CupraT

My first reaction was try, second reaction on seeing the replays was try. After watching back in slow mo / pausing after the game I thought is was no try.

I had a few quid on Mr Cuetoe as first try scorer and I'm English so probably biased!

Thoroughly enjoyed the world cup. Whilst not the best team out there we performed well above expectations and actually tried 100%, something the football team should learn from.

Snazy

At the end of the day it was all summed up by Johnny. He said himself that he is sure decisions have gone in their favour before, tonight it didn't.

Not a rugby fan, nor a footie fan, but given 1 of the 2 games to watch, it would be rugby. Does seem very fair and straight forward. Nice to be able to head whats going on.

Last night, the boys put in a good effort, but it didn't match SA. However we did improve our game no end since our last encounter.

dsmith

South African line out was superb. general Defence was impeccable. Scrum was good enough to hold us.

Was still a try

I shall simply return to the videos of the beaten Aussies and French. Not a bad months work really in hindsight.

I hope the pumas get invited to the tri-nations - They deserve to be included in a regular top flight tournament. I just cant wait for the 6-nations now. I worry the Irish will bounce back after a dismal world cup with a vengance. Ourselves and France have some proper rebuilding to do- but for pretty much the 1st time since 2003 there's a glimmer of hope that we might get another great team to all turn up on the same day.

Little Miss WRX

In football it is WHOLE of the ball over WHOLE of the line, no mostly, no "touch" like in rugby.

In rugby as you say, it is clear and simple.....from the rear shot, that foot is unfortunately on the line and if the player wasn't in England colours and it was just a picture to state whether the ball is in touch or not then I am sure the general concensus would be no try.......

Such a shame they didn't get over the line after making it to the final, would have been fantastic to have won it back to back.....

Jerome

Apart from the disallowed try, the ref let a blatant SA crossover go by but then gave a penalty against us for a marginal crossover.

I wouldn't have minded so much if SA had just outplayed us and won, but dubious decisions by the officials tainted the match for me.

<gritted teeth mode on>
Having said that, on balance, SA were the better side and deserved their win.
<gritted teeth mode off>

DesR

As promised....

ImageShack - Hosting :: clipboard01bb7.jpg

Flatcapdriver

To all the fair weather fans/football supporters bleating on here, we don't whinge about referees in Rugby making mistakes - keep that for the football field where similar antics are appreciated. Unless you're a Kiwi of course - champion whingers of the southern hemisphere.

Disallowing the try was a harsh decision but it was the correct one as Cueto's foot hit the touch line prior to the ball being grounded. Gutting - but such is life so get over it like the England team have managed to do.

There wasn't much between them but the jaapies were superior in the line out, their kicking was better and they managed to clear their lines in a way that England couldn't.

However, there is plenty to build on provided England don't repeat the decisions made four years ago with players announcing their retirements immediately with a general clearing out of the team. The likes of Shaw, Regan and Gomersall (hell, even Catty if he wants it) should stay around for the Six Nations and longer if neccessary. There's plenty of time for new talent to come through. Wilko has only played twelve games in the last four years so there's plenty of time for him to get his kicking game (the part of his repertoire the fair weather fans only seem to see) back on whilst his work rate in defence is awesome. Plenty to work on to give England an excellent chance at the next World Cup.

The tragedy is, that we're unlikely to see another decent Springboks side in our lifetimes given the crass stupidity of Mbeki and company.

DesR

This is very disappointing... politics in sport all over again

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

true,but being a south african team where were the black palyers ?

suppose they better go and get trained up for the next few yes !

DesR

The previous SA government did not exactly encourage blacks to play. The net result is that the number of star black players coming through the system naturally has taken some time, but 'thanks' to the current proposed political intervention this will now take less time.

Flatcapdriver

The Blacks don't want to play Rugby, that's why so few of them come through the system. They're more interested in football which makes this black empowerment system even more outrageous than it is - racism at its finest.

CrisPDuk

In the meantime all of South Africa's really talented white players will follow Pietersen's lead and play their rugby somewhere else



MrsD's sister lived in South Africa for many years, she reckons that if you want to see what lies in their future, you only need look at Zimbabwe

DesR

You mean players like

Mike Catt (Eng)
Matthew Stevens (Eng)
Daniel Vickerman (Oz)
Pieter De Villiers (France)
Clyde Rathbone (Oz)

Return of the Twig

Good post. Much of a rugby fan or more into football by any chance?

Flatcapdriver

Des. That's not much of a list compared to other countries where players ply their trade 'abroad'. Look at the talent in the jaapie side at present and imagine how many of them will have to make way for blacks to restore proportional representation.

Strewth, if that happens Georgia and Canada will be queuing up to play the 'boks.

Strange how there is less pressure on the football side to even things up proportionately.

DesR

I only listed the ones off the top of my head.

Actually the point about football is made fairly often by whites in SA. It's all just politics and thats the sad part.

Matteeboy

Probably an unwelcome comment, but of all the teams to lose against, SA was the "best" option.
We beat France, we beat the Aussies. That'll do for me.

SA were amazing all the way through the tournament.