I think today we were dished up a rare treat of two great teams fighting it out for a place in next weeks final. I honestly don't care who wins as I just want to see a good game. I am the most impartial of all my friends and they just don't get it. I don't really back any team and normally will back the underdog hoping for a memorable game. New Zealand were firm favorites and they were demolished not by the score line, but by the attitude and by the way England played.
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Nothing disrespectful and just showing they are up to face the challenge.Teams should be allowed to line up how they want as it shows respect without giving an inch.
It is not often you see something like this, but England played a virtually perfect game of rugby. They weren't only the better team but the much stronger team as well. I think the writing was on the wall after the first 30 minutes as New Zealand were being taught a rugby lesson. All the play was with England and I think the surprise was that the score wasn't that much more. England scored within the first 2 minutes and then again in the last minute before half time, but dominated a good 35 minutes of the first 40 minutes.
Going into half time at 10 nil up it could have easily been 20 nil and no one would have argued as it was one way traffic. I have never seen the All Blacks dominated so much before as they normally find a way of coming back. South Africa had shown the cracks that existed in the All Blacks team already this season and England exploited them ruthlessly. Everyone was waiting for the All Black third and fourth gears to kick in, but they were already in them and were getting hammered. Time and time again New Zealand were playing the ball behind the advantage line which is not smart rugby.
The entire team can be proud of the professional performance that they put in today. There were no weaknesses and the only blemish was an error that gave New Zealand their try. Two decisions went against another two England tries which on replay showed them to be the correct call. New Zealand were just outplayed by the better team and there is nothing you can do. Sometimes you just have to put your hand up and say well played.
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A sign of respect after the game and they deserved it. This used to be a common sight on a rugby field and I hope it returns.
This performance was worthy of a World Cup Final and playing like this it is going to be difficult not to back them for the trophy. Like any team sport it is how you perform on the day and whoever is in the final has a 50/50 shot. England are looking good though and any team playing them will be concerned.
England do have some weaknesses themselves so it is not all over yet and whoever wins the final next week would have done it the hard way and it will be fully deserved. England have beaten Australia and New Zealand by convincing margins and today I felt they were a good 20 to 30 points better than New Zealand which says a huge amount. Not many teams have handed out a ruby lesson to the All Blacks and England need to savor this moment.
