England team to play South Africa

[Flamethrower]

England team to play South Africa
October 17 2007
http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseact.../StoryID/17957


England Head Coach Brian Ashton today announced the team and replacements to play South Africa in the Rugby World Cup 2007 final at Stade de France, Saint Denis on Saturday October 20.

England
15. Jason Robinson (Unattached)
14. Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
13. Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons)
12. Mike Catt (London Irish)
11. Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
10. Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)
9. Andy Gomarsall (Harlequins)

1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
2. Mark Regan (Bristol Rugby)
3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps, captain) *
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
5. Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
6. Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers)
7. Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
8. Nick Easter (Harlequins)

Replacements
16. George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
17. Matt Stevens (Bath Rugby)
18. Lawrence Dallaglio (London Wasps)
19. Joe Worsley (London Wasps)
20. Peter Richards (London Irish)
21. Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons)
22. Danny Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers)


* Phil Vickery will be winning his 60th cap.

[JediKnight]

A world-cup winning team if ever I saw one!

[Jehna]

Beat me to it Flame

___________________________________________
Preview: RWC final, England v South Africa

18/10/2007 8:18:16 AM
Mark Hughes
Sportal


Venue & time:
Stade de France, St Denis (Paris). Sunday October 21, 5am (AEST).

Head to head:
Played 29. South Africa 16. England 12. Drawn 1.

Last time:
September 14, 2007. (Paris). South Africa 36-0 England.

Team changes:
England has made only one change to the team that defeated France in the semi-final. Winger Josh Lewsey is out after succumbing to a hamstring injury and is replaced by Mark Cueto.

South Africa is yet to announce its team but is expected to stick with its winning 22-man squad with the only question mark over the fitness of prop CJ van der Linde, who is still not quite 100 per cent after returning from a knee injury.

Form:
England has shown a remarkable turn of form since it entered the quarter-finals. Coming into the tournament the reigning world champ was a distinct outsider to retain its grip on 'Bill' and after an indifferent win over the USA and a 36-0 thrashing against South Africa in its pool matches no one expected them to get too far in the tournament. But the return of Jonny Wilkinson (ankle) and skipper Phil Vickery (suspension) has boosted the Roses. They overpowered Australia in the scrum and at the breakdown and then did the same to France. They are playing inspired Rugby World Cup finals football and while they will go into this match as underdogs they can not be discounted.

The Springboks have been the most impressive and consistent outfit this RWC. They breezed through their pool matches and fought off a determined effort from Fiji and Argentina in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively. The fact that they walloped England a few weeks ago will see them go into this final as favourites but their opposition is a different team this time around. More importantly the fact that they have scored nine tries compared to England's one in the past two matches is the most impressive statistic.

Who's hot:
England's front row of Andrew Sheridan, Mark Regan and Vickery has been awesome in the scrum and in the loose in equal parts with flanker Lewis Moody. The boot and brain of Wilkinson has been the key alongside scrumhalf Andy Gomarsall with fullback Jason Robinson providing the attacking spark in the backline.

Likewise, Springboks' experienced campaigners John Smit, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha have been superb while Schalk Burger has been simply outstanding, if a little heavy handed. Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez has had a fine tournament with RWC's leading try-scorer Bryan Habana in freakish scoring form. Fullback Percy Montgomery has been impeccable with the boot and will more than match it with Wilkinson.

We think:
England is saying that South Africa is going to be overawed by the occasion of the RWC final – and that might be true early in the match but the 'Boks have enough experience to ride it out and should power away to claim their second Rugby World Cup. South Africa by 12.

Teams
England
1. Andrew Sheridan
2. Mark Regan
3. Phil Vickery (captain)
4. Simon Shaw
5. Ben Kay
6. Martin Corry
7. Lewis Moody
8. Nick Easter

9. Andy Gomarsall
10. Jonny Wilkinson
11. Mark Cueto
12. Mike Catt
13. Mathew Tait
14. Paul Sackey
15. Jason Robinson.

16. George Chuter
17. Matt Stevens
18. Lawrence Dallaglio
19. Joe Worsley
20. Peter Richards
21. Toby Flood
22. Dan Hipkiss


South Africa
(Expected line-up)
1. Os du Rant
2. John Smit (c)
3. CJ van der Linde
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Danie Rossouw

9. Fourie du Preez
10. Butch James
11. Bryan Habana
12. Francois Steyn
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pietersen
15. Percy Montgomery

16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Jannie du Plessis
18. Johannes Muller
19. Bobby Skinstad
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Andre Pretorius
22. Wynand Olivier

[JediKnight]

FT shot his bolt too early - Jehna's report is much more comprehensive.

Well done, young 'un!

[Jehna]

Haha yeah well Sportal is the best

[Flamethrower]

I liked the way I put the team up before. Most important players first

[Jehna]

Oh all right....i'll change it back....but you can explain it to Burgs Though given he's off having fun with sheep perhaps he'll never notice

[jazza93]

if thats englands team then south africa need a backline like this to match it

10: Percy Montgomery
11. Butch James
12. Andre Pretorius
13. Francois Steyn
14. Ruan Pienaar
15. Jaque Fourie

[frontrow]

Leave it as it is Jehna, it is the only true way, important and most hard-working players first, then the pretty boy, spotlight stealing louts in the backline...

[eleypinkbit]

It would be interesting to see if the England team is picked on how they did in their league - Heineken Cup I think. Wonder if the majority of their players come from their lower ranked teams or if that's just the Australian way!

[GIGS20]

It would be interesting to see how many of us are actually interested in the teams and how many are just talking about them out of habit/because it's the only rugby on at the moment.

[Jehna]

Leave it as it is Jehna, it is the only true way, important and most hard-working players first, then the pretty boy, spotlight stealing louts in the backline...

Already changed back Once Flame explained it to me, i realised the error of my ways and that he had incredible insight into the way teams should be listed....

[Flamethrower]