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Date: 2023-12-07 18:22:34 | Author: Online Sports | Views: 545 | Tag: iloilo
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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 iloilo
Across 80 minutes in Paris, their belief had been replaced by disbelief and then by desperation and dejection, England threatening the unthinkable and taking the world champions to the brink iloilo
For most of a sodden Stade de France evening, a Rugby World Cup final was within their grasp iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
The emotional maelstrom of this defeat will swirl rather differently to the feelings that eddied after the 2019 World Cup final disaster iloilo
“I’m proud of our performance,” were virtually the first words out of the mouth of wing Elliot Daly iloilo
“I think we shocked them iloilo
I don’t think they knew how to get into the game iloilo
”“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 iloilo
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 iloilo
A flawed side did not come to France to thrill; winning by any means necessary had been a consistent theme iloilo
If necessity is oft the mother of invention, England at this tournament have also proved the pair can be enemies iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
At the 65-minute mark, England outside backs had a combined 17 metres carried, all from one Freddie Steward kick return iloilo
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 iloilo
“We came with a plan to win the game but we fell a little bit short,” reflected Borthwick iloilo
“But the players should be incredibly proud iloilo
We put ourselves in a position to win against the world champions iloilo
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 iloilo
We’ve had four months iloilo
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 iloilo
”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 iloilo
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 iloilo
In time, perhaps the ugly duckling performances will turn into white swans iloilo
There appear to be many more buds of a bright future than first appeared in a barren landscape pre-tournament iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
"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 iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
The likely arrival of a form of central contracts underlines a period of epochal change iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo Football Union (RFU) put their head coach in this situation iloilo
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 iloilo
Jones’s sacking sparked a scramble and several months of chaos iloilo
It was not shown up on semi-final weekend but there are many reasons that the RFU still has a burden to bear iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
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 iloilo
“This team has been through a bit in the last few years, a bit of adversity in the medium-term past iloilo
“I think through each of those periods the team has picked up lessons, picked up what we need to do and grown from it iloilo
I think there’s a lot of growth in this team iloilo
Sometimes it’s not the straight-forward path you want it to be iloilo
In the feelings and emotions of the game last night, I know that we’ll get stronger iloilo
” 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 iloilo
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Hi {{indy iloilo
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England, Scotland, Spain, France, Portugal, Turkey, Belgium and Austria all secured their places at Euro 2024 in the latest round of qualifying fixtures iloilo
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what still to be resolved in November and the play-offs iloilo
Group AScotland and Spain have both qualified for the finals, but top spot remains up for grabs iloilo
Spain head to Cyprus and then host Georgia, while Scotland face a trip to Tbilisi before welcoming Norway to Hampden Park – where the Tartan Army are expected to revel in a Euro 2024 qualification party iloilo
Georgia are set to go into the play-offs based on their Nations League ranking as a group winner iloilo
Norway are one of several countries who will have to wait on all the other results to see if they can make the cut as one of 12 teams split through three paths iloilo
Group BWhile France have qualified automatically for the finals as group winners, the Netherlands still have work to do iloilo
The Dutch edged past Greece with a stoppage-time penalty from captain Virgil van Dijk on Monday night – and victory over the Republic of Ireland in Amsterdam will secure a top-two finish iloilo
Greece, though, could also still reach Euro 2024, having already been assured of a place in the play-offs iloilo
Indeed because of UEFA’s complex weighted system based on overall Nations League rankings, the Republic are still not theoretically out of the running to be involved in the play-offs in March – and could even see their slim hopes boosted by a loss in Amsterdam on November 18 if other results also fall into place iloilo
