Mick Cleary predicts that Will Carling’s side will adopt a sober approach to halt the All Blacks in their semifinal on
ROB ANDREW’S kick fell to earth immediatley. Quite how long it takes England to come down to earth is probably the key to whether they can beat the All Blacks in Sunday’s
The team pulled out of Cape Town on Monday heading for Johannesburg before a couple of days’ recuperation in Sun City, nursing their bruises and their hangovers. They imposed a ban on alcohol last week in the build-up to the Australia game; it is depressing to think that temperance might actually work.
England deserve their R and R, for the next 11 days will stretch every sinew and nerve to breaking point.
They have two matches to play, whatever happens on Sunday. If they lose they head for Pretoria for the third-fourth play-off next Thursday. A meaningless match to fill up the last week? It used to be. This time around the game decides who will have to qualify for the next World Cup in 1999.
Only three teams plus the hosts (Wales: no wonder they lobbied so hard to get the vote) are to be spared the ordeal of qualification. The loser in Pretoria will have had the worst of all World Cups. So near yet scarely no better off than the Ivory Coast next time around.
England, of course, have no intention of being anywhere other than Ellis Park next week for the final. They are the one team left in the competition capable of toppling the All Blacks. What England have over the others is a lot of brawn and a bit of brain; if either South Africa or France were to steal the show it would be because of their heart.
The Springboks are a workmanlike side playing very well, spurred by passionate support throughout the land. They lack the finesse of true champions and may yet surf to the title on a wave of emotion. The loss of Andre Joubert would blunt their attacking options. France, meanwhile with Benazzi and Cabannes back to form, are improvng steadily. If they could find some decent half-backs they would flourish. Hueber and Deylaud only fret and fritter.
England are in better order all round. They have the pack to win ball, so strangling at birth the All Blacks’ desire to play a wide, fluid game. Once they have possession England will then rely on their natural character — cautious, conservative, disciplined — to implement the game plan. “The key to the success of this England team is best summed up in one word: control,” Australia’s coach Bob Dwyer said.
There is no secret about England’s approach. The occasional roll of the drum in the English camp to announce a sexier rhythm has invariably turned out to be a hollow echo. Sure they have a more complex strategy these days, but the team prospers because of the big guys up front not the dancing girls behind.
To toss their inhibitions to the wind, as they did so disastrously in the 1991 World Cup final, would be madness. They know that; and so do the All Blacks. “I don’t doubt that we’ll go into the game as underdogs,” said New Zealand coach Laurie Mains, which might be construed as a Kiwi attempt at a joke. “The English pack is pretty awesome.”
And so it is. In the context of Sunday’s game it is perfectly right that England should play to their strength. The down side is that they focus so much on keeping a tight rein that, when the time does come to slip the leash, they are too blinkered to spot the opportunity. England could have spared the nation’s coronary units a busy Sunday afternoon by wrapping the game up in the first half.
They had the possession to do so and, just before half-time they also had the position to do so. A great clattering drive up-field by the forwards delivered all to Will Carling. To his left the field was open. The ball screamed out to be run. A familiar voice in Carling’s head, however, told him to kick. He did, and the chance to kill the game off died with it. “It was the wrong option,” he admitted afterwards. On such small margins may Sunday’s match be