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/ 21 December 2007

Gold-medal moments

October 20 was South Africa’s biggest sporting day of the year. The venue was the Stade de France in Paris and the outcome was the right to call the Webb Ellis trophy ours for the next four years. The Springboks beat England 15‑6 in a tense final. Lucky Sindane looks back at the sporting highlights of 2007.

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/ 29 October 2007

SA’s power sunk England in final

South Africa’s raw power was the key factor which enabled them to win the World Cup final, England scrumhalf Andy Gomarsall said on Monday. ”In the end South Africa’s physicality was the difference,” Gomarsall told Reuters in Sydney where he is on holiday.

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/ 21 October 2007

‘South Africa have been the class outfit’

Britain’s newspapers on Sunday hailed the bravery and spirit of England’s defeated World Cup side, praising South Africa for their win but mulling over a controversial refereeing decision. For those who managed to squeeze match reports into their first editions, newspapers said South Africa were worthy winners in the game’s showpiece.

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/ 20 October 2007

Montgomery kicks SA to victory

A ruthless South Africa punished England’s ill-discipline with a 15-6 win over the defending champions in the Rugby World Cup final at the Stade de France north of Paris on Saturday. Fullback Percy Montgomery took his points total for the tournament past the century mark by converting each of his four penalty attempts.

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/ 18 October 2007

Boks look to clear final World Cup hurdle

Unbeaten South Africa face defending champions England in a mouth-watering Rugby World Cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday, a re-match of the pool match the Springboks won with consummate ease. But both sides have been quick to play down the significance of that record 36-0 rout, achieved when England were without talismanic flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson.

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/ 17 October 2007

Dream recall for England winger Cueto

Mark Cueto was given a dream England recall on Wednesday when coach Brian Ashton named him as the replacement for injured winger Josh Lewsey for Saturday’s World Cup final. Lewsey misses the game with a hamstring strain and Cueto, injured and then out of favour since the pool stage, was put straight in.

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/ 28 September 2007

England prove too strong for Tonga

Champions England advanced to a quarterfinal meeting with Australia after proving too strong for Tonga in their Pool A decider on Friday by running in four tries in an eventually convincing 36-20 victory. Winger Paul Sackey added two more in the first half at a sodden Parc des Princes.

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/ 19 September 2007

England look to bounce back from Bok mauling

Brian Ashton may have entrusted the pivotal position of flyhalf to a man who has spent much of the past fortnight with his right foot in an ice bucket, but the England coach didn’t look like a man who’d taken a gamble when he unveiled his team to play Samoa. Fit-again Jonny Wilkinson returns and starts a Test with Olly Barkley at inside centre for the first time.

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/ 11 September 2007

Wilkinson, Dallaglio out of Bok match

World Cup heroes Jonny Wilkinson and Lawrence Dallaglio have been left out the England team to play South Africa in their Pool A match at the Stade de France on Friday. Flyhalf Wilkinson missed the opening match against the United States with an ankle injury but Dallaglio played at number eight. Both men were in the winning World Cup final team four years ago.