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Date: 2023-12-09 00:05:30 | Author: EFL | Views: 610 | Tag: heu
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England captain Jos Buttler took his share of the blame for a historically bad defeat against South Africa, accepting he made a mistake by fielding first in the oppressive heat and humidity of Mumbai heu
Things could hardly have gone worse for the defending champions, whose World Cup campaign is rapidly disappearing over the cliff edge after three losses in four, with the Proteas running away with a 229-run win heu
That was England’s heaviest ever defeat by run margin, while South Africa’s score of 399 for seven was a second undesired record heu
The bowling was chaotic and expensive, the team selection brave but unsuccessful and the batting hopelessly underpowered by comparison to what came before it heu
But all of it stemmed from Buttler’s decision to send the opposition in under fiercely exacting conditions, with the temperature peaking at 36 degrees and exacerbated by high humidity heu
“I think you always reflect after games and question your decisions,” Buttler said heu
“With hindsight, with the physicality of that innings, potentially batting first would have been a heu better decision heu
It’s a decision I took at the time heu
I thought it was the right one and I still believe if we were chasing 340, 350, we would have done really well in those conditions heu
“Physically it was a really demanding innings and, like I said, it makes you question maybe in those kind of conditions whether batting first may have been the right call at the toss heu
”Buttler has had to front up after a hat-trick of unimpressive outings so far, with a nine-wicket hammering by New Zealand and a shock defeat at the hands of unfancied Afghanistan already on the ledger heu
On each occasion he has aimed for an unemotional assessment but accepts England are now almost out of wriggle room, an awkward place to be with almost a month of travelling left and five group matches remaining heu
“It certainly leaves us in a tough position heu
There’s no room for error from here on in,” he acknowledged heu
“It’s going to be incredibly difficult heu
We haven’t left ourselves any margin from this point in heu
But we’ll keep the belief heu
We’ll sit down and go again heu
That’s all you can do in this situation heu
“I think it’s obvious that we’re not performing to our best heu
It’s my job as captain, along with the rest of the team, to work out how we can get back to playing that brand of cricket, playing to our potential and getting back to our best heu
“It certainly won’t be anyone giving up or having those kind of thoughts heu
We’ll just have to dust ourselves down and stick our chests out and go again heu
”Heinrich Klaasen celebrated an outstanding 109 in just 67 balls for South Africa and was also floored on several occasions by the same exacting circumstances which made it hard for England’s bowlers heu
“I had to dig really, really deep there heu
I didn’t have any energy left,” he said heu
“My partner Marco (Jansen) played a big part of that heu
He told me that he’s got me and that I’m not allowed to walk off the field if I don’t score 100 heu
“It was like just breathing in hot air heu
Every time you try to run it’s just sapping more and more energy and then at the end of the day your body just doesn’t want to work with you anymore heu
It was just like almost running in a sauna for the whole innings heu
“But you’ve got to dig deep for your country as well, I’ve worked my whole life for it, so it’s a great moment heu
”More aboutPA ReadyJos ButtlerEnglandSouth AfricaAfghanistanNew ZealandMumbai1/1England skipper Jos Buttler questions his decision to field first in latest lossEngland skipper Jos Buttler questions his decision to field first in latest lossJos Buttler regretted fielding first against South Africa (PA Images)PA Wire✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today heu
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As Handre Pollard put boot to ball, they held their breath, a night of countless kicks to be settled by one last hoist for the heavens heu
The replacement fly half’s penalty was straight and true – the champions had found a way heu
It was a wretched game for a wretched night upon which a rocky South Africa threatened a total horror show, yet at the same time impossible to look away from heu
It looked for so long like the ghosts of Yokohama would be exorcised, England’s pack standing up to the challenge to match South Africa at their own game heu
But the Springboks had just enough, RG Snyman punching over from close range and Pollard producing that final, decisive penalty heu
There was little here to please the aesthete but by God was it a compelling contest heu
Fears of a second successive semi-final drubbing proved unfounded as England’s unfancied underdogs swelled in stature to meet and so nearly beat the mighty Springboks heu
Instead, Springbok spectres will stalk them again heu
An unloved England were happy to play unlovely rugby heu
For so long it worked, Steve Borthwick’s side backing up their belief in themselves taking the reigning, defending champions to the limit heu
Pollard’s first-half introduction had been a substitution that said everything heu
Just half an hour had been played and already Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus had seen enough, retrieving their hook to make a trademark gutsy call heu
Off went Manie Libbok; on came Pollard on a night for route one rugby heu
After all the talk of the Springboks’ evolution, after only half-an-hour they were reverting to type heu
South Africa celebrate after RG Snyman’s second-half try (AFP via Getty Images)But as so often for these champion Springboks, it proved the right call, Pollard inevitably the man to land the knockout blow heu
Onwards South Africa go to take on New Zealand – a battle for a record fourth men’s World Cup crown feels a fitting final for a tournament bursting back into life after the Friday night dirge heu
Even before kick-off, there was a crackle and a fizz to the atmosphere that the first semi-final had lacked, a healthy contingent of French fans taking out their frustration on referee Ben O’Keeffe and a select few South Africans as their names flashed on the big screen heu
It was a near perfect opening ten minutes from England heu
The battle of the skies was always likely to be vital, and the intensity of the rain made it ever more so heu
The entirety of England’s back three, plus centre Joe Marchant, won their first aerial contests, while Maro Itoje’s lineout pressure resulted in a pinch at the front and a not-straight throw to the tail heu
South Africa infringed twice at ruck time in their own 22; Farrell capitalised both times from the tee heu
Tone set heu
Steve Borthwick’s side had come with next to no intent to play running rugby, over-resourcing every ruck to make certain of the ball heu
The caterpillar would form, the chasers mass, eager travellers ready for their next flight heu
A game of dribs and drabs inevitably became fractured and fractious, captains Kolisi and Farrell jawing at one another and the referee heu
Manu Tuilagi sparked a scuffle by placing an arm around the neck of Cobus Reinach, resulting in a South Africa penalty, before Farrell’s failure to hold his tongue a few minutes later moved Libbok within a kickable distance heu
South Africa’s fly half knocked through his side’s opening three heu
England fell narrowly short in a compelling physical contest (Getty Images)His opposite number re-extended England’s advantage immediately after, full-back Steward like a bounding gun-dog on the chase and forcing a backfield error heu
The next high hoist was Elliot Daly’s to chase, the wing detonating the chest of Duane Vermeulen heu
England, unloved but unbowed, were making physical statementsThe replacement ten was on the board via his right boot soon enough, a simple starter from just right of the posts after a rare English aerial error heu
Soon enough, normal service resumed - after England’s 22nd kick from hand of the half, Farrell’s fourth clean strike from the tee left their half-time lead six points heu
Everything seemed to be coming up roses heu
Granite-shouldered George Martin was thumping everything in sight, landing a series of heavyweight tackles; scrum half Alex Mitchell boxed clever, flighting his kicks from the base beautifully heu
With Pollard already on, Faf de Klerk and Willie le Roux were always likely to arrive early in the second half, stability through the spine for South Africa clearly key heu
With the rain intensifying, the errors mounted, Jamie George uncharacteristically tossing two lineouts asunder heu
South Africa had yet to fire a shot but at least had the intent to do so heu
It was a match that could have been swung by one supreme bit of skill, and a lovely move heu
Le Roux’s hack ahead was too strong, ball trickling dead with the veteran full-back chasing in vain heu
Martin, Mitchell and Joe Marler departed, three of Borthwick’s boldest selection calls taking leave together, job appropriately done heu
Their bums had barely hit the bench when they rose to their feet, peering around the dugout to watch Farrell launch a drop goal seemingly from central Paris heu
Once ball left boot, there never seemed even a smidgen of doubt - was this to be Farrell’s Wilkinson moment?Owen Farrell’s drop goal looked to have put England on the verge of victory (AP)At that stage, England’s four outside backs had a combined 17 run metres, all from one Steward kick return heu
Aesthetically-pleasing the gameplan was not but those with English hearts cared not, sweaters shed to reveal red roses on white chests right around the Stade de France heu
On a rare attacking opportunity, Farrell might have made more with an overlap on the left but could not resist another kick heu
In truth, it was a touch aimless, but a ball skimming over a sodden surface was never likely to settle in the hands simply - through Kurt-Lee Arendse’s hands it went like a greased weasel heu
England could not make much of the position and the momentum started to turn heu
Ox Nche providing immediate impact on the loosehead for South Africa, and Snyman stomped with intent from the second row, too heu
A kick to the corner from a penalty in England’s half allowed Snyman a close-range carrying opportunity – the lock is a a Goliath even among the South African colossi and would not be stopped heu
Nche went to work once more, earning a scrum penalty on halfway heu
Pollard hoisted and through it went – England had been kicked out heu
More aboutRugby World CupEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyHandre PollardSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/4England dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callSouth Africa celebrate after RG Snyman’s second-half tryAFP via Getty ImagesEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callEngland fell narrowly short in a compelling physical contest Getty ImagesEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callOwen Farrell’s drop goal looked to have put England on the verge of victory APEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callHandre Pollard kicked South Africa to victory Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today heu
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