"All night they had failed to play despite getting on top in the scrum and enjoying quality lineout possession and in the end two things cost them: the centre combination of Brad Barritt and Sam Burgess, which did not work in defence or attack and the way at the end that they froze, or choked, call it what you will.
"Modern Test rugby at the highest level is all about the final 20 minutes, the part of the game when a team finds out about itself. What I could not understand from the start was why England did not play. In the second half, I cannot remember them getting behind Wales. A team that had ripped defences apart in the Six Nations failed to attack. Why? Because they set out not to lose rather than to win?"
He adds some words of comfort, though, for an England squad feeling the pressure ahead of their clash against Australia:
"I know what England are going through because I have been there and when you go through hard times you have to emerge the stronger for it.
"Under intense pressure the brain has a tendency to freeze. Players need the ability to stay in the now, making good decisions and playing with intensity and accuracy, using individual triggers to stay focused. Pressure and expectation are down to your success; recognise and understand that. Embrace it."
PSST! GOT A SPARE $135,000?
Four tickets for the Rugby World Cup clash between England and Australia at Twickenham on Sunday are commanding $135,000 on the resale site StubHub, according to The Mirror.
The Category A tickets have a a face value of $754, meaning each is marked up by about $33,000 (£13,845). The game is sold out and has taken on even greater significance for the tournament hosts, who are in danger of being knocked out in the pool stage having lost to Wales.
But wait - there's more. A lot more. Tickets for the sold-out final at London's Olympic Stadium are being advertised for up to $220,000 (£92,040) each, the paper said.
Listen to the Radio Sport Rugby World Cup podcast with Elliott Smith and Nigel Yalden.
FINALLY...
A spy scandal. It had to come. A photographer with a long lens - standard equipment for most photographers - was chased away from an Aussie training session at Bath. A "source" told the Sun newspaper they could tell it was a professional because the snapper wasn't using an iPhone. Without wanting to wreck the story, it could have been an amateur with a long lens of course.
SPRUNG A LEEK...Call A KIWI
Welsh coach Warren Gatland did say he was running out of players in Wales for his injury hit World Cup squad. Kiwi utility back Gareth Anscombe has been called up by Gatland, along with veteran James Hook, to cover backline injuries. This carries on a fine Welsh tradition of New Zealand links - a number of coaches and players have been sprinkled into their national team over recent decades.
DAD'S ARMY RESERVE
As if thing weren't bad enough for under-fire English coach Stuart Lancaster, he has lost one of his best forwards - No. 8 Billy Vunipola is out of the tournament with a knee injury suffered against Wales. Lancaster has called in 51-test forward Nick Easter, who is a mere 37-years-old and returned to the international scene this year after a three-season absence. Fiji have been dealt a huge blow with power wing and goalkicker Nemani Nadolo suspended for one week for a tip tackle against Australia, putting him out of the vital Pool A game against Wales on Friday.
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LAY DAY...
...unless you are a Tongan or Namibian supporter. They clash at 4.45am tomorrow morning, in the only World Cup game of the day.
What is the significance for the All Blacks?
Minimal although it's a chance to gather more info on Tonga, their final pool opponents.
WHAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT?
There were no games but Sir Clive Woodward never sleeps when it comes to putting the boot into...England.
Their 2003 World Cup winning coach, fresh from describing Welsh boss Warren Gatland as some kind of genius, wrote in the Mirror: "It pains me to say it but England looked like a team of amateurs playing against streetwise professionals in the last 20 minutes at Twickenham." To be honest, he doesn't sound too pained saying it.
RANK RANKINGS
Wales are the World No. 2, according to the latest rankings released overnight. Do we really need these constant ranking updates which have about as much to do with reality as a reality show?
For more stats go to
Herald Rugby Stats Centre
Standings
Team rankings
Player rankings
