Rugby fans shouldn’t be too hasty writing off England. Comparing their score with the All Blacks’ tally against Tonga, is short‑sighted.
I know that in boxing ‘A’ can beat ‘B’ and ‘B’ beats ‘C’, then seemingly against the odds ‘C’ beats ‘A’. Why?
It’s all about different styles. England’s rugby style is unspectacular and heavy on defence. For the All Blacks to beat them first requires they get the ball, something England’s larger and stronger pack will make very difficult. While on current form the All Blacks should beat Wales and probably make the final, another possibility not to be dismissed is their final opponent is the Irish.
The Irish know how to beat England and could well be the finalist.
Then there’s always present contingencies such as off‑days, mishaps and the like, without which sporting outcomes would be uninteresting and predictable. In short, despite the media proclaiming victory, it ‘ain’t over’ till the final whistle.
