'I know they watch everything and hear everything we say'
England haven’t been just preparing themselves for the physicality of the Springboks this Saturday night in Paris but they have also been taking steps to ensure they are ready for the likely inclement weather, conditions they haven’t yet encountered at the Rugby World Cup.
All five matches so far in their France 2023 campaign elsewhere around the country have been played out in summer-type weather, with only the humidity a drawback, but there has been a noticeable change in the conditions since their arrival in the French capital last Monday.
Unlike what they encountered in Marseille, Nice and Lille when successively beating Argentina, Japan, Chile, Samoa and Fiji, the humid temperature has dipped and there has also been rain, more of which is expected to fall during Saturday night’s last-four knockout encounter at Stade de France.
Thunderstorms are forecast for early afternoon in the Paris region, with a 60 per cent chance of a downpour in the second half of the semi-final. “Definitely comes into our planning,” explained assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth after England completed a Friday morning captain’s run at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance where the floodlights were switched on due to the overcast conditions.
“We have looked at the weather forecast; lads have had some wet balls as would normally be the case in these sorts of weeks and talking about what that means for you, your units, you as an individual. Yeah, definitely part of our planning.
“It would be pretty standard for a lot of teams when the weather is meant to be like that at the weekend, there would be a logistics guy on the sideline with a bucket of water with balls ready to go into whenever we are swapping or whenever we are starting a set.
“That ball will be wet, the lads will get told about it so it’s no surprise. It’s just so we are focusing in on what that might be like, the difference of handling a wet ball versus a dry one.”
Winger Elliot Daly should expect then to have to cope with multiple wet ball catches given the monstrous South Africa kicking game. How will he adapt? “It’s probably everyone’s role. The back three are probably going to take most of these balls but it’s everyone around them to try and secure that breakdown after because that is a massive thing, especially in the wet.”
The breakdown was another prime talking point as England signed off on their on-field preparations ahead of taking on the defending world champions, who beat them 32-12 in the 2019 final in Yokohama. “It’s a massive challenge of the game against South Africa, the ruck,” agreed Wigglesworth.
“They compete really hard for the ball; you switch off for a second and they will pour bodies into it. They are amongst the best in the world in that area so that has definitely been a focus for us this week in terms of how we get that bit right.
“If you are playing against this defence off slow ball then it will swallow you, so definitely a focus for us. As for the referee (Ben O’Keeffe), we have got full trust he will do a great job in that area.”
Wigglesworth chose his words guardedly throughout the 15-minute media briefing he attended along with Daly and back-rower Tom Curry. With good reason, as he explained. “I’m sure with the smarts of their coaching team they will try to throw stuff at us no doubt. Will that be the winning and losing of this game? Probably not.
“It’s the big bits of the game and then give those little nuances a chance. I probably wouldn’t like to guess what they are going to do because I know they watch everything and hear everything we say. Whatever we give away, I wouldn’t like to give anyone a head start.”
Spirits were high when England arrived for their final pre-Rugby World Cup semi-final training session in Paris on Friday, the joking Jamie George and Tom Curry leading the way. #RWC2023 #ENGvRSA #EnglandRugby pic.twitter.com/3A4BdNOwiw
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2023
What does he make of the Springboks? “Just super impressed with them as an outfit. They have evolved a little bit but without changing their DNA which we know is incredibly physical with a good kicking game on the back of a rush defence, stuff that we are going to have to deal with but we need to make sure we are giving them some food for thought as well.
“This game means a great deal. We know the stakes are high but we have to treat this as a game by itself and not play what next week might bring, so we’re fully focused on playing one of the best teams in the world.
“It’s a World Cup semi-final. There is no way you go into that game without feeling something, that’s a good thing. As for being written off, that has been for a fair while now.”
The assistant made no apology either for the particularly blunt type of rugby England have played at the tournament. “They [the players] should take a lot of confidence from what they have done so far managing to win the tight ones but that goes up a level this week.
“We know the size of the challenge in front of us. It’s a good thing that we know it and we’re excited about it. Saturday night we need to give the best of us and I’m sure we will.
“I don’t think anyone should apologise for being who you are and having your identity. Sometimes it feels like people want that apology and everyone play the same way.
“The game of rugby is brilliant because of all the different styles and they all work if you get it right on the day. We need our style to work for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
wel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
4 Go to commentsHard to disagree with the 5 points - with the exception that Wilson should be a squad member but, depending on the other loose forward selections, is not yet a shoo-in. McReight is. Aussie is looking a lot better this year and JS has some selection options. Also, Havili’s tendency to get caught, charged down is also a liability at times but he seemed focused (mostly) and is definitely a consideration for utility back-up. Still feel Reihana is a better prospect at 1st five for Saders.
4 Go to commentsYeah nah, still not sure on Havili tbh. Even though I’m a Crusaders fan through and through I’d be stunned if Razor considers him after seeing some of the stunning talent coming through up North.
4 Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
1 Go to commentsJust came back from the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Players stayed afterwards for more than a hour to sign stuff and take photos with fans. Great day out.
5 Go to commentsA great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
5 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
5 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
5 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
5 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
5 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
238 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
90 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
20 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments