Le Monde | • Updated | By
England play their rugby World Cup double or quits tonight, Saturday, October 3 at 21 am ( French), against Australia. After his defeat against Wales (28-25) Saturday, September 26th, the XV de la Rose has no right to make mistakes. Losing would mean being eliminated from the qualifying pools, on “his” mythical land Twickenham, for “his” World Cup at home. Never a host country would have been out so early in the competition. The humiliation would be complete and deeply undermine the English rugby.
Stuart Lancaster, the coach, no mistake. “It’s the biggest game of my career. “He recognizes that a disposal would probably be the end of his career with the England team. “It is fair to say [that my position is in play] . It’s a game that we must absolutely win. [...] I understand the consequences, I understand where the responsibility lies, that is to say at my level. “
In these circumstances, it took the British press, known for its subtle lightness to add more. “The world on their shoulders,” as the Guardian . The Daily Telegraph is a moral lesson in nationalism, written on red rose background: “You represent your country, your people, your nation, your home. You put a little wore jersey, history that will forever be linked to your name, will be defined in the eighty minutes to come. Are you a winner? Will you make your family proud? “
Desperation motivation for
Faced with the pressure, officials of the English rugby display a false relaxation. Thursday 1 st October, Jason Leonard, president of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), said he was confident. Former winner of the 2003 World Cup, which took quite kilos since then was a school to promote the development of the sport. “I really think we will win. It will be a tight game with few points, but we have no choice, he claimed to World . We will mark just enough to win. “
Guardian appears to share this optimism. Seven of his sports journalists publish their prognosis for the game: all predict an English victory. “Despair is a great motivational tool, wrote one of them. England a huge risk if it loses public lynching. “
In fact, a victory is far from impossible for the XV de la Rose, who won his last two games against Australia. In both cases, the English team had imposed in Twickenham, before his audience. This time, the crowd promises to bring a unique atmosphere, with regard to the issue. Another historical precedent: England beat the Wallabies in the quarterfinals of the 2007 World Cup at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille-
Still, Australia made a strong impression from the beginning of. World Cup, crucifying Uruguay (65-3) and dominating without great difficulty Fiji (28-13). She also knows that a victory would ensure him a qualification to get out of this “group of death” so difficult (Australia, England, Wales, Fiji, Uruguay). The task will be difficult for the English.
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