SF2: England v South Africa

[Son of Mathonwy]

I think England can stop this being a massacre but I can't see how they can win it without a huge and unlikely drop in SA form.

[Beasties]

I give England a 10% chance at best.

Personally, I think this is a better Springbok side than the one that beat England in 2019. Whereas we are significantly worse.

Our best chance was SA being beaten up by France, but given how early they used their bench, I don’t think that will be a factor.

Even if we were somehow able to pull it out the bag, I think it would take so much out of us that we’d not be able to put up much resistance in the final.

I’ll settle for a good fight and some pride.

10%?

I think we’re realistically into Thanos/Doc Strange %s if we’re gonna be honest.

[canta_brian]

What is the spread for Bokke fake HIAs to allow rolling subs? I reckon about 4 minimum

[UKHamlet]

Getting nervous yet, boys?

[Puja]

Getting nervous yet, boys?

Not really anything to get nervous about - we're expecting a pumping anyway, so there's not really a worst case scenario here.

Puja

[morepork]

You get beaten like a ginger step child and Steve Borthwick is fired on the spot. Owen Farrell is announced as player/coach through to the end of the next world cup.

[J Dory]

Enough with the 3 mile long ruck, kick it out, line out, kick it back, rinse, repeat.

[UKHamlet]

THE CURSE OF HAMLET

[Donny osmond]

Just as I think I might like England to win, Owen Farrell pops up and makes me support SA again.

If this match wasn't a semi final, I'd have turned it off. Absolutely pish.

[Sourdust]

How on Earth do they do this? It's genuinely remarkable.

This team was a circus act a month ago.

Now here they are, completely shutting down the Acme ClownEaterMatic^TM Deluxe.

Fair fucks.

[morepork]

Just as I think I might like England to win, Owen Farrell pops up and makes me support SA again.

If this match wasn't a semi final, I'd have turned it off. Absolutely pish.

He is an utter kok.

[francoisfou]

Button it, Farrell!

[J Dory]

That was a shit half of rugby. Kick, long ruck, kick, long line out, kick, long ruck, penalty, ......................

Someone run with the ball then pass it please.

[J Dory]

I don't remember seeing a single pass in the back line for either team. WTF.

[Donny osmond]

I do love Joe Marker tho

[J Dory]

Credit England, they are doing what they need to, but f me SA, change your tactics. Run at them ffs.

[Donny osmond]

Mind you, for every Owen Farrell, there's a Faf du Kok pissing about on the sidelines

[UKHamlet]

Ironic that it was Steward who failed to catch the high ball that allowed SA to take the lead

[UKHamlet]

Ironic that it was Steward who failed to catch the high ball that allowed SA to take the lead

And ultimately win.

Sorry guys. You almost did it.

[Donny osmond]

Man, even I am heartbroken for England there. SA have not been worth this win. Not that England exactly have been worth it mind.

[morepork]

Fuk me that was a hard watch as a neutral. England pretty unlucky, but they have Farrell, so fuck 'em. I can't wait to see how many passes were made in that game. Probably 95% of the passes that were made came in the last 5 minutes. SA just terrified of getting isolated and resorted to kicking everything. I wasn't expecting them to fold so badly. England got in their faces, yes, but their backs should have been skinning the Rosbif backline.

[Sourdust]

Well that was the most enthralling, amazing, gripping utterly shit game of rugby I can remember since... well, the last time England did this, I guess.

One the one hand, hats absolutely off to them for shutting down the Boks so completely. I never thought they could do that.

On the other hand, thank all the rugby gods they didn't get away with it. Somehow. Because as much as I can't believe how well England stuck to their task, I'm equally stunned by how SA dragged it out of the fire, from a position of seeming so utterly impotent that they were practically curled up into balls and sobbing.

[Lizard]

Man. SA were kak and still managed to pull it out of the bag. Pretty tough for England after leading most of the match.

If anyone suddenly decides they don't want their category 3 or 4 Final ticket, I'll happily pay face value for it.

[Cameo]

If you were a fan of either team, that was probably gripping and I'm sure there were key moments that could have gone either way.

BUT

As someone who doesn't like either team, that just confirmed all my prejudices. I know it was raining but it didn't have to mean a game that tedious. Can't really blame England because if SA were willing to get sucked into that, that was England's best chance at winning, but I wouldn't follow rugby if that was typical.

I'm glad SA won because I didn't want a final that was a foregone conclusion, but, man, do I want them to get thumped.

My only other thought possibly worth sharing was that I wonder if O'Keefe on review thought he had been a bit lenient around the rucks last week so was a bit tighter. SA seemed to take a while to adapt.

[Sandydragon]

Fuk me that was a hard watch as a neutral. England pretty unlucky, but they have Farrell, so fuck 'em. I can't wait to see how many passes were made in that game. Probably 95% of the passes that were made came in the last 5 minutes. SA just terrified of getting isolated and resorted to kicking everything. I wasn't expecting them to fold so badly. England got in their faces, yes, but their backs should have been skinning the Rosbif backline.

I think the weather didn’t help, England played the elements better.