Graphic:
The final reckoning - where the game could be won
1 Name: Andrew Sheridan
Position: Loose-head prop
Has come on stronger with every game, another huge 80 minutes awaits. It would
be nice to see him carry five or six times to give England momentum but he
has a big job in the scrums against C. J. van der Linde to see if he can be
disrupted.
Tackles: 25 Missed: 0 Carries: 30 Metres gained:
149 Av gain: 5.0 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 2 Clean
breaks: 1 Tries scored: 0 Total turnovers: 2
2 Name: Mark Regan
Position: Hooker
Must make a good start at the lineout because if not it could be fatal.
England need to be secure on their own ball and not give a sniff of a
turnover. He’ll play himself to a standstill for 50 minutes; if he can
rattle South Africa and motivate England, all the better.
Tackles: 10 Missed: 2 Carries: 15 Metres gained:
35 Av gain: 23 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 0 Tries:
0 Total turnovers: 5 Lineout steals: 1
3 Name: Phil Vickery (captain)
Position: Tight-head prop
Probably the most talented all-round front-row player. Has a huge heart, as he
showed when he was hit by injuries. Must drag out the best, which is
special. Has the ability to do something clever, ball in hand, and one of
the best defenders I’ve played with.
Tackles: 24 Missed: 1 Carries: 9 Metres gained: 11 Av
gain: 1.2 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten: 0 Tries scored:
0 Total turnovers: 2 Lineout steals: 0
4 Name: Simon Shaw
Position: Lock
People love to rave about his touches around the field but must do the job
against Bakkies Botha first, make sure the Springboks get no easy ball and
pressure Fourie du Preez. If he makes the sort of Tackles: he did
against Australia, England will be well placed.
Tackles: 22 Missed: 3 Carries: 26 Metres gained:
90 Av gain: 3.5 Offloads: 6 Clean breaks: 1 Tries:
0 Total turnovers: 6 Lineouts won 15 Lineout steals: 3
5 Name: Ben Kay
Position: Lock
He will do his lineout job but he will be thinking all the time: how to
out-smart Victor Matfield, work out what South Africa are doing, adapt
England’s game as required. His workrate will be vital in key moments before
half-time and in the last quarter.
Tackles: 35 Missed: 1 Carries: 13 Metres gained:
51 Av gain: 3.9 Offloads: 1 Clean breaks: 1 Tries:
0 Total turnovers: 8 Lineouts won 24 Lineout steals: 4
6 Name: Martin Corry
Position: Blind-side flanker
Mr Consistent, always puts in a good display. He is the all-round player, at
the lineout, ball-carrying, in loose play. Must be accurate, could carry
more to try to damage South Africa, perhaps in midfield to give their
centres something to worry about.
Tackles: 24 Missed: 4 Carries: 31 Metres gained:
69 Av gain: 2.2 Offloads: Clean breaks: 1 Tries:
2 Total turnovers: 7 Lineouts won 11 Lineout steals: 1
7 Name: Lewis Moody
Position: Open-side flanker
The energy of the pack since he came into the back row midway through the pool
stage, I would like him on for the full 80. Never mind the shoulder, this is
a World Cup final and he does not feel pain. Look to him to get into whoever
is kicking for South Africa.
Tackles: 27 Missed: 6 Carries: 11 Metres gained:
32 Av gain: 2.9 Offloads: 2 Defender beaten:: 1 Clean
breaks: 1 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 3 Lineout steals:
1
8 Name: Nick Easter
Position: No 8
Very good work off the back of scrums against France, which shows how he has
come on. Needs to control ball at the base if South Africa put pressure on
England’s scrum and be at the heart of the physical exchanges. Don’t try
kicking any more.
Tackles: 22 Missed: 0 Carries: 49 Metres gained:
210 Av gain: 4.3 Offloads: 9 Defender beaten:: 9 Clean
breaks: 1 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 4 Lineouts won
6 Lineout steals: 0
9 Name: Andy Gomarsall
Position: Scrum half
The revelation of this tournament, he has been the catalyst behind the rugby
England have produced. Vital in getting players such as Easter, Sheridan and
Corry into the game, he should look for a couple of show-and-gos to get in
behind South Africa.
Tackles: 35 Missed: 3 Carries: 9 Metres gained: 31 Av
gain: 3.4 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten: 3 Clean breaks:
0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 6 Lineouts won 0 Lineout
steals 1
10 Name: Jonny Wilkinson
Position: Fly half
Must choose when to stay tight and when to go wide, bringing in the strike
runners that England possess. We know his points-scoring ability, but it is
about making the right decisions and executing them. He is the man who can
maximise the opportunities.
Tackles: 34 Missed: 13 Carries: 11 Metres gained:
14 Av gain: 1.3 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten: 3 Clean
breaks: 0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 3
11 Name: Mark Cueto
Position: Left wing
Playing in a World Cup final is something he might have thought would pass him
by. Take any opportunity — there will not be many— but be tidy in defence.
As Damien Traille showed with France, any mistake will be punished, but he
is experienced enough to take his chance.
Tackles: 3 Missed: 3 Carries: 20 Metres gained:
174 Av gain: 8.7 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten: 5 Clean
breaks: 0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 2
12 Name: Mike Catt
Position: Inside centre
One more game, Cattie, just one more game. His right foot complements Jonny’s
left, he has athletic ability as well as a brain that can read space. Has a
huge task keeping a big, talented guy such as François Steyn in check but
can do it and still help Jonny to run the game.
Tackles: 17 Missed: 6 Carries: 11 Metres gained:
53 Av gain: 4.8 Offloads: 3 Defender beaten: 0 Clean
breaks: 1 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 5 Lineout steals:
1
13 Name: Mathew Tait
Position: Outside centre
Knocked Yannick Jauzion down every time he came through his channel for
France, then got up immediately to do it again. Likes to drift out in
attack, I’d like to see him cut back once or twice. Dangerous player with
his speed and footwork.
Tackles: 20 Missed: 2 Carries: 20 Metres gained:
176 Av gain: 8.8 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 5 Clean
breaks: 3 Tries: 1 Total turnovers: 3
14 Name: Paul Sackey
Position: Right wing
Defensively he has been outstanding, impressive under the high ball: at one
point against France there was a double tackle, you don’t always notice
these things during the match. He has to be confident with ball in hand;
he’s been turned over a couple of times.
Tackles: 19 Missed: 5 Carries: 33 Metres gained:
253 Av gain: 7.7 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 5 Clean
breaks: 3 Tries: 4 Total turnovers: 6 Lineouts won 1 Lineout
steals: 0
15 Name: Jason Robinson
Position: Full back
He has been fantastic, so solid, dangerous with the ball, everything we know
he is. Any team in the world would fear him when he has the ball — if there
is a bad kick to him, he has the chance to break the defensive line and turn
up with a seven-pointer.
Tackles: 10 Missed: 0 Carries: 10 Metres gained:
290 Av gain: 9.7 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 13 Clean
breaks: 3 Tries: 1 Total turnovers: 2 Lineouts won
4 Lineout steals: 0
16 Name: George Chuter
Position: Hooker
Very clever player with ball in hand and could create something unexpected.
But when he comes on — and that will be sooner rather than later in the
second half — he needs to hit his first lineout and settle into the scrum as
soon as possible.
Tackles: 18 Missed: 2 Carries: 16 Metres gained:
49 Av gain: 3.1 Offloads: 2 Defender beaten: 2 Clean
breaks: 0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 2 Lineouts won
0 Lineout steals: 0
17 Name: Matt Stevens
Position: Prop
He has had a good tournament and could have been playing from the start during
the knockout matches. Needs to do his primary job in the front row when he
does come on, but some powerful runs will hearten England and add impact to
their game.
Tackles: 16 Missed: 0 Carries: 15 Metres gained:
48 Av gain: 3.2 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 0 Clean
breaks: 0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 1 Lineouts won
0 Lineout steals: 0
18 Name: Lawrence Dallaglio
Position: No 8
Has found his niche, even if it is not the one he would have chosen, and has
done that job off the bench well. Let’s hope he comes on to preserve a lead
with all the experience, control and composure that is so crucial in the
final moments of a tight game.
Tackles: 16 Missed: 0 Carries: 12 Metres gained: 5 Av
gain: 0.4 Offloads: 2 Defender beaten: 0 Clean breaks:
0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 1 Lineouts won 1 Lineout
steals 0
19 Name: Joe Worsley
Position: Flanker
A strong, dynamic player and I would like to see him carrying the ball more.
One of four guys off the bench who bring that quality but is also strong
defensively. Has the capacity to force those vital turnovers and must repeat
the skill he brought to the semi-final.
Tackles: 29 Missed: 1 Carries: 15 Metres gained:
40 Av gain: 2.7 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 2 Clean
breaks: 1 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 1 Lineouts won
1 Lineout steals: 0
20 Name: Peter Richards
Position: Scrum half
One of those guys who may not be needed until the last five minutes but could
play 75. Covers not only scrum half but second centre or wing; it is crucial
he keeps concentrating on the game in case he is needed. Dangerous runner
and great enthusiast.
Tackles: 7 Missed: Tackles: 0 Carries: 1 Metres
gained: 0 Av gain: 0.0 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten:
0 Clean breaks: 0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 2 Lineouts
won 0 Lineout steals: 0
21 Name: Toby Flood
Position: Fly half/centre
Came late to the squad but has done well coming on as a replacement in the
past two games. Guys like him need to soak all this up because he will be
back in four years’ time, leading the team of the future. Must do everything
he can to prepare himself.
Tackles: 6 Missed: 0 Carries: 2 Metres gained: 16 Av
gain: 8.0 Offloads: 0 Defender beaten: 1 Clean breaks:
0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 0
22 Name: Dan Hipkiss
Position: Centre/wing
Did tremendously well coming on last weekend and it would have been no
surprise to see him start. He did good things with the ball and, running
back, was crucial in cleaning up a France kick through. Interests defences;
he will be keen to get on.
Tackles: 9 Missed: 0 Carries: 7 Metres gained: 37 Av
gain: 5.3 Offloads: 1 Defender beaten: 2 Clean breaks:
0 Tries: 0 Total turnovers: 1
