Tindall: Ali Williams explained why 'V' formation the perfect Haka foil
England’s 2003 World Cup winner Mike Tindall believes England’s semi-final win over New Zealand was their best ever performance at the tournament.
And Tindall is confident Eddie Jones’ team will follow in their footsteps on Saturday if they can replicate that display, but warned it will be tough to repeat.
A Manu Tuilagi try in the second minute – converted by captain Owen Farrell – and four George Ford penalties helped them secure an impressive 19-7 success over the All Blacks in Yokohoma.
South Africa’s narrow victory over Wales in the other last four clash on Sunday means standing in England’s way of a second World Cup win will be the Springboks, who finished third at the last edition and were triumphant at the 2007 and 1995 tournaments.
Tindall, who started the extra-time win over Australia in Sydney 16 years ago and captained his country, told talkSPORT: “I think it was the best England performance at a World Cup that has ever been. The boys were unbelievable.
“The pace, power and variation and the amount of players who had fully world class games at the same time. It was a pleasure to watch.
“We have seen it in bits before, we saw how good England could be in the Ireland warm-up game, the Wales warm-up game and Ireland away in the Six Nations.”
“The challenge was to do it on the biggest of stages against the biggest opposition and my concern throughout the week was we had been quite conservative in this World Cup and done what we needed to do to win and win comfortably.
“Against New Zealand, I always thought we had to show a little bit more and have a go at them and take the game to them and after one minute 37 seconds we had a cracking try which went 60 metres down the field, so it set the tone.
England have had a good season but there are plenty of players from across the world who have stood out at the @rugbyworldcup.@TomVinicombe runs his eyes over the potential players of the year.https://t.co/RXIzb6JfjF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2019
“I think anyone there and watching would have thought the scoreline flattered New Zealand a little bit because England were that good.”
Tindall has warned, however, that being able to repeat such a performance in the final will be no easy task.
“The biggest thing now is getting fuel in the tank to make sure you can repeat what you did for this Saturday,” he added.
“If they play that way no one can live with them, but it is a big ask. It is a different day, a one-off game and anything can happen, but hopefully we get a performance like that again and the boys come home with the cup.”
The All Blacks were outclassed and outmatched, but also outsmarted as part of their game plan fed right into England's hands, writes @bensmithrugby #ENGvNZL #RWC2019 #AllBlacks https://t.co/1n0S7gQKQa
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2019
Jones’ side had two tries ruled out, but still managed to hand New Zealand a first World Cup defeat in 12 years.
Tuilagi’s try occurred not long after Farrell and his team-mates had made the bold decision to stare down New Zealand’s Haka with a V shape.
“I talked to a guy called Ali Williams, who played for the All Blacks, and he liked it because the Haka is an arrow formation so they can stare at you, but if you have the nearest points quite wide, he was saying it would be hard for them because there would be nothing for them to look at,” Tindall explained.
All the focus turns to Saturday now with England back in a World Cup final for the first time since 2007 where Brian Ashton’s side lost 15-6 to South Africa at Stade de France.
Tindall missed that tournament through injury, but is optimistic this team will go one better and lift the Webb Ellis Trophy in Japan.
He added: “I think they will do it. I have always said whoever wins that semi-final will go and do it so I am backing England all the way.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments