Not so sure about England

Anything derogatory one says now about England could be interpreted to be sour grapes – but am I the only one who thinks they’ve perfected illegal spoiling?

Don’t get me wrong, I think they are a formidable side and agree with all the dispatches that have installed them was World Cup favourites.

Their basics are awesome and I longed for the old days of Springbok rugby with the way they closed down the space of All Black attackers and made the like of Tana Umaga and Ma’a Nonu look ordinary with crunching one-on-one tackles.

I had grudging admiration for the way Martin Johnson intimidated the referee and few would disagree that if he were ours we would pick him and make him captain – especially with the way he led by example when England were down to 13 men.

But I couldn’t help feeling that England were pushing the envelope when it came to off-sides.

Instead of behind the last foot I felt they were often a half a metre in front, while they have perfected a tackling method in which the tackler always seems to fall in the way of the ball or between the ball and potential attackers.

And, it must be added, the England players are more than willing to put up with the stud-raking this might invite. Their job is to slow down the ball and they are adept at getting hands on it and challenging referees, who are under pressure to ensure some flow, to keep penalising them or eventually letting it go.

They’re skilled at holding the man on the ground a little longer than the law allows, or impeding the placing of the ball, and this slowing up of possession can be crucial and probably accounts for the problems New Zealand had in breaking through.

All this, of course, adds up to England’s games being stop-start penalty-littered affairs and often the frustration of their opponents plays into the hands of Jonny Wilkinson.

But, don’t get me wrong. In test match rugby you have to do what you have to do and they’re a canny, efficient side who know their strengths and know how to win.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the England of 2003 play exactly like some of the great Springbok sides of yore.

We didn’t complain then and we shouldn’t be whining about it now.