Now, 30-odd years later, we stand on the eve of a rugby World Cup in England and Wales, and the game is largely classless.
Advertisement
“I was looking at this pool and it’s a massive challenge for us”.
Jamie Sterling, 11, will be a mascot when Wales face Fiji on October 1 having impressed with a speech created to inspire the England team ahead of the tournament. Unlike the first edition, where teams were brought in through invite, an actual qualification tournament involving 32 teams was used in 1991. Jeffrey also suggested referees would be more inclined to march players back 10 metres if they felt they were being pestered. We got through the pool stages and quarter-final and everyone knows how close we came to reaching the final. If you go through the forwards, Ben Morgan is an outstanding ball-carrier.
England boss Stuart Lancaster played down the threat of espionage, pointing out that opponents would glean far greater insight from watching video footage of England’s matches rather than training.
The inaugural final in 1987 turned out to be an exception, with the victorious All Blacks scoring three tries against France, but in the outhalf Grant Fox they possessed the best director and goalkicker in the world and they were well led by David Kirk. “They are big and powerful and we have to be disciplined”.
“Everyone has been on the Wall of Shame at some point”.
Defence coach Shaun Edwards said England are a very potent attacking force.
“We haven’t spoken about any points score”.
“I was proved right because there was a try disallowed the next day”.
Jonny Wilkinson had a few tips for the England Rugby team.
In the meantime, New Zealand had won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987 and had lost just five of their 38 Tests. “It was the best the Northern hemisphere had done against the Southern hemisphere nations for a number of years. A whole range of people turned out to see it, and that just shows the excitement is already building for the Rugby World Cup 2015″.
In 1987 an average of four penalties were scored every game.
“Dan Lydiate made 26 tackles against Ireland in Dublin, which is an excellent amount of tackles, and that last tackle he was involved in was absolutely incredible”. Beating Australia at Eden Park was one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played in – but then losing to Wales was probably one of the most disappointing.
Advertisement
‘The medical staff were there on the pitch and in the medical room afterwards they were superb with me.
