We need to talk about the likes of Uruguay and Chile, fellow outsiders who, unlike Warren Gatland’s team, have no historical reference points to help them survive the rigours of bigtime tournament rugby and therefore cannot even begin to believe, however delusionally, that the next few weeks will be anything but excruciating. What can we possibly expect from them? Or, to put it another way, what in God’s name will they being doing over there in France, apart from losing?
One national newspaper journalist has suggested that the current England team are so bad, they could conceivably lose to Chile when the two countries meet on pool-stage business in Lille towards the end of next month. Which is inconceivable, of course. England would have to be significantly more useless than they were in Dublin last weekend – there’s a test of imagination for you – to allow the South Americans within 50 points of them.
Los Condores, as the Chileans present themselves, are making a first World Cup appearance, having qualified at the eighth attempt. They possess a couple of players who earn a crust in the French second-tier and a skipper, Martin Sigren, below, who turns out in the back row for Doncaster, but their most familiar figure, by approximately a million miles, is a long-retired prop. Step forward head coach Pablo Lemoine, who ended his career with 48 international caps. For Uruguay.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 27, 2023-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 27, 2023-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
England show who's No.1
ENGLAND women’s head coach John Mitchell says his side will take valuable lessons from the 24-12 win over world champions New Zealand as they build towards their WXV1 title defence.
Skivington: We're going to roll dice and go for it
THE Cherry and Whites are the enigmas of the Premiership.
Looking to go one step beyond this time around
NE small step is what it will take for Bath to go one better than last season and secure the Premiership for the first time, but it would be one of the biggest taken by the club in the professional era.
Four-try England make it 17 wins on the spin
ENGLAND women opened the Allianz Stadium era at HQ with a victory over New Zealand to make it 17 wins on the bounce before their WXV title defence.
Time for Borthwick to prove his worth
HONEYMOON periods are not set in stone and in my estimation Steve Borthwick’s ends this summer. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still in good shape.
Barrington ready to power up the Mob
RICHARD Barrington has signed up to the Ampthill “Mob” reassured that he’ll still have a target on his back most weeks.
Skivington keen to build identity
GLOUCESTER won their first trophy for nine years last season and reached the Challenge Cup final, but when George Skivington went on holiday the day after the campaign ended the words in his head were never again.
Roebuck targets England success
WINNING a maiden England Test cap to top the best season of his career will not be enough for Sale winger Tom Roebuck.
Booth: Tough telling players I was leaving
TOBY Booth admits telling his Ospreys players that he would be leaving at the end of the season was one of the hardest things he has had to do in his career.
Stephens' debut try sees off old rivals
DORKING had to dig deep in another tight game between two old rivals, with the lead changing hands twice and result in doubt right up to the final whistle.