England Dash French Hopes

Really nice to see Jason Robinson running out for his 50th cap - something in doubt a few weeks ago, when he limped off with his hamstring injury.

The French knocked on at the kickoff, and England's scrum was strong - getting a free kick. Andy Gomarsall's kick to the corner was dithered over by Damien Traille, and Josh Lewsey [right] snuck up behind him and mugged him for the ball - crashing over the line in the corner for the fastest try in World Cup semifinal history. What a fantastic start!

France were on the counter-attack after 7 minutes, when Nick Easter was pinged at the ruck which formed after a 55m drop goal attempt. Lionel Beauxis added the extras.

Mark Regan made a great chargedown in the 10th minute, the French defence panicked and kicked it over the deadball line, to give England an attacking scrum 5. The forwards rumbled towards the line, but were pushed back 10 meters. With England back on the attack, Sackey was penalised for holding on, giving France a chance of a lineout on the half way line.

At 15 minutes, France were on the attack again, and Beauxis ran down the wing, but he was given a forward pass, so the ref called them back for another scrum. Easter made a great break from the back of the scrum, but Serge Betsen [left] put a huge hit on Martin Corry and he lost it forward. The next scrum collapsed, and France had a chance at the posts from just inside the half way line. Lionel Beauxis struck it well, to take the hosts up by one point, 5-6.

At 21 minutes, France kicked deep into English territory and out the touchline, but the lineout held firm. France got another lineout at the other side of the pitch, with old warhorse Fabien Pelous [right] taking it at the back. England's defence was good, with Jonny Wilkinson felling the big lock in the tackle. He got up initially, but had to go off in the 24th minutes, replaced by Sebastien Chabal. Chabal's not really as good a second row as he is back row, so the French scrum could suffer.

Jonny missed a drop goal attempt in the 26th minute, just fading to one side before it reached the posts. A couple of minutes later, England were on the attack and Betsen came in from the side at a ruck. It was a long shot from inside his own half, but Wilkinson stepped up to take the penalty. It fell just wide.

Chabal took a knock tackling Phil Vickery [left], but eventually got up and lumbered back to the scrum. The French supporters breathed a sigh of relief. Shortly after, Les Bleus had an attacking lineout which was won, but Lewis Moody turned it over and the lines were cleared a few metres back down the pitch. This time the lineout was far too long, and it was snatched by Mike Catt and taken back into the French half.

In the 33rd minute, Serge Betsen stole an English lineout in our half, eventually it went back to Jason Robinson who cleared it to safety.

Catt made a terrible pass back to Matthew Tait, who just scrambled to collect the ball and cover it safely. With a minute to go before half time, Dan Hipkiss came on for a limping Josh Lewsey, a shame to see him bow out injured. The ref blew for half time, and we could all catch our breath again for a while.

"Mad Bernie" decided to ring the changes in the 51st minute, bringing on Dimitri Szarzewski and Frédéric Michalak [left]. They immediately made an impact, and chipped ahead for a chance - but England managed to chip it over the dead ball line. France had a 5m scrum, the short side wasn't going anywhere, and passed it wide across the pitch. Michalak's attempt at a drop goal was nowhere near, perhaps Beauxis would have taken the points?

Elissalde was mugged for the ball at a ruck, in the 54th minute, with some excellent tackling from England. Both sides still looked rather cautious, however. Lots of ping-pong. At 58 minutes, England were steaming up the middle, and Jonny tried another drop goal - it hit the post and bounced off, but it was kicked back to Jason Robinson who scythed through the French defence. It was going so well, until we gave away another penalty.

Simon Shaw took Wilkinson's restart kick and powered off into the French half, then Lewis Moody charged down the middle. A few fumbles later, then France had a decent scrum, but then Easter was pinged again for rucking in from the side. Beauxis took the points and the hosts were 5-9 up. England needed to pull themselves together and stop the silly penalties.

In the 45th minute, Englahd made a superb intercept from Lewis Moody, who passed it off to Dan Hipkiss and the backs got themselves up to within 5m. The French gave away a penalty and it was time for Jonny to take some much-needed points. Fans in white heaved a sigh of relief, to take them back to within a point, 8-9.

The French inched their way back into English territory, winning a lineout and driving up the pitch. The forwards rumbled, but Matt Stevens [right] turned over the ball when it went to the backs. A minute later, Stevens made a huge hit on Chabal. He was making a nuisance of himself as far as France were concerned.

Simon Shaw had a good run into French territory, but it was turned over and the French gained vital yards. George Chuter was brought on just as France got the lineout. Their forwards rumbled on, and then Michalak chipped ahead but Matthew Tait was just in the right place to clean up under the England posts.

At 67 minutes, English hearts were in mouths when Vincent Clerc broke away, but Joe Worsley [right, in action against the USA] managed a fantastic fingertip tap tackle, then the English defence closed in around Chabal who had taken the pass. He was held up at 5m, but England knocked on - Scrum V to France. They botched it, and England won a vital penalty when France held on in the ruck. Jonny cleared.

Time to wheel on Lol - Dallaglio coming on for Nick Easter. Gomarsall was down for a moment after colliding with the touch judge. After the lineout, Jonny Wilkinson seemed to go down injured, along with Michalak. They were dropping like flies! They both got back up and play continued.

France had a lineout on the half way line, England needed to compete. The forwards drove, but they lost it forward and it came back on the English side. Toby Flood was impatient and tried for a drop goal in the 73rd minute. Buy England were still in the French half after the restart. Wilkinson was lined up for a drop goal again, when Jason Robinson was taken out with a high tackle by Szarzewski - Wilkinson's boot was on song at last - England went ahead 11-9.

France were counter-attacking when Paul Sackey and Toby Flood took their man out into touch - Chabal used an elbow and gave away a penalty. The catch and drive lineout rumbled up the pitch, with Martin Corry right in the middle of the maul. England were hanging onto possession for grim death, ticking down the clock. Wilkinson hovered in the pocket and popped over a sweet drop goal to take them 14-9 ahead.

At the restart, France were looking dangerous, pushing up inside English territory. But the French knocked on and England went for the scrum. With one minute to go from a World Cup Final. What a game! Then France had a lineout on the half way, all England had to do was hang on. Attack from Les Bleus, defence from Les Blancs. The clock went red. Hearts pounded. The English defence just would not crack. France knocked on...

England are in the FINAL!!!

England Improving

England started as they meant to go on, with Captain Martin Corry [left] rumbling over in the corner within 2 minutes! Jonny did the honours and the Red Rose boys were 7-0 up immediately. Jonny struck a drop goal shortly after. Samoa's Loki Crichton kept them in the running with a couple of penalties in the first quarter, but Wilkinson punted two of his own to redress the balance.

At the half hour, England were looking a bit flat, until great interplay between Simon Shaw and Mark Cueto pushed England upfield, then a chip ahead from Jonny Wilkinson put Paul Sackey over in the corner. Jonny added the two points to take England to 23-6. In the last couple of minutes of the half, Loki Crichton slotted two penalties to leave Samoa trailing by 23-12.

Samoa continued to claw back the deficit with another penalty kick just after the break, but it was cancelled out three minutes later when Jonny Wilkinson added three points of his own, having been felled by a high tackle from Brian Lima, to take the score to 26-15.

However, Samoa were far from giving up the ghost, and in the 47th minute, Junior Polu scored (it was close, the TMO had to be consulted) and Crichton converted - Samoa were back in the game, only 4 points behind at 26-22.

For the next twenty minutes, the score was stuck right there, although England came close around 55 minutes from a catch and drive manoeuvre, the forwards rumbled along, Samoa were penalised and Wilko missed a drop goal attempt while playing the advantage. Uncharacteristically, he also missed the resulting kick at goal.

Around 60 minutes, Samoa had a chance, camped deep in English territory, with forwards and backs involved, but England defended furiously and eventually turned over for a counter-atack.

A few substitutions for England followed, and they were beginning to look a little nervous. Crichton chipped ahead for Samoa, Andy Gomarsall [left] covered well. England scrapped on the floor, turned the ball over, and Nick Easter crashed his way upfield. Wilkinson could see that the try wasn't on, and calmly popped a nerve-steadying drop goal, to take the score up to 29-22.

Samoa botched the restart kick, giving England a scrun in the centre of the field. Samoa infringed, so Jonny decided to kick for goal. He struck a beautiful, sweet kick straight through the middle of the posts, and England were 10 points ahead at 32-22.

As if the hammer home the advantage, Martin Corry went over in the 76th minute, for his second try, from a pass from Paul Sackey [right]. Jonny converted, but not to be out-done, Sackey snuck up the right wing for his second score in the 80th minute. This time, Jonny didn't add the extra points, but England were home and dry with a 44-22 win.

Thank heavens for that! England showed some promising improvements after the South Africa debacle. Let's hope they continue on their upward path for their game against Tonga next weekend.

The New Boys

I read with interest that Saracens have signed promising young Argentinian winger/fullback Tomas de Vedia, for the new season. (Plus a Samoan for the pack).

It sounds like the lad has plenty of pace and, as the Argenitian League's top try scorer last year, hopefully he will be able to contribute quickly and get on the score sheet soon.

I don't have a photo of him, but here are some of his Argentinian compatriots in an image I took during the Lions v Argentina match in Cardiff last May. It shows Pablo Bouza winning a lineout against Martin Corry, plus Danny Grewcock, Federico Méndez, Donncha O'Callaghan and Mariano Sambucetti giving some lift.

Les Rosbifs Get Roasted

Q: When is watching rugby like watching Doctor Who?
A: When its England vs France in Paris, 12th March 2006

Why? Well for most of the game I felt like cowering behind the sofa, watching the action through my fingers and wincing when the baddies came to get us. England were merde, no other word for it. And if I thought the last game against the Scots was miserable, then I hadn't seen anything yet! I've no idea why though, it all seemed pretty inexplicably bad. Knock-ons, bumping into our own men, inept lineouts (whatever happend to that, we've had good lineouts in the past few games??). We just seemed to make mistakes left, right and centre. I had that sinking feeling pretty much from the off, when Les Grenouilles scored an intercept try within a minute of kickoff.

So today, I have to contemplate if I want to try and get a ticket for next week's game at Twickenham, where we host our Irish friends. It seems like a very long time ago that we had that great win over Wales at the start of this year's tournament.

I do feel sorry for Martin Corry - he seemed to be about the only guy putting up any effort yesterday. He looked gutted in the after-match interview, as if he was on the verge of tears. It can only fuel the Corry/Dallaglio debate further. The one other saving grace of the whole fiasco was that Danny Grewcock didn't to anything stupid to get himself sent off or cited.

A Chink of Light For Saracens
Despite my doom and gloom predictions for the Men in Black last Friday, they managed to pull a win against Sale out of the bag. Admittedly, Sale were a few good men down to International duty, but so were we - at least three of our boys are in Australia for the Commonwealth Games Sevens tournament. So I was really pleased that they managed to get a few points on the board. We're still sitting at 11 out of 12 in the table, but at least we are a precious few points further ahead than Leeds at the moment. Hope we can continue like that for our next home game against Worcester!