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England prop Dan Cole opens up on his 2019 World Cup final scar
Dan Cole has spoken about his surprise return to the Rugby World Cup four years after the England scrum dramatically collapsed in the 2019 final, leaving Eddie Jones’ team comfortably beaten by the Springboks in Japan.
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The Leicester tighthead had played back-up to the first-choice Kyle Sinckler at that tournament, but he was rapidly ushered into the action in Yokohama just two minutes into the match when Sinckler was concussed and unable to continue.
That left Cole getting a call to play far earlier than envisaged and he couldn’t prevent the Springboks going to crucially dominate the set-piece and eventually win 32-12.
The consequence of that disappointing performance was that Cole was cut out of the international picture by head coach Jones in the following three years.
However, with his Tigers club coach Steve Borthwick succeeding Jones last December as England boss, the door was suddenly open for a return from the international wilderness at the age of 36.
Seven caps later, the veteran is now with England at their Le Touquet-Paris-Plage base and, ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup opener versus Argentina in Marseille, Cole’s last appearance at the finals was a talking point on Wednesday.
“Yeah, I still remember what went on, I haven’t forgotten it,” he admitted about the terrible night he endured in the Far East four years ago. “But it is a different World Cup. No, there is plenty of memories of World Cups in general, not just specific games but just the feeling, things in the tournament, how it feels.
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“It’s definitely been thought about this week and how you can use those previous memories, experiences to drive this team or help the team out moving forward because a lot of things go on and off field around the World Cup and we just have to focus on what we can focus on and keep doing what we do.”
If you play against Argentina in Saturday’s opener, do you feel you have a point to prove given what happened against the Springboks at the scrum?
“No, no. I am happy to be in the squad, I’m here to help the squad be the best that we can be. What has happened has happened. I have spent long enough thinking about it and moved on. I am more interest in what is about to happen than what has gone before.”
Did he genuinely believe he would find himself in this position, getting an international recall at the start of his after so many years out of the loop? “For the past three of those four years I didn’t think that would happen but I am very happy and grateful to be part of it,” he explained.
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“Yes, since 2019 I didn’t think I would be involved but the Six Nations, Steve gave me a call and again in the summer said, ‘Would you like to be part of it?’. I jumped at the chance and that is why I am here.
“It was a surprise. I obviously worked with Steve at Leicester but he didn’t give anything away. Yeah, I didn’t think I would be, purely because I hadn’t played for three years, but he saw it differently and I am grateful he did.
“Steve took over at Leicester (in 2020) and we were given a task to do and we were driven hard every day and we achieved one of our goals [win the Gallagher Premiership]. There was no resting on my laurels at Leicester, we had a focus and a purpose to get on with things and we did.
“After 2019 in some regards with what happened in the final, I won’t say it would have been easy to pack it in but it would have been easy to drift but with Steve coming to Leicester and then covid and everything else happening, you have to reassess what has happened previously in your life.
“He came in with a purpose and a task and several of us, he gave us a purpose and a vision and we bought into it. We had a few tough years at Leicester and he had a vision to get us back to where we could be as a club and we did. It was an easy thing to buy into and get on with.”
What about England’s form heading into the finals on the back of five defeats in their last six matches? “Results aren’t where we need them but there are elements of our game that have improved,” Cole reckoned.
“Coming out here you definitely feel a different vibe in the camp, having people focus. There was always an air of selection or getting injured, there was always something holding you back whereas when you get here, everyone is focused on the Argentina game and what we need to do. Recent form hasn’t been brilliant but we are a team that is working hard and we need to turn that around.
“You look at the team in the Championship, they are dangerous. If you have one scrum where you are not fully focused they can do damage, they can get stuck into you. They are a dangerous team and obviously, they have grown their game in other areas. We know what is coming up front.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to comments