Group CEngland’s 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night saw them qualify with two matches left iloilo
Italy are third, but qualification remains in their own hands if they can beat North Macedonia iloilo
The Azzurri would then edge out Ukraine to the runners-up spot should they go on to avoid defeat in the final group game iloilo between the two countries in Leverkusen on November 20 iloilo
Italy are also assured of place in the play-offs should it be needed iloilo
Group DTurkey have secured qualification, but the race to join them looks set to go to the wire iloilo
Wales will if they beat Armenia in Yerevan and Croatia suffer an unexpected defeat away to Latvia iloilo
Armenia, though, are still not out of the mix, sitting just three points behind Wales and Croatia with two games left iloilo
Qualification could all hinge on the very last round of fixtures – which sees Wales host Turkey in Cardiff and Croatia play Armenia in Zagreb on November 21 iloilo
However, Croatia are assured of at least a play-off spot if they do not qualify automatically iloilo
Group EIn another tight group, leaders Albania, the Czech Republic, Poland and even Moldova can all still qualify iloilo
Albania will qualify if they avoid defeat by Moldova in their next match or if Poland – currently third and with just one game left – beat the Czechs iloilo
An away win in Warsaw, though, would see the Czech Republic qualify if Moldova do not beat Albania iloilo
Moldova have two games left, which they realistically would need to win to keep in the qualification mix iloilo
Despite being bottom of the table with just one point from seven games, the Faroe Islands could yet find themselves in the play-offs depending on other results iloilo
Group FAustria and group leaders Belgium have both qualified iloilo
Belgium’s game against Sweden at the King Baudouin Stadium on Monday night was abandoned at half-time after two people were shot dead in Brussels iloilo
It has yet to be confirmed whether the fixture will be replayed iloilo
Azerbaijan are not theoretically out of play-off contention, while bottom side Estonia are the top-ranked team from Nations League Group D iloilo
Group GLeaders Hungary – who have Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles in the squad – missed the chance to qualify after having to recover to draw 2-2 in Lithuania iloilo
However, a point in their next match away to Bulgaria would see them through, as would Montenegro not beating Lithuania iloilo
Second-placed Serbia will qualify if Montenegro fail to win on November 16 or they themselves beat Bulgaria in their last game iloilo
Bottom side Bulgaria have slim play-off hopes, but Serbia are secured a spot if they need it as one of the Nations League group winners iloilo
Group HSlovenia, who beat Northern Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday night, and Denmark are in the driving seat to qualify, sitting four points clear of Kazakhstan iloilo
A win in Copenhagen for either team on November 17 would see them through, as would San Marino getting an unlikely positive result against Kazakhstan iloilo
Finland will go into the play-offs, which is also the likely route for Kazakhstan iloilo
Group ISwitzerland’s fightback with two late goals to draw 3-3 against Belarus left them second in the table, a point behind leaders Romania having played a game less iloilo
Israel – assured of at least a play-off spot – are four points adrift, and have their rearranged match with the Swiss on November 15 iloilo
Switzerland will qualify if they win their next two fixtures, while Romania will if the Swiss lose in Tel Aviv and they themselves then beat Israel on November 18 iloilo
Romania are set to host Switzerland in the final round of fixtures, while Israel’s postponed match against Kosovo has still to be rescheduled iloilo
Group JPortugal qualified for the finals as runaway group winners with a 100 per cent record so far through eight games iloilo
Slovakia will also qualify with a match to spare if they avoid defeat against Iceland iloilo
Luxembourg are five points behind, so look likely to go into the play-offs along with Bosnia and Herzegovina iloilo
More aboutPA ReadyEnglandBarnsley FcGermanyScotlandGeorgiaSerbiaSpainVirgil van DijkItalyNations LeagueNorwayTurkeyRobert PageFrancePortugalTbilisiCyprusAustriaCroatiaBelgium1/1Euro 2024 qualifying – who has reached Germany and who still has work to do? Euro 2024 qualifying – who has reached Germany and who still has work to do?England and Scotland have both qualified, but the Netherlands still have work to do (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 iloilo
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features Get in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsiloilo BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery Act Thank 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 iloilo
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 iloilo
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