Dad's Army reach the Final

What was I saying last week about upsets in the RWC ? Never mind.

Most pundits, including me in one of my posts here, had written England off, if not before the tournament, certainly after the 36-0 drubbing by the Springboks. Now not only have they beaten the Aussies, but the hosts too. Wilko has once more proved himself to be the 'go-to guy' (as the Yanks would say) when you need a vital penalty slotted between the posts. It really is incredible how England have pulled themselves off the floor after the SA game & turned it around. All this has been achieved with a liberal sprinkling of 30-somethings who might have been deemed past it a few weeks ago. One of those is 33-year old Jason Robinson of course, who seemed to have played his last game when he pulled up with a hamstring problem in the SA game, but who has recovered incredibly. Now Robbo has the perfect occasion for his final game, the World Cup Final.

If South Africa beat the Pumas tonight, the final could be difficult for them psychologically. Having beaten an opponent comprehensively in a previous match, it can be difficult to adjust when the opposition is much stiffer in the rematch. Argentina would also make for a great final with the fierce sporting rivalry between the two nations. I expect the Springboks to edge a tight match tonight.