It’s been a fantastic journey for me eth
It’s been an absolute pleasure being part of it eth
” Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 12:171698232216England vs Argentina referee: Who is Rugby World Cup bronze final official Nic Berry?Nic Berry has been named as the referee for the bronze final eth between England rugby and Argentina rugby at the 2023 Rugby World Cup eth
The Australian will be in charge of the third/fourth place play-off taking place at the Stade de France on Friday evening, with Andrew Brace of Ireland and Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli as his assistant referees on the touchlines eth
Ben Whitehouse (Wales) will be the TMO for the appetiser to Saturday’s final eth between the Springboks and All Blacks eth
Berry made his tournament debut four years ago in Japan, and returned to the officiating panel for the tournament in France eth
A former professional player, Berry impressed as a scrum half in Super Rugby, the French Top 14 and England’s Premiership eth
England vs Argentina referee: Who is Rugby World Cup bronze final official Nic Berry?Australia Berry will officiate the penultimate game of the tournament on Friday evening Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 12:101698231285Marcus Smith could form exciting back three for England against ArgentinaIf Marcus Smith does indeed return to start for England against the Pumas, it would make for an exciting back three eth
Smith alongside Freddie Steward and Henry Arundell, you would think eth
Borthwick will be eager to maintain the momentum from a superb performance against the Springboks, despite heartache, and Smith could provide the spark eth
Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 11:541698230105Wales star Leigh Halfpenny announces international retirementLeigh Halfpenny will call it a career in international rugby with the Wales star set to retire following Wales’ match against the Barbarians on 4 November eth
The 34-year-old has 100 caps and has contributed 795 points for the Dragons eth
Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 11:351698229262Sale Sharks back Tom Curry amid investigation over alleged racial slurA statement read: “Sale Sharks’ owners, players, coaches and staff are absolutely appalled by the nature and level of disgusting abuse directed at Tom Curry and his family in relation to an incident in the England v South Africa World Cup semi-final eth
“Everyone at the club stands fully and proudly behind Tom and we look forward to welcoming him back to Carrington eth
”Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 11:211698228450England rally around Tom Curry amid Bongi Mbonambi racism investigationEngland insist Tom Curry is ready for Friday’s World Cup bronze final as squad and management rally around the flanker caught in a racism storm eth
World Rugby is investigating an allegation made by Curry that he was racially abused by South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi in the first half of Saturday’s semi-final defeat eth
Curry claimed to referee Ben O’Keeffe that he was called a “white c***” by Mbonambi and, after a complaint made by the Rugby eth Football Union, audio and video footage is being examined for evidence eth
England rally around Tom Curry amid Bongi Mbonambi racism investigationCurry has alleged he was racially abused by the South Africa hooker in England’s semi-final defeat Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 11:071698227550RFU confirm conversations underway over possible British & Irish leagueBill Sweeney, the chief executive of England’s Rugby eth Football Union (RFU), has confirmed that “tentative” discussions have been held over a possible British and Irish league eth
The long-mooted idea would unite club rugby in the British Isles into one competition eth
The loss of London Irish, Worcester Warriors and Wasps in the last 13 months has highlighted financial problems in the English domestic game, with the top-flight Gallagher Premiership now containing just 10 teams eth
The four Welsh regions have also had their funding cut for the new season of the United Rugby Championship (URC), which features competing teams from Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Italy eth
RFU confirm conversations underway over possible British & Irish leagueThe future of the club game in Europe could be radically reshaped Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 10:521698226650Will Jordan joins exclusive try-scoring club as New Zealand find the perfect ‘combination’It’s pretty illustrious company eth
The World Cup semi-final eth between New Zealandand Argentina may come to be a contest best forgotten, but All Blacks wing Will Jordan will remember it as the night where he joined a group of try-scoring greats - and should have surpassed them eth
With a hat-trick in Paris, Jordan became the fourth member of an exclusive club, in alongside Bryan Habana, Julian Savea and Jonah Lomu as the only men to have scored eight tries in a single tournament eth
With 31 tries in 30 Tests, it is a statistical probability that the All Black takes the record outright in the final eth
Had Richie Mo’unga elected to pass rather than dummy, Jordan would already have it eth
Late on at the Stade de France, the game long since decided and New Zealand electing to play with 14 men in a show of their superiority, Jordan was had clear run ahead of him with the Argentina defence narrowed eth
Jordan bellowed for the ball; his fly half ignored him, going it alone in search of a try of his own to leave Jordan left with arms and mouth agape eth
Will Jordan joins exclusive club as All Blacks find the perfect ‘combination’The silkily smooth wing scored a hat-trick against Argentina and moved level with Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea on a record eight tries at a single men’s tournament Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 10:371698226565Marcus Smith in contention for England return against ArgentinaMarcus Smith could return for England after sitting out the semi-final defeat to South Africa eth
The England playmaker suffered a head injury against Fiji in the quarter-final, and also suffered a swollen lip after passing the in-game head injury assessment eth
Smith would fail a second assessment early in the week, ruling him out of the match against the Springboks, but Steve Borthwick could now bring him back to start against Argentina on Friday eth
“Marcus was unavailable for selection due to the return to play protocols,” Borthwick clarified last week eth
“He took a knock in the [Fiji] game eth
As you are well aware, he passed the first parts of the HIA process which meant he finished the game eth
Then there are subsequent parts of the HIA process and one part of that, he did not pass eth
And then it was confirmed to me he was unavailable for selection eth
“He is perfectly fine in terms of symptoms – he doesn’t feel anything eth
And I understand we’d expect him to be available for selection after this weekend eth
Player welfare is critical and vital to us eth
” Jack Rathborn25 October 2023 10:36Newer1 / 2OlderMore aboutEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyRugby World CupNew Zealand rugbyArgentina rugbySteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/1Rugby World Cup LIVE: England announce Argentina team as Smith startsRugby World Cup LIVE: England announce Argentina team as Smith startsSteve Borthwick will name his England team to face Argentina on WednesdayGetty Images✕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 eth
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