#rwc03revisited - England 2003

ENGLAND v Geogia Samoa Uruguay WALES 2003

ITV4 ENGLAND Rugby world cup games 6pm.

We played SO badly in that game, no structure at all. Samoa threw everything at us (including some borderline dangerous tackles) and came close to causing a huge upset. Big Phil was brilliant when he came on for Julian White, and I felt that Abbott had a fairly decent showing, despite the commentators practically ignoring him for most of the game...

It's good that Phil is around for next year's Lions tour too.

One of the things that so annoys me about SCW's continual blathering is he forgets just how England staggered over the line in 2003. He was hyper critical of the current side yesterday in the Daily Heil, suggesting any side he put out would have been prepared for the Saffer ferocity - yet forgets our struggles with Samoa and Wales plus not exactly awe inspiring performances in the Semi and Final.

Forgot how awful we were vs Samoa.

Looked like we had never played with each other before. Simple basic rugby skills left us and all that on the back of Greenwood not touching the ball down after a missed penalty kick in the game before.
The squad were under massive pressure and expectation.

Woodward does speak a fair amount of guff. https://www.rugbypass.com/news/joe-marler-fires-back-at-clive-woodwards-laurel-and-hardy-criticism-of-the-loosehead-and-dan-cole-england/

I think we have this in the bag. 80-13 phew

BIG game tonight - 6pm ITV4

Don't miss it.

Wales XV - G. Thomas, M. Jones, Taylor, Harris, S. Williams, S. Jones, Cooper, I. Thomas, McBryde, A. Jones, Cockbain, Sidoli, D. Jones, Charvis, J. Thomas.

England XV - Robinson, Luger, Greenwood, Tindall, Cohen, Wilkinson, Dawson, Leonard, Thompson, Vickery, Johnson, Kay, Moody, Back, Dallaglio.