22 mins: DROP-GOAL New Zealand 12-3 Portugal: Moments like these are why a lot of us watch sport...Portugal swing the ball wide...[giving] Goncalo Malheiro the chance to drop through the posts. They're over the moon, and the crowd gives them a standing ovation.
48 mins: TRY : Portugal tap and go from a penalty and embark on a series of drives...the try - scored by replacement Rui Cordeiro - is awarded and the crowd go bananas. A superb effort from Los Lobos.
The final score matters not: Portugal got into good positions and scored from them!
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Crushed and humiliated...words in every paper and online news source. The South African number 9 du Preez was superb and led his team to a resounding victory over England. This article from the Times, by David Hands, says it all [link]Here is a list of the teams in the Rugby World Cup finals that have played one or two games and have scored i.e. they have NOT played a game in which they have failed to score a single point: South Africa, Tonga, USA, Samoa, Australia, Wales, Fiji, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Argentina, Ireland, France, Namibia, Georgia. This includes minnows that have surpassed - by a long, long way - what was expected of them; and they have been entertaining despite the odds stacked against them (Namibia vs. Ireland would stand out if I had to pick a number one).
This is a list of the teams that have played one or two games and in one of the games have failed to score: England
Now, that list seems a bit short...and I have to admit that had England played well but were robbed, or played well and had bad luck , or...or... ANYTHING...FUCK! I wouldn't mind betting the minnow of minnows Portugal manage to get at least one score against the mighty All Black's tomorrow. [*see update]
I celebrated my 45th birthday in August; I can remember being at Twickenham when I was 5 and 6 years old; I went to nearly every home international when I lived in the UK, I went to so many England games I couldn't really tell you how many; what I can tell you is that in all the games I went to...in all the games I saw on TV, in all the games I've EVER read about...I have never, never, never EVER, watched a game in which England did not have A SINGLE CHANCE TO SCORE...NOT ONE. We could have scraped a penalty but they kicked for touch. Please, somebody tell me I've been dreaming...please.
I can tell you something else...you probably know; South Africa didn't play that well...NO, THEY DIDN'T...mistakes galore and not even a real game plan except high kicks; they can play a lot better...and yet they kept us out and ripped us apart; historically it's not England's worst loss by a long way BUT it is England's worst performance, it really was and the only solace is that I'm trying to kid myself that they should go through the group and do an 'Italy football team' (Italy's rugby team always get my support)...anyway Italian football...i.e. play shit, go through, play shit...get to the final...and win...OK, I've been drinking...I need to ease the pain somehow!
2 comments:
And what about the Portuguese team singing their national anthem, that was brilliant.
Janis has adopted them as her second team, after Australia, because of the pride they show!
I think all the 'minor' teams have behaved and played memorably, a credit to themselves and their countries. The point of my post is HOW is it possible that England cannot show the same. Everyone has known for ages that we peobably (!!!) won't retain the cup but I simply CANNOT BELIEVE that we didn't even look like scoring . witness my update when Portugal can score a great drop goal after a classy bit of play AND manage a hard fought try - I simply haven't git the words to describe what I feel for the Englisg rugby team...however I sincerely hope they have been shamed into a pair of good performances vs. the Pacific Islanders to manage going through to face Australia. If they do all that and play well againt the Aussies they will most probably be forgiven, if not then mass resignations/sackings and half the squad dropped is on the cards...
...if they do all that AND manage to WIN against Australia I'll eat my words, my hat and anything else you care to suggest!
